OT: Ernie Harwell passes away

Submitted by Dark Blue on

At the age of 92. It is a sad day for Tigers fans everywhere.

CalJr3000

May 4th, 2010 at 8:27 PM ^

Very sad to hear, Ernie WAS Detroit Tigers baseball for a lot of people for many years.  But here's a guy who lived a remarkable life and will be sorely missed.  RIP

810steveo

May 4th, 2010 at 8:32 PM ^

this is sad for me since I can remember I would listen to tiger games and hear Ernie Harwell call the game. He was a major reason that me and probadly others became tiger fans. My best wishes go out to his wife Lulu and his family.

MaizeyBlue

May 4th, 2010 at 9:54 PM ^

Probably almost all of us grew up learning baseball listening to Ernie Harwell.  I remember asking my dad how he knew where everyone in the crowd was from, and my dad would answer he asks them before the game!  :)  "A man from Mount Pleasant grabbed that foul ball."

Dark Blue

May 4th, 2010 at 8:35 PM ^

I grew up in the state of Michigan and I absolutely loved listening to Ernie call a Tigers game. He had such passion for the game and he was a Tiger though and through. I realize that this may sound cliche but it almost feels as if a small part of my childhood has died. Ernie you will be missed.

RagingBean

May 4th, 2010 at 8:36 PM ^

I am really, genuinely sorry to hear of Harwell's passing. I know he had been fighting and struggling for a long time, but it's always sad when such an icon is snuffed out.

NorthSideBlueFan

May 4th, 2010 at 8:36 PM ^

I still remember listening to him with my great grandmother as a little boy as she listened to him every night until her passing. She thought he was the best.

Thanks for the amazing memories Ernie, baseball will surely stand there like the house by the side of road to honor you...

HartAttack20

May 4th, 2010 at 8:39 PM ^

I was saddened to hear this. I'm not a baseball fan by any stretch of the imagination, but anybody can respect what he did for Tigers baseball. An absolute legend and a pure class act. He will be missed by many, many people. Let's go wings, win one for Ernie.

Search4Meaning

May 4th, 2010 at 8:47 PM ^

It's like a piece of everything good and pure has passed...

The first Tigers game I ever heard was with Ernie calling it.  Over the years he was like a best friend.  Always calling the game with balance and class.  It was all about the game first and the Tigers second with Ernie.  

It is a passing of an era the likes of which we will probably not see again.

My deepest respect to the Harwell family.  As much as he meant to us, he was so much more to them. 

(A footnote - he passed before Tiger Stadium was leveled.  That would have pained him more.)

MichFan1997

May 4th, 2010 at 8:45 PM ^

Ernie is now LOOOOOOOOOOONG GONE! He moves on to call the Tigers games in heaven. I can hear him calling a Ty Cobb triple in the back of my brain already. Thanks for letting me listen to your voice each and every night. Ernie, we love you. RIP, friend.

MGoShoe

May 4th, 2010 at 8:48 PM ^

...baseball radio man of all time.  Hall of Famer in Cooperstown, Hall of Fame in the hearts of Tigers fans everywhere.  Rest in peace, Ernie.  There's a fan from Mount Clemens catching a foul ball right now and Ernie's not here to call it.  But I'll always think of him when I imagine myself catching that ball.

hockeyguy9125

May 4th, 2010 at 9:04 PM ^

Rest In Peace to the best baseball voice I ever heard. I am 21 years old now and can remember listening to him in the summertime because my dad would rather listen to him than the TV announcers. He was simply the best and will be missed by all. Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.

Rescue_Dawn

May 4th, 2010 at 9:11 PM ^

His voice will always remind of warm summer nights in the D w/ his voice echoing in our garage....hanging out w/ my Dad just being a kid.  Ernie thank you.

Rescue_Dawn

May 4th, 2010 at 9:46 PM ^

"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 goodbye, please allow me to say thank you. Thank you for letting me become part of your family. Thank you for taking me with you to that cottage up north, to the beach, the picnic, your work place, or your backyard. Thank you for sneaking your transistor radio under the pillow as you grew up loving the Tigers. I might have been a small part of your life. But you have been a very large part of mine."

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

May 4th, 2010 at 10:04 PM ^

That always sounded like such a natural thing to say for a double play, it took me a while to realize that was an Ernie thing.  Seems like that was always Ernie's way - never ostentatious.

"He stood there like the house by the side of the road" was always my personal favorite.  I liked that a lot better than "excessive window shopping."

Pea-Tear Gryphon

May 4th, 2010 at 9:28 PM ^

A couple of my favorite Ernie related items:

- Only announcer to be traded for a player. Brooklyn Dodgers traded a catcher to bring him in.

- "Stood there like a house by the side of the road"

- "Foul ball caught by a man from Ann Arbor" (or some other random town that changed for every foul)

- "That one was right down Woodward"

You'll be missed Ernie. You were the best.

allansrule

May 4th, 2010 at 10:02 PM ^

As a kid, it always amazed me that Ernie knew where everybody who caught foul balls was from.  As an adult, it still amazed me.  How the heck did he know so many people?

As a Yooper kid, I grew up listening to both Ernie and Bob Ueker on AM radio.  I thought they were both great.  RIP Ernie.  You will be missed.

SysMark

May 4th, 2010 at 9:25 PM ^

The passing of a great.  Really the end of an era for the Tigers and Detroit sports.

I grew up a Yankee fan but always liked the Tigers, especially from my time at UM and Ernie was The Man.