Kansas City, Mo. ? Broadcaster Denny Matthews, who has been behind the microphone since the Kansas City Royals’ first year in 1969, on Saturday was the 20th person to be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame.

Matthews was the fourth non-uniformed person to be inducted, following founders Ewing and Muriel Kauffman and former GM/President Joe Burke. The hall was established in 1986.

Denny Matthews points to the radio booth at Kauffman Stadium during his induction into the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame. Matthews, the voice of the Royals since the club's inception in 1969, was honored Saturday in Kansas City, Mo.

Matthews was selected from among 300-plus applicants for the No. 2 announcer position — alongside Buddy Blatner — before the team’s inaugural season. Matthews had graduated from Illinois Wesleyan in 1966 and had no broadcasting experience. But he stuck with the Royals, where he took over the No. 1 broadcasting position following the 1975 season.

He teamed with Fred White from 1974 to 1998. His current partner, Ryan Lefebvre, joined him for the 1999 season.

“You certainly don’t think about (being inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame) when you start your career,” Matthews said. “About three or four years ago, people started to talk about it, so I started thinking about it. But it’s not something you dwell on. It’s a great honor.”

Matthews ranks seventh among current major-league announcers for years of service with the same club and 10th overall in total years in the business.