A Legend Slowly Passes

The opening day of the baseball season is Monday. It is the time of year when almost every fan thinks that their team may just win it all this year. It is personally one of my favorite days of the year. There is a man out in Michigan that was part of 55 opening days. He was never a player, a manager, or even a coach, yet to many he meant the beginning of spring. He was just one of the best baseball announcers the game has ever known. His name is Ernie Harwell. He spent 42 years broadcasting Detroit Tigers games in his low key style. Harwell told us about the game, he didn't try to become part of it. This is a lesson that many modern announcers should learn. Harwell was diagnosed with incurable cancer back in September 2009. Seven months later he is losing the battle, according to his daughter, he consumes mostly liquids and sleeps most of the time. The 92 year old Hall of Famer will be gone soon, though he isn't looking for sympathy saying "Whatever happens, I'm ready to face it." If you don't know about Ernie Harwell do yourself a favor and look him up and see what he meant to Detroit and how much of a gentleman he is. The days of the great baseball announcers are quickly passing and, although I never lived in Detroit, I just wanted to give a tip of the cap to Ernie Harwell, a hall of fame announcer and, by all accounts, person.