From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Judd Zulgad.

Longtime Twins radio broadcaster Herb Carneal died this morning of congestive heart failure at his home in Minnetonka, the team announced.

Carneal, 83, who received the highest honor in baseball broadcasting in 1996 when he was named the recipient of the Ford C. Frick award, had spent six weeks in the hospital this winter battling a variety of ailments.

He had been scheduled to work 36 homes games this season, including the Twins opener on Monday night against Baltimore.

Carneal joined the Twins broadcast team in 1962, the team’s second season in Minnesota. He had spent the previous five seasons doing play-by-play for the Baltimore Orioles and before that had worked Philadelphia Phillies and A’s games.

This would have been his 52nd season of describing major league games. Tired of the travel schedule, Carneal had cut back to just doing home games in 1998.