Ernie Harwell

William Earnest "Ernie" Harwell (born January 25, 1918 in Washington, Georgia) is a former Major League Baseball announcer. For 55 years (42 of them with the Detroit Tigers), Harwell called balls, strikes, and home runs over the radio.

Related Topics:
January 25 - 1918 - Washington, Georgia - Major League Baseball - Announcer - Detroit Tigers - Radio

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After graduating from Emory University, Harwell began his career as a copy editor and sportswriter for the Atlanta Constitution and as a regional correspondent for The Sporting News. In 1943, he began announcing games for the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association, after which he served four years in the Marines. In 1948 Harwell became the only announcer in baseball history to be traded for a player when the Brooklyn Dodgers' General Manager, Branch Rickey, traded catcher Cliff Dapper to the Crackers in exchange for breaking Harwell's broadcasting contract.

Related Topics:
Emory University - Atlanta Constitution - The Sporting News - Atlanta Crackers - Marines - Brooklyn Dodgers - Branch Rickey

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Harwell was also play-by-play man for the New York Giants in the early 1950s (calling Bobby Thomson's "Shot heard 'round the world" in the 1951 National League playoff game on national television), then for the Baltimore Orioles in the late 1950s. Early in his career he also broadcast football and golf events.

Related Topics:
Play-by-play - New York Giants - Bobby Thomson - National League - Playoff - Television - Baltimore Orioles - Football - Golf

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In 1960 Harwell became the "voice" of the Tigers, replacing veteran broadcaster Van Patrick. He was known for his low-key delivery, southern accent, and conversational style, which included:

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• Pausing periodically with the game action, allowing listeners to hear the sounds of the stadium
• Frequently referring to the location of Tiger Stadium -- the corner of Michigan and Trumbull
• Following up foul balls into the crowd with, "That one was caught by a fan from (insert name of local city or town)."
• Exclaiming on a called third strike, "He stood there like the house by the side of the road and watched it go by."
• Describing a home run, "That ball is looooong gone!"
• Beginning the first spring-training broadcast of each season with a reading from Song of Solomon 2:12: "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."

In a controversial move, Harwell's contract was "non-renewed" by the Tigers and then-flagship station WJR in 1991, but a popular outcry led to his partial reinstatement on the team's television broadcasts the following year, after the Tigers franchise was purchased by Detroit businessman Mike Ilitch. He resumed full-time radio duties with the team from 1999 to 2002.

Related Topics:
WJR - 1991 - Mike Ilitch

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Nationally, Harwell broadcast two All-Star Games (1959, 1961) and two World Series (1963, 1968) for NBC Radio, numerous American League playoff series for CBS Radio, and the CBS Radio Game of the Week from 1992-1997. He also called the 1984 World Series for the Tigers and WJR.

Related Topics:
All-Star Games - World Series - NBC - American League - CBS

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Ernie Harwell: Awards and non-broadcast activities ►