Yesterday, we lost one of the greatest Major League play by play commentators of all-time when "The Voice of the Detroit Tigers", Ernie Harwell passed away.
Harwell began his Major League Baseball broadcasting career back 1948 when the Brooklyn Dodgers traded for him (yep, that's right they traded for him) when he was working for the Atlanta Crackers, minor league baseball team. Harwell broadcasted the Dodgers through 1949 until he was given the play by play job for the New York Giants and is most known for his call of Bobby Thompson's "Shot Heard Round the World".
Harwell eventually moved to Baltimore to cover games for the Baltimore Orioles from 1954-1959 along other professional sporting events including the Masters and pro/college football games. However, he will be most remembered for his time spent as the play by play man of the Detroit Tigers from 1960-1991. In 1992, Harwell was infamous fired by then team president Bo Schembechler but was eventually brought back from 1993-2002.
Harwell delivery is mostly known for his low-key style and catch-phrases including, "That one is long gone" to describe home runs and "It's two for the price of one" to describe double-plays.
During his career, Harwell covered baseball for NBC/ESPN/CBS Radio along with covering two World Series and two MLB All-Star Games. Harwell was named to the Baseball Hall of Fame back in 1981 when he received the Ford C. Frick award.
Ernie Harwell passed away at his home in Novi, Michigan of incurable cancer. Harwell was 92 years old.
In Memoriam: Ernie Harwell (1918-2010)
