Ernie Harwell is ailing

This is one day, when it comes, where I will be openly weeping.

Like Florida once said on a Good Times episode, "Damn... damn... damn."

 

Ernie is a remarkable guy.

 

Not sure what that means. Not like he caught a break dying at 45.

 

That means, at least Ernie's lived a full life. Cancer's a bitch, always, but I tend to think it's a lot easier to accept when you're 91.

 

Got ya.

 

Harwell wrote an awesome article last year about weird trades, I hope I live to 90, or can write like he did when he was 90.

 

First-person, considering he was traded to the Dodgers for a catcher.

Ernie's a personal and professional hero of mine and motivation that you can succeed in this business and still be a nice guy. The day I see his obit, I will immediately drop everything and put together a tribute column, that is, if I can clear the lump out of my throat first.

 

I just realized nobody woke up to read this in the paper this morning because the Freep/News isn't delivered on Friday.

 

When I was working at my high school's radio station in the early '80s, a national sports memorabilia convention came to my hometown. I got to sit at the same table as Ernie at lunch, and he was the kindest man you'd ever want to meet.

It was such a huge thrill to meet a man I grew up listening to on my old Sunoco transistor radio as I fell asleep every night as a young child. I envisioned him as a nice, class man - and he is.

When his time comes, it will dominate Page 1-A of both Detroit papers and lead every TV and radio newscast in town - guaranteed.

I don't know if anyone in Michigan is more beloved than Ernie.

Please say a prayer for him.

 

For a short while I worked with Harwell's attorney and was able to have tea with Ernie and Lulu Harwell at their place. So nice. Definitely a memory that'd make Tiger fan jealous.

 

First Tiger game I ever covered, I was 20 years old and trying to make myself inconspicuous in the corner of the media lunch room. Ernie saw me sitting there, came over, introduced himself - like there was a single person in Detroit who wouldn't know who he was - and proceeded to chat with me like we were old friends.

One of the finest people I've ever met in any walk of life.

 

I might have told this story before, but here goes again.


As a kid at Tiger Stadium, my brother and I would always go early for batting practice and stuff.

He went down the foul line by the bullpens waiting for foul balls during BP.

I went by the Tigers dugout, looking for autographs. Ernie comes by after doing an interview and of course stops by the crowd and signs for a bit.

A fan hands him a box of homemade chocolates, which of course he opened up and started passing out to the fans nearby. I happened to be one of the fans close enough to get one.

It will be a sad moment when he passes. Hopefully, he'll make it until the end of September when the Tigers honor the 1984 Tigers. And hopefully, he'll be well enough to make a trip to the park that day.