If I live to be 150, I will never forgive Bo Schembechler for firing Ernie Harwell.
In 1990, unexpectedly and quite callously, the Detroit Tigers let broadcaster Ernie Harwell go, pushing him aside. He was told that the 1991 season would be his last. Here’s a video clip from that last game of the ’91 season in Baltimore, when we all thought Ernie was gone from the booth. Ironically, it was an historic day for another reason because the Orioles were playing their final game at Memorial Stadium. The following spring they would start play in Orioles Park at Camden Yards.
Thankfully, when the team was sold to Mike Ilitch a few years later, Enie was brought back and he spent more than a decade in his second term as “voice of the Tigers.”
Rick Howard
I was 6 years old when Ernie started with the Tigers in 1960. I feel very fortunate that he was my “Voice of the Tigers” for so long. As folks my age remember, televised games were not as common as now. Having Ernie and a number of very good partners passing on the story of the game was very special for me. We were like a lot of families, where the radio would be tuned to the game whatever may be going on. I know I’m not the first to ask “How did Ernie know that the guy who caught that foul ball was from Grand Rapids?” Thanks for posting the clip and bringing back some great memories.