Former BJ sportswriter Sheldon Ocker on Saturday received his J.G. Taylor Spink Award at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, New York, down the street from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

The award has been given annually since 1962 for “meritorious service to baseball writing.” Sheldon’s 33 years of covering the Cleveland Indians for the BJ easily qualified.

Sheldon switched from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Indians in 1981 when Bob Nold decided he didn’t want to spent his entire spring and summer on the road or in Cleveland.

 

Sheldon enters the Hall of Fame along with Bob Costas, who was awarded the Ford C. Frick Award for “major contributions to baseball broadcasting,” and former Indians great Jim Thome, who Ocker covered for much of his career.

Ocker spoke onstage with the podium roughly where second base would be at Doubleday Field and with 58 Hall of Famers sitting behind him.

Sheldon retired from Ol’ Blue Walls after the 2013 season. His wife is Stephanie.