Gone but not forgotten

The voice of the Tigers was forever silenced today. To kids growing up in Michigan and Canada over the last fifty years, Ernie Harwell was a regular part of your day for five months out of the year. Ernie had a story for every at-bat and seemed to recall them at will. Long before the days of search engines, Ernie's mind could pull up a story for any situation. His calls were simple and clever such as "Trammel to Whitaker to Evans, that's two for the price of one!" as the Tigers turned another double play or "Rob Deer called out for excessive window shopping" as another Tiger took a called third strike.

I remember listening to Ernie on the radio and feeling safe when I heard his voice. He was like another member of the family and is the only announcer I have known that was as important as the actual game. Ernie was the soundtrack in your life and his voice was quintessential summer. I remember when he came back to the Tigers in the early 90's when we had a fearsome lineup. On some nights, you'd hear Ernie make his "That ball is looooooong gone!" call 4-5 times in one game as Cecil and Mickey were heating up. Ernie was selfless. He was so humble that if he were anyone else, you would mistake his humility as an act. Take this quote for an example:

"I'd like to be remembered as someone who showed up for the job. I consider myself a worker. I love what I do. If I had my time over again, I'd probably do it for nothing."

I'm not sure that quote is believable with too many people other than Ghandi, Mother Theresa or Hugh Hefner. But you heard that love in his voice every night that he called a game. It was the voice of someone who truly loved their job and worked as if there were no other place on Earth he would rather be than Michigan and Trumball. That quote also exemplifies what made Detroit great once and what was lacking when the mighty city failed. My favorite Ernie staple was his signature strike-out call, "He stood there like the house by the side of the road." There is no poetry in that call, no flash or clever analogy. It's simple and matter of fact, which was Ernie's style. When a foul ball landed in the stands, Ernie would say "Foul off to the first base line, about ten rows deep and caught by a man from Monroe." Adding the detail of a small Michigan town was Ernie's way of keeping you interested and reminding you that he knows you're out there listening.

"Baseball is a lot like life. It's a day-to-day existence, full of ups and downs. You make the most of your opportunities in baseball as you do in life."

Even in his last days, Ernie taught us what courage in the face of defeat looks like. As he stood in front of a packed house at Comerica last season, he mentioned how he was "looking forward to this next journey". By this time, his illness was past inoperable and Ernie was teaching us how to bow out gracefully and with tremendous conviction. Ernie would not go out fighting, he would acknowledge a life well lived and make sure to give thanks and credit to everyone but himself. Though I haven't heard him call a game in quite some time, I feel a sadness as if I lost a close friend today. A life well lived is one filled with meaning and significance. I'll close with his last professional call which frames a life we all could aspire to have.



"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."

ERNIE HARWELL, SEPTEMBER 30, 2002 - FAREWELL ADDRESS