Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Ernie Harwell, according to several news sources, has passed away at 92. He had been suffering from cancer the last few years. He spent over a half century as a baseball broadcaster, most of it with the Detroit Tigers.
He was always on the different documentary shows with some great insight on the Detroit Tigers going back four decades. As far as that goes he gave some great stories about MLB in general going back to the 1930's. He indeed will be missed. RIP Ernie.
Very sad. I'm just so glad that Mr. Harwell was able to say goodbye to all of his fans when he felt the time was right last year. I was very inspired when I read that even after that, right to the very end of his life, he continued to enjoy exercising regularly to the best of his ability and never gave up on himself. Something tells me he wouldn't want us to feel bad today, but I do anyway. Still, I can feel good about the life of a person who for most of his 92 years really did do it his way, right to the very end.
2 years in a row with the loss of a legendary broadcaster...Harry Kalas last year, and Harwell this year. Looks like God's assembling a heck of a broadcast team in heaven. They sure don't make broadcasters these days like they used to.
Comerica Park was open yesterday from 7:00 a.m. til midnight while Mr. Harwell laid in repose for fans to say good-bye. I have't heard an offical count but as of 11:00 p.m., there were well over 10,000 visitors for the viewing. So many great storie; like the fan who couldn't work up the nerve to ask his girl to marry him, so he asked Ernie to do it for him. Ernie arranged dinner for the three of them at a nice restaurant and he popped the question. I guess he and Lulu were so happy that he wanted everyone to know that feeling. Did you hear about the impromptu game of 'sandlot' ball down at Michigan and Trumball yesterday afternoon? Residents of Corktown thought it would be a fitting tribute to Ernie.
I've never lived in or near the Motor City, but when I was growing up, the Phillies (and Pirates) were usualy mired in the NL's second division, and in my family (probably due to the 1950 "Whiz Kids" series), we did not root for the Yankees -- period.
But due to a quirk in the AM radio spectrum, you copuld usually get the Tiger games at night on clear channel WJR (and a ittle to the left, CKLW provoded some great, and often atypical, rock and roll). So I became a Detroiter-by-proxy, of sorts.
I've been listening in since the days of Kuenn, Kaline and Colavito -- through all the ups and downs. And as with Rich Ashburn and Harry Kalas, two other gentlemen of the first order, Ernie Harwell's raspy voice will stay in my memory for a long time.
BTW, that accolade goes for Phil Rizzuto as well; team rivalry is one thing -- respect is quite another.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
