Great Voices Are Leaving
For many rural midwestern kids, baseball is played on clumps of mud and fenceless fields. It is game of worn, muddy balls and cracked wooden bats. It is Tigers vs. Twins or Cubs vs. Cardinals in rough-looking affairs, including tatered uniforms that have no rythym of color and hats that are sponsored by Bob's Gas Station or Tom's Automotive.
Fashion and matching colors are the farthest thing from these little leaguers minds. Instead, they dream of walking into Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park or Wrigley Field, visualizing a 3-2 count with the bases jammed and the crack of the bat that gets the mud flying and feet pedaling in all directions. Then, before they cross home plate in their dreams, they snap to it in time to connect during their Little League game.
As one of those games ended in my youth and my (Little League) Tigers won - that is how I always remember it- I headed home anxiously to try and pick up the big league Tigers on WJR radio. Sometimes, it worked, usually after 7 p.m., and if it didn't I had to tune into the Twins broadcasts. I am not a Twins fan but Halsey Hall and Herb Carneal were great voices. Every so often, I would move the dial back toward WJR with the hope - even with the heavy buzzing sound on the AM radio - I could pick up the tail end of the Tigers' game.
It was worth it, those scratches that could be a bit mind rattling, but to hear the southern tang of Ernie Harwell was worth it.
To this day, I find that only a couple of other announcers' voices are in Harwell's radio announcing ballpark. Vin Scully still calls the Dodgers games and he is worth a listen. Of course, Philly's Harry Kalas captured our attention, as he did with the Phillies broadcast, on This Week in Baseball. Let's not forgot Jack Buck - his son Joe tries to give us the game in his own style, but he is not his father. Buck's raspy voice and intelligent broadcasts brought a unique flavor to Cardinal broadcasts.
From my vantage point, these were grand voices of the game. I know Red Barber captured the hearts of New Yorkers as Michael Kay does today. But for my money or interest, the Harwells, Bucks and Scullys will forever be the heart and soul of baseball play by play.
Their voices charmed and captured the interest of many generations of baseball-listening fans, many who dreamed of the day they would play for their favorite teams. It was through these men's voices that we were able to visualize the action on the field.
It was through them that we could head out to an empty lot with a big barn and begin hitting rocks with pieces of wood. As we voiced our own play-by-play in a dream sequence, we imagined how we were the Kalines, Mantles and Mays. It was through this men that we developed a deep-imbedded love for our teams.
To this day, I often hear the term "fair weather fans." It is a reference to cheering for the team of the day. Maybe it is the Yankees or the Dodgers, it is never the last place teams. Still,, if you were a true "Tigers", or "Cubs, "Cardinals" fan, your passion for that team never wavered then or now. The passion of your youth for the Tigers is the same as years have passed. Losing is like sticking a knife in the back, especially when they lose 100 games or falter in game 163 to a hated rival (remember Tigers vs. Twins last fall).
Both Kalas and Harwell have gone to the radio announcer's heaven. Still, Harwell remains to this Tigers fan, and thousands of others, a true icon, a man that baseball will miss.
From the first time I heard the Tigers broadcast, he had an intoxicating voice that drew me into Tigers' baseball, never to venture over to any other team, not wanting too.
One of the great things about Harwell was his consistent homespun style that didn't feature a rabid hometown spin, which is part of so many broadcasts these days. He treated both teams on that field with respect which was returned. Hearing Ernie Harwell call the game was a history lesson and one that was pleasant on the soul.
In 1968, I watched the Tigers rally from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. That really was the first time that I remembered rooting for the Tigers. Although there was some memory of the great baseball finish in 1967, when the Red Sox won, my time with Mr. Harwell really began in the mid 1970s.
Like many Tigers' fans, I remember the great 35-5 start by Sparky Anderson's Detroiters, who later won the World Championship in 1984. So much of that year, I was able to listen to the great Harwell. Ernie and Paul Carey captured the heart of thousands of Tigers fans during that special year. We will always remember Kirk Gibson's passionate and fiery leadership, the long-ball hitting of Lance Parrish, the middle of the infield combo of Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell, and of course the great starting pitching of Jack Morris and Dan Petry to go with the lights out relief of MVP Willie Hernandez.
As a reflect back, I don't know that I or you will ever again lay witness to a group of announcers as great as Harwell, Jack Buck, Kalas and of course, Vin Scully. For those of you that are Dodger fans, or aren't, take in a game on the web to hear his voice. He is the only one left of a unique breed of announcers.
I am not a Dodgers fan - but listening to Vin Scully is worth my time and I think yours too. I think I will take in a Dodgers game (on radio) this afternoon.
