Sports: The Voice of My Summer

Voice of Summer
"Thank you for sneaking your transistors under the pillow as you grew up loving the Tigers," Mr. Harwell said in his sign-off as the full-time voice of the Tigers in 2002. "Now God has a new adventure for me."

With the passing of former Detroit Tiger radio announcer Ernie Harwell I could not help but think of the many nights I would listen to baseball on the radio.  During the summer when I was young, I'd put my radio on next to my bed, and listen to the Tigers game as I went to sleep.  It was a nightly ritual to put the game on.  Hearing his voice along with the great Paul Carey was just part of my obligatory but fun routine.  If the Tigers were on the west coast it was even better! I could then stay up late...or so I thought. I'd sit at the edge of my bed, and when Steve Kemp came to bat I would wish for a home run.  I remember once when it happened after my wish, and I went crazy.  My wish had came true!

I really have no real reaction to all of the acclaim Mr. Harwell is getting on how he was such a nice and humble man.  How there will never be one like him again etc.   To be honest, I can't say that I care about any of that stuff.  It does not have any bearing on what he means to me. Although it's so refreshing to hear nothing but good things about a good man  To me though, he was  blast from my past who entertained me and helped me live out some youthful daydreaming.  I had the chance to meet him a few times, but I declined. He came to my place of work once and gave a speech, but I didn't approach him. You see he wasn't on the radio calling a game, and that's where I needed him to be. That's where he will always be in my head. I didn't want to tarnish my memory.  I'm weird I know. I'll have to dig out some cassette tapes I have buried somewhere when I taped some of his play by play.

I hold many things from my youth in high regard, due to the tradition and innocence of it all. That's a big deal to me and why the joy of baseball and summer go hand in hand.

There are two odd occasions that I strictly remember when listening to Ernie and Paul.  Once I was in my backyard probably at age 14.  I had a boom box at the time. I put the Tiger game on that box in the garage very loud.  I remember sitting there on lawn chair thinking that listening to baseball in the summer was the best. I don't know why, but I'll never forget that. I remember as if it were yesterday.

Another time I was driving with my godfather up in northern Michigan, and he was looking for the game on the radio.  He finally found it.  He parked the truck near the river, put on the radio, pulled his baseball cap over his eyes, and put his head back.  The baseball game was on and it was time to take a break. My brother and I went to the river where we parked to play, but we could hear the game from the truck. 
That was summer.  Who could ever ask for more?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paWJl3qpUIM

"For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
the flowers appear on the earth;
the time of the singing of birds is come,
and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land."
Ernie Harwell from The Song of ...Solomon

Listening to baseball in the summer is the best.






Paul Carey