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Happy 90th Birthday, Ernie
2008-01-25 15:13
by Bob Timmermann

Longtime Detroit Tigers announcer Ernie Harwell has turned 90 today.

Harwell started broadcasting in 1943 for the Atlanta Crackers and in 1948 he moved on to the Brooklyn Dodgers and then to the New York Giants in 1950 and he handled the television call of the famous 1951 Dodgers-Giants playoff. I believe there was a home run at the end of the third game.

From 1954-59, Harwell broadcast for the Baltimore Orioles and then moved on to the Tigers in 1960 and broadcast for them through 2002, with the exception of 1992 when then Tigers president Bo Schembechler fired Harwell.

It will be just a few more weeks before spring training starts. Harwell traditionally welcomed in each new season with this Biblical passage:

"For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land."

 You can find audio clips of Harwell's work at his own website.

Comments
2008-01-25 15:44:58
1.   Eric Enders
I believe Ernie the cabdriver would also be about 90 by now if he were still alive.
2008-01-25 15:46:32
2.   Bob Timmermann
Actually Frank Faylen would be 102 if he were still alive.
2008-01-25 15:52:56
3.   Eric Enders
I want to just take a minute to acknowledge the skill and craft that went into post #2. Ninety-four seconds, folks. That's how long it took to stumble upon the first post, interpret its rather vague meaning, head over to IMDB, follow the links, then navigate back here and make the post. And all without spelling errors!

A tip of the cap, sir.

2008-01-25 16:12:05
4.   Sammy Maudlin
Today would of been 90th birthday of former Dodger pitcher Ed Head, but sadly Ed Head is dead.
2008-01-25 16:40:36
5.   Bob Timmermann
3
Don't mess with an "It's a Wonderful Life" fanatic.
2008-01-25 16:44:46
6.   Eric Enders
Head's dead, baby. Head's dead.
2008-01-25 20:48:35
7.   Matt J
Man, Ernie Harwell. I grew up in Bay City, Michigan and listened to Harwell every summer night. It's one of the reasons I love baseball so much to this day.

"And he stood there like the house by the side of the road and watched that one go by."

Seeing Tiger Stadium go to pot was hard, but Ernie Harwell's voice is something that keeps 1984 and the Trammell feed to Lou Whitaker alive in my head. Awesome, awesome memories.

2008-01-26 16:34:09
8.   Voxter
I had never heard Harwell before the 2006 playoffs, when he sat in on a game or two and the ESPN guys would hand the reins over for an inning or so at a time. It was so nice to have an actual baseball broadcaster doing big-time baseball games, even if it was only for five minutes at a time. Harwell's cool with me.

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