Ernie Harwell was a radio sportscaster with a career spanning 55 years. He was born on January 25, 1918 in Washington, Georgia. During his career, he broadcasted games for the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants, Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1998. In recent years, he contributed a weekly column to the Detroit Free Press.

He was released from the hospital on August 16, 2009, after a one-week stay for an obstruction in the bile duct. He has canceled all public appearances for the next several weeks. Harwell was back to work answering fan questions in his column for the Detroit Free Press on August 23, 2009.http://www.freep.com/article/20090823/SPORTS02/908230488/1356/SPORTS/Ernie-Harwell-answers-questions-from-fans On September 4, 2009, it was revealed that Harwell has inoperable cancer of the bile duct.

On September 10, 2009 it was announced that MLB Productions studio in Secaucus, New Jersey will be named after Harwell, Mel Allen and Vin Scully.http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090910&content_id=6898972&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

On November 12, 2009 Harwell sat down with Bob Costas to talk about his career. The inverview was for MLB Network.http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091112&content_id=7658310&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

On December 2, 2009, Harwell surprised former Tigers' Alan Trammell and Kirk Gibson, when he showed up at an event where Gibson and Trammell were talking about their playing days.http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/2009-12-02-57023230_x.htm

The Michigan Senate declared April 9, 2010 Ernie Harwell Day. The Detroit Tigers will played their home opener of the 2010 season on that day.http://www.freep.com/article/20100326/SPORTS02/3260376/1356/SPORTS/April-9-is-now-Ernie-Harwell-Day

Ernie Harwell died in his home in Novi, Michigan on May 4, 2010.http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5163285

Harwell received the Vin Scully Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in Sports Broadcasting on May 5, 2010 in New York before the Detroit Tigers played the New York Yankees.http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4906351

"Ernie Harwell stands, as much as anybody as I can think of, as a positive representative of what the game of baseball should and does stand for. His memory will be long lasting and the quality of man he is will never diminish." - Former Detroit Tigers catcher Bill Freehanhttp://www.baseball-almanac.com/quotes/ernie_harwell_quotes.shtml

"Ernie (Harwell) is probably the most beloved person who has ever been in Detroit with the Detroit Tigers. He is loved by everybody and rightfully so. He's a great broadcaster but even a better person. That comes across on his broadcasts." - Hall of Famer Al Kalinehttp://www.baseball-almanac.com/quotes/ernie_harwell_quotes.shtml

"You can never give the score too many times. He never put himself above the game. For a lot of guys now, it's become a show business-type thing. Ernie always kept the focus on baseball." - Detroit Tigers television broadcaster Mario Impembahttp://www.baseball-almanac.com/quotes/ernie_harwell_quotes.shtml

"We need to understand today and each day left in the 2002 season that we are truly privileged to see through his eyes and hear his calm and reassuring voice. His effortless brilliance masks countless hours of preparation. Let us understand, appreciate and be joyous for our time with him." - Tigers President John McHalehttp://www.baseball-almanac.com/quotes/ernie_harwell_quotes.shtml

"He was just one of those guys the first time he'd meet you and you'd talk, and the second time you saw him he remembered your name. The first time I approached him, and the second time it was, 'Hey Bob, great to see you,' and by then he even knew a few things about me. He was the kind of guy who would always have the time of day for you. No airs, no sense of superiority, just a regular guy who came to the ballpark in a nice shirt and slacks and just rolled up his sleeves and went to work." - Washington Nationals broadcaster Bob Carpenterhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/12/AR2010051201783.html

"Harwell’s distinctive voice not only announced baseball games, but also signified the beginning of summer." - Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, on June 21 being named Ernie Harwell Day http://www.freep.com/article/20100618/SPORTS02/100618063/1320/Monday-proclaimed-Ernie-Harwell-Day-in-Detroit

"I think I owe thanks to the people who have listened to me over the years, who tuned in on the radio. They have given me a warmth and loyalty that I've never been able to repay. The way they have reached out to me has certainly been the highlight of my life." - Ernie Harwell

"Baseball is a lot like life. It's a day-to-day existence, full of ups and downs. You make the most of your opportunities in baseball as you do in life." - Ernie Harwell

"I think once you start as an announcer, you have to decide what kind of approach you're going to have. I decided very early that I was going to be a reporter, that I would not cheer for the team. I don't denigrate people who do it. It's fine. I think you just have to fit whatever kind of personality you have, and I think my nature was to be more down the middle and that's the way I conducted the broadcasts." - Ernie Harwell

"If I walked back into the booth in the year 2025, I don't think it would have changed much. I think baseball would be played and managed pretty much the same as it is today. It's a great survivor." - Ernie Harwell

• Turned To Baseball" (1985)
• Ernie Harwell's Diamond Gems (1993)
• The Babe Signed My Shoe: Baseball As It Was – And Will Always Be (1995)
• Stories From My Baseball Life (2001)
• Ernie Harwell: My 60 Years in Baseball (2002)
• Life After Baseball (2004)
• Ernie Harwell's Audio Scrapbook (2006)
• Breaking 90 (2007)