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CNN Live Today

Interview With Ernie Harwell

Aired July 17, 2002 - 10:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Since we're talking about baseball figures, most of baseball figures Hall-of-Famers, like Ted Williams, use gloves, and bats to earn their place at Cooperstown. But our next guest this morning, well, he's different, because he talked his way in. Ernie Harwell is a legend behind the microphone. He's worked for the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants, the Baltimore Orioles. But he's forever going to be known as the voice of the Detroit Tigers.

Now this is the final season of a career that is being commemorated in a new book, "Ernie Harwell: My 60 Years in Baseball." Just about an hour ago, he rang the opening bell on Wall Street, and is in New York where we find him right now, in our studios.

Ernie Harwell, good morning. Glad to have you with us today.

ERNIE HARWELL, HALL OF FAME BASEBALL ANNOUNCER: Well, good morning. Good to be with you.

HARRIS: I got -- first of all got to ask you, I know you knew Ted Williams, and I know you saw that story just moments ago. What do you make of that story?

HARWELL: Well, I don't like the see the controversy about Ted. Ted was an icon in baseball, and He deserved a little bit more than a family squabble. He was a great guy, and I think we ought to remember him as the last .400 hitter and a real American hero.

HARRIS: Yes, we're showing some pictures right now we've got of Ted here, and actually found some pictures of you and him together in this book of your 60 years in baseball. I can't imagine this kind of squabble happening after you leave us.

HARWELL: I don't anybody is going care that much after I leave.

But that's a picture of me and Ted at Baltimore. when I was an MC, and the other pictures. Ted being interviewed by me in 1942, then Ty Cobb. I was the master of ceremonies for that affair, too. So I had a pleasure of meeting all the big stars and having a lot of fun with them.

HARRIS: Let me ask you about another current topic that's right now in baseball. You've been watching what's happening with the All- Star Game, and that just crazy decision that came at the end of that, and now we're on the verge of possibly another strike. Do you have any confidence at all after your 60 years in baseball. Do you have confidence at all that these guys are going to ever get this right?

HARWELL: Well I hope so. I tell you, baseball is a great survivor. It's been beaten by a lot of people for a lot of times. It always seems to bounce back. I just don't know how much resiliency is left now if we have a work stoppage or player's strike. I think the owners and players have to realize that the fans certainly don't want that, and if they get it, they might turn against the game.

HARRIS: Let's talk about you and resiliency. You bring the term up. You spent 40-some years with the Tigers. Although I must say, since I'm here in Atlanta, we're proud to know you got started with the Atlanta Crackers, correct?

HARWELL: That's correct. I came out of the Marines in 1946, worked for the Atlanta Crackers until I went to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1948.

HARRIS: You were with the Tigers for so many years, unfortunately, for you and for that team. They had a lot of down years during that time. Lots of years the Tigers weren't much fun to watch, and yet you had to make every single game worth listening to. How in the world did you do that?

HARWELL: Well, broadcasting baseball is a great challenge for me. The announcer Have to react to every pitch, and I enjoy the game so much. I know that every game can be different, and you can come up with a great game, even between the two bad teams, so the game itself and the interest in it and the variety of it carries me through my broadcast.

HARRIS: All right. Now you are going to be taking your leave now of at least the announcing booth. You will going on to other adventures. Have you made up your mind yet? Has your wife Lulu told you what to do, or is she going to leave it up to you?

HARWELL: Well, she's going to tell me what to do, but from a career standpoint, I'm going to continue to write a column in the "Detroit Free Press." I'm a spokesman for American Bank and Kroger, and I'm going to explore some possibilities in the health field, and I used to do some work for Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and I'll do things like that, and we might even write another book, and I will do some TV vignettes.

HARRIS: And write some more songs, too. As a matter of fact, I understand you have got quite a few written, huh?

HARWELL: That's right, I tell everybody I have more no-hitters than Nolan Ryan has.

(LAUGHTER)

HARRIS: Well, listen, you've certainly been a hit with us this morning. Ernie Harwell, long time -- I grew up with the Indians, and I had to listen to you guys talk about beating us quite a bit. I must tell you, I enjoyed it over the years, and I wish you the very best. You've been a legend, and you deserve every bit of the accolades you're receiving these days.

Good luck to you.

HARWELL: Thanks very much. Great to be with you.

HARRIS: Ernie Harwell. Get the book folks, "Ernie Harwell, My 60 Years of Baseball." Good read. Had a lot of fun with it last night.

All the best, Ernie.

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