The name William Earnest "Ernie" Harwell may not be universally known, but for anyone who had anything to do with the city of Detroit over the past 50 years, he was a household name, broadcasting the play-by-play as "the voice of the Detroit Tigers".
Prior to his 4-decade-long career in Detroit, Harwell broadcast for the Brooklyn Dodgers (standing in for Red Barber) from 1948-1949. From '50 to '53, he was the announcer for the New York (baseball) Giants, and from '54 to '59, he worked for the Baltimore Orioles. In 1960, Harwell moved to Detroit and began announcing for the Tigers. Except for a one-year stint with the California Angels (he was brought back to Detroit by popular demand), he stayed with them until 2002.
Harwell's death on May 4th at the age of 92 made national news and unleashed a wave of nostalgia on the part of the legion of listeners he reached over the years with his trademark expressions such as "That one is LONG gone"; "He stood there like the house by the side of the road, and watched it go by" (after a strikeout); and "It's two for the price of one!" (after a double play).
On July 1, 2010, Playaway releases Ernie Harwell's Audio Scrapbook, a one-of-kind, four-hour audio documentary of the legendary sportscaster, featuring hours of reminiscences by Ernie himself; archival interviews with baseball legends Connie Mack, Ted Williams, and Joe Dimaggio; and classic calls from Ernie's earliest days with the Atlanta Crackers to his 42-year career as the "Voice of the Tigers".
For a taste of the Ernie Harwell story, view the online trailer for the Audio Scrapbook.
Ernie Harwell earned a place in the Sportscasters Hall of Fame and lives on in the memories of the many Michigan sports fans he touched over the decades. Ernie Harwell's Audio Scrapbook is an enduring contribution to sports history and deserves a place in any library's sports collection.
** Visit Playaway at Booth #4077 @ BEA. **
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Posted by David Perrotta, MLIS
Playaway Senior Content Strategist
Twitter: david_perrotta