For those interested in more about Harwell, check out these great pieces below.
http://http//www.freep.com/article/20100504/SPORTS02/100504087/1358/SPORTS/Our-voice-of-summer
http://http//www.freep.com/article/20100505/COL01/5050493/1082/Gone-now-but-never-forgotten
Fashion and matching colors are the farthest thing from these little leaguers minds. Instead, they dream of walking into Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park or Wrigley Field, visualizing a 3-2 count with the bases jammed and the crack of the bat that gets the mud flying and feet pedaling in all directions. Then, before they cross home plate in their dreams, they snap to it in time to connect during their Little League game.
As one of those games ended in my youth and my (Little League) Tigers won - that is how I always remember it- I headed home anxiously to try and pick up the big league Tigers on WJR radio. Sometimes, it worked, usually after 7 p.m., and if it didn't I had to tune into the Twins broadcasts. I am not a Twins fan but Halsey Hall and Herb Carneal were great voices. Every so often, I would move the dial back toward WJR with the hope - even with the heavy buzzing sound on the AM radio - I could pick up the tail end of the Tigers' game.
It was worth it, those scratches that could be a bit mind rattling, but to hear the southern tang of Ernie Harwell was worth it.
To this day, I find that only a couple of other announcers' voices are in Harwell's radio announcing ballpark. Vin Scully still calls the Dodgers games and he is worth a listen. Of course, Philly's Harry Kalas captured our attention, as he did with the Phillies broadcast, on This Week in Baseball. Let's not forgot Jack Buck - his son Joe tries to give us the game in his own style, but he is not his father. Buck's raspy voice and intelligent broadcasts brought a unique flavor to Cardinal broadcasts.
From my vantage point, these were grand voices of the game. I know Red Barber captured the hearts of New Yorkers as Michael Kay does today. But for my money or interest, the Harwells, Bucks and Scullys will forever be the heart and soul of baseball play by play.
Their voices charmed and captured the interest of many generations of baseball-listening fans, many who dreamed of the day they would play for their favorite teams. It was through these men's voices that we were able to visualize the action on the field.
It was through them that we could head out to an empty lot with a big barn and begin hitting rocks with pieces of wood. As we voiced our own play-by-play in a dream sequence, we imagined how we were the Kalines, Mantles and Mays. It was through this men that we developed a deep-imbedded love for our teams.
To this day, I often hear the term "fair weather fans." It is a reference to cheering for the team of the day. Maybe it is the Yankees or the Dodgers, it is never the last place teams. Still,, if you were a true "Tigers", or "Cubs, "Cardinals" fan, your passion for that team never wavered then or now. The passion of your youth for the Tigers is the same as years have passed. Losing is like sticking a knife in the back, especially when they lose 100 games or falter in game 163 to a hated rival (remember Tigers vs. Twins last fall).
Both Kalas and Harwell have gone to the radio announcer's heaven. Still, Harwell remains to this Tigers fan, and thousands of others, a true icon, a man that baseball will miss.
From the first time I heard the Tigers broadcast, he had an intoxicating voice that drew me into Tigers' baseball, never to venture over to any other team, not wanting too.
One of the great things about Harwell was his consistent homespun style that didn't feature a rabid hometown spin, which is part of so many broadcasts these days. He treated both teams on that field with respect which was returned. Hearing Ernie Harwell call the game was a history lesson and one that was pleasant on the soul.
In 1968, I watched the Tigers rally from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. That really was the first time that I remembered rooting for the Tigers. Although there was some memory of the great baseball finish in 1967, when the Red Sox won, my time with Mr. Harwell really began in the mid 1970s.
Like many Tigers' fans, I remember the great 35-5 start by Sparky Anderson's Detroiters, who later won the World Championship in 1984. So much of that year, I was able to listen to the great Harwell. Ernie and Paul Carey captured the heart of thousands of Tigers fans during that special year. We will always remember Kirk Gibson's passionate and fiery leadership, the long-ball hitting of Lance Parrish, the middle of the infield combo of Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell, and of course the great starting pitching of Jack Morris and Dan Petry to go with the lights out relief of MVP Willie Hernandez.
As a reflect back, I don't know that I or you will ever again lay witness to a group of announcers as great as Harwell, Jack Buck, Kalas and of course, Vin Scully. For those of you that are Dodger fans, or aren't, take in a game on the web to hear his voice. He is the only one left of a unique breed of announcers.
I am not a Dodgers fan - but listening to Vin Scully is worth my time and I think yours too. I think I will take in a Dodgers game (on radio) this afternoon.
For those interested in more about Harwell, check out these great pieces below.
http://http//www.freep.com/article/20100504/SPORTS02/100504087/1358/SPORTS/Our-voice-of-summer
http://http//www.freep.com/article/20100505/COL01/5050493/1082/Gone-now-but-never-forgotten
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