UMphd

September 16th, 2009 at 4:15 PM ^

I am making a point to watch this game tonight. I am looking forward to hearing Ernie speak to us. I know I will cry. Of this, I am sure. Bless you, Ernie. And thanks.

Joined: 10/06/2008

MGoPoints: 95

Chunks the Hobo

September 16th, 2009 at 4:22 PM ^

There aren't many universally loved individuals, but Ernie Harwell not only is in that rare category, he's at the top of the list. Thanks for all the years, Ernie. I've never even been much of a baseball fan, but whenever I came across Ernie's voice on the radio, the dial always stopped.

Joined: 07/22/2008

MGoPoints: 4073

maizevanblue

September 16th, 2009 at 4:30 PM ^

He gave everything he had to the game of baseball and the city of Detroit, while asking for nothing in return. I know the fans will come out to give him support tonight, and it should be great. He is already missed as a broadcaster, and will be missed once he is gone. I won't be at the game, but I plan on giving him a standing ovation wherever I watch it from. Like Inge said, it will be a night that will not be forgotten. Thanks, Ernie.

Joined: 02/28/2009

MGoPoints: 25

billsquared

September 16th, 2009 at 4:37 PM ^

I SO wish I could be there tonight. Ah, the perils of stepping down to one car in the family. The following is 100% true (no sugarcoat)... My wife and I got a list of suggested readings from our pastor when we were planning our wedding, and one of them was Song of Solomon 2. As I'm reading it, my very first reaction was, "Oh, shit. YES, we are including this reading. Nobody but my groomsmen may 'get it,' but it will be SO worth it." On a total whim, I check the Tigers 2001 schedule. Hey, they're home that weekend, and an evening game the night of the wedding. So, I wrote Ernie a letter, telling him about my life-long love of the Tigers and listening to his broadcasts. (Keep in mind, this letter was written in late 2000. Not good times for a Tigers fan.) I asked if he'd be willing to read the words that Tigers fans recognize as the true harbinger of spring. I sent two copies of the letter, one c/o the Tigers, and one c/o the Freep. And then I forgot about it, because, really, what are the odds? A couple of weeks later, my phone rings at my desk. "Mr. Williams? This is Ernie Harwell." (I am literally tearing up right now as I'm typing this.) I about fell out of my chair. He told me he had received my letter, and that he'd be more than happy to do the reading, just send him the details. Holy shit. I thanked him profusely, said good-bye, hung up, and stood up shakily, staring at my phone. My co-workers, I believe, thought somebody in my family had died. Oh, quite the opposite. So we send Ernie an invitation to the wedding, with some additional detail notes, via the Tigers. (It never occurred to me to ask who had given him my letter.) About two weeks before the wedding, our home phone rings in the evening. It's Ernie. He hadn't heard anything from us since our phone conversation, and wanted to make sure everything was okay. Well, besides him obviously not getting the invite, yeah, everything's cool, so I give him the time, date, address and whatnot, and he says he'll be there. And so he was. Despite the ceremony starting late (probably causing him to be slightly later than usual to the ballpark) he was there, talked with me and my groomsmen before the ceremony, and was just generally... well, he was Ernie. Everything you read about him is 100% true. He is truly one of a kind. If I think about it later tonight, I'll scan in one of the pictures our photographer took with the two of us outside the church... I think I still have a copy of the audio of his reading at the wedding around here as well. Yeah, Ernie is one of the good guys, and it absolutely kills me not to be there tonight.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 253

Sgt. Wolverine

September 16th, 2009 at 6:40 PM ^

Wow. I think you have one of the greatest Harwell memories anybody could have. That's remarkable, and it speaks to the great character, sincerity and lack of pretentiousness that helped define Ernie Harwell. Thank you for sharing that.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 3742

Todd Plate's n…

September 16th, 2009 at 4:50 PM ^

I have a memory of my grandfather sitting on his back porch of his modest home in Redford Township, at dusk, quietly listening to a Tiger's broadcast. I must have been 7 or so at the time (1986ish). ernie's voice and that image will forever be inseparable.

Joined: 03/27/2009

MGoPoints: 1135

LinemenForever

September 16th, 2009 at 5:27 PM ^

"The Tigers have just finished their 2002 season. And I've just finished my baseball broadcasting career, and it's time to say good-bye. But I think good-byes are sad, and I'd much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure. "I'm not leaving, folks. I'll still be with you, living my life in Michigan, my home state, surrounded by family and friends. "And rather than good-bye, please allow me to say thank you. "Thank you for letting me be part of your family. Thank you for taking me with you to that cottage up north, to the beach, the picnic, your work place and your backyard. "Thank you for sneaking your transistor under the pillow as you grew up loving the Tigers. "Now I might have been a small part of your life. But you have been a very large part of mine. And it's my privilege and honor to share with you the greatest game of all. "Now God has a new adventure for me. And I'm ready to move on. So I leave you with a deep sense of appreciation for your longtime loyalty and support. "I thank you very much, and God bless all of you."

Joined: 09/10/2009

MGoPoints: 63

Brodie

September 16th, 2009 at 8:20 PM ^

Mike Illitch can call Detroit whatever he likes, we can argue with State until the cows come home about which program represents the state more... the fact is, Michigan is a baseball state first and foremost. There are more people in Michigan right now sitting around and just listening to the Tigers and Royals on the radio than there are people in the Big House. It's not often that two titans of a local sporting world will be pitted against one another. Nobody will ever force someone to pick between Barry Sanders and Steve Yzerman, for example. But when Bo went up against Ernie, there wasn't even a question as to who the public supported... Bo was nobody in a world without Ernie Harwell. Ernie is a great man, a hell of a play by play guy and a legend in the hearts and minds of millions of people.

Joined: 11/19/2008

MGoPoints: 10713

jmblue

September 16th, 2009 at 10:59 PM ^

For the record, Bo did not fire Ernie Harwell. Jim Long, the WJR general manager at the time, did. Bo inexplicably was made the fall guy for something he was never involved with. Sadly, no one in the Tiger organization even bothered to set the record straight while Bo had his name unjustly thrown in the mud.

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 103059

aenima0311

September 16th, 2009 at 8:41 PM ^

Vintage Ernie tonight. He was honest, sincere and heartfelt but not overly emotional or melodramatic. One of the classiest guys I've ever met. I met Ernie at one of the Tiger Caravan events they used to do around the state, back when the team was awful. There was an autograph session at a local theater, and I was one of the first there. The Tiger players had gotten delayed at their previous even and were over an hour late. Ernie wasn't scheduled to sign, but he felt obliged to because we had been waiting for so long. As I approached him and got my ball signed, all I could manage to say was a shaky Thank You, Mr. Harwell. That ball sits in the center of my sports memorobilia display and possibly my most treasured item. A neat secondary part of my story, and why I'm a fan of Brandon Inge to this day. Ernie was first in the line, as I moved down the line everyone signed and was very nice. Everyone asked if I wanted them to sign my ball, which I refused. When I got to the end of the line, Brandon asked if I wanted him to sign the ball... but before I could say no, he shot back Oh no, I'm sorry. I can't sign that, Ernie's on it. Fan for life. Best wishes Mr. Harwell.

Joined: 11/21/2008

MGoPoints: 1061