RIP Ernie Harwell

[Big Sexy]

Ernie Harwell died today at the age of 92 after being diagnosed in 2009 with an incurable cancer of the bile duct. For those who don't know Harwell was a legendary baseball play-by-play man. He called games for 55 years, 42 of them being with the Tigers. Before coming to Detroit in 1960 he called games for the Brooklyn Dodgers, NY Giants, and Baltimore Orioles. He also took a one year break from his 42 with the Tigers in 1992 and called games for the Angels.

Throughout his career Harwell was named Michigan Sportscaster of the year 19 times. In 1981 he was honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame becoming the 5th broadcaster to win the Ford C. Frick Award. Detroit's press box at Comerica Park was renamed the Ernie Harwell Media Center. He was scheduled to receive the Vin Scully Lifetime Achievement Award in Sports Broadcasting in New York before his death

Ernie Harwell is one of the greatest broadcaster's to ever live and is a huge loss to the game of baseball.

EDIT: For anyone interested this video will give you a glimpse at his legendary career.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5163285

 

[Stormtrooper]

As a New Yorker, born in 1985, I didn't have much exposure to Tigers games, especially before he retired in 2002. Ernie Harwell is one of the best broadcasters of all time, and in the limited exposure I had of his work, I always wished I was able to hear him more.

One thing I would recommend to any baseball fan. A few years ago, Ernie Harwell released "Ernie Harwell's Audio Scrapbook," a 4-CD set that is one of the single greatest recordings ever. When it was first released, it was being sold for $19.84 for 1, and $19.68 for 2 or more (1984 and 1968 are the 2 years the Tigers won the World Series).

here's the link to the official site for the scrapbook.

EDIT: The scrapbook is pretty much an audio-autobiography, but it is laced with interviews Harwell had with people the likes of Joe DiMaggio, Connie Mack, and Ty Cobb. As I said earlier, just spend the 20 bucks and buy the damn thing, you'll be glad you did.

And how in the blue hell did anyone NOT named Ernie Harwell win the Michigan Sportscaster of the year award?

 

[thepalaceprince]

As a tigers fan Il miss ernie so much. He was not only a great broadcaster but a great person. He embodied everything that was and is great about baseball and he will forever be the voice of the tigers and imo the voice of baseball. R.I.P. ERNIE