It your a baseball fan you may know the name Ernie Harwell. For many years Ernie was the broadcaster for the Detriot Tiger games on the radio. Many of summers were spent listening to Ernie call the games. I remember being out on Lake St. Clair and listening to the Tiger game while out on my parents boat. The summer of 84, the last time the Tigers won the World Series, was a year that many Tiger fans remember every moment listening to Ernie and his broadcast partner Paul Carey that year.  That was the year I met Ernie for the first time at a baseball card store. It was a cool moment for me. I was also lucky enough to meet Ernie again during the All-Star game in Detroit back in 2005. He was a very nice guy and took the time to talk with me.

Ernie was let go by the Tigers in the early 90s. There was such an outrage that he was actually brought back by the team (which then had a new owner) and worked with the Tigers for a number of years before retiring on his own in 2002.

He had a few trademarks like each announcer does, it was always exciting to hear Ernie do his “Long Gone” call on a home run. On a foul ball, he always knew what town that fan was from who caught that ball. He was big on giving the score often and never got caught up into stats. He was a class act.

He also did the television announcing for the game which was where the Giants won the pennant against the Dodgers in the “Shot Heard Around the World”.

Recently it was announced that Ernie, at the age of 91, has incurable cancer. He will be honored tonight at the Tigers’ game in Detroit and at the Lions’ game on Sunday. His spirits are amazing up and his seems ready for his next adventure. This year the Tigers are in a pennant race and have a really good chance to make the playoffs. Hopefully for him they can win it all. Ernie will be missed. Just ask any Tiger fan.