Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Voice Of The Tigers Passes Away

Ernie Harwell has lost his battle with cancer at the age of 92.

I remember in 2002 when the Jays played the Tigers in the season finale at the Dome that CBC decided to tap into Detroit's radio feed for Harwell's call for the the final inning of his final game in the booth. Anyone who heard Harwell that day or during his career certainly knew why he was the beloved voice of the Tigers.

Harwell has the distinction of being the only broadcaster traded for a player as the Brooklyn Dodgers sent catcher Cliff Dapper to the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association back in 1948. Harwell also called games for the New York Giants and the Baltimore Orioles in the 1950's before coming to Detroit for the 1960 season. Harwell was the man behind the mike for the Tigers up until 1991 when the team decided not to renew his contract. In the interim, he called some games for the California Angels before new owner Mike Illitch brought him back to Motown in 1993.

The 1981 winner of the Ford C. Frick award is survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters and numerous grandchildren. It's also a sad day for those who grew up listening to Harwell throughout Michigan and Southern Ontario. Condolences to his family and friends.

Posted by #2JBrumfield on Tuesday, May 04 2010 @ 09:52 PM EDT.

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Mick Doherty - Wednesday, May 05 2010 @ 12:24 AM EDT (#214599) #

I posted this note verbatim to Facebook a few hours ago ...

RIP Ernie Harwell, the radio voice of major league baseball in the midwest for decades. Thank you, Ernie, for hundreds -- maybe thousands -- of hours of listening enjoyment. As you said each Opening Day, "The time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land."

Truly one of the great voices of the game and one of the real sounds of my childhood. I still smirk and giggle when I hear an old rebroadcast of someone being struck out looking by Jack Morris or someone and Ernie intoning, "And he stood there like the house by the side of the road ..."

And of course the greatest of his schtick was on every foul ball into the stands, his claiming "And that's a souvenir for a young lad from Saginaw ..." (or whatever city). He'd claim with a straight face that he memorized the hometowns of each fan in every seat before the game ... hey, when I was six, it seemed amazing but true!

Petey Baseball - Wednesday, May 05 2010 @ 01:27 AM EDT (#214600) #

Ernie lived a long and blessed life, so tonight I am not sad but I am happy that so many people have been touched by a great man he was. Growing up in Southwestern Ontario, Harwell was a sound of summer and despite switching my allegiance to the Blue Jays at a very young age I will always cherish the hours and hours I heard of his great voice.

mathesond - Wednesday, May 05 2010 @ 08:44 AM EDT (#214611) #

The Sporting News reprinted an essay of his from 1955

http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/article/2010-05-05/game-for-all-america

ZekeBella - Friday, May 07 2010 @ 12:18 PM EDT (#214746) #

Some of my first memories of MLB are from lying in bed in Halifax late at night with my transistor radio twistng the dial until I could get a static filled broadcast from Detroit with Ernie Harwell and Al Kaline and Harvey Kuenn. As Lionel Cartwright sang "I watched it all on my radio.". http://www.cowboylyrics.com/tabs/cartwright-lionel/watched-it-all-on-radio-7449.html Not many realize that Ernie called Bobby Thonpson's shot heard around the world on NBC TV, as it is Russ Hodge's radio call that has become famous. Is there anybody left from that 60's era now except Vin Scully?

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