H. Res. 1328 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

May 11, 2010. 

Whereas William Earnest ‘‘Ernie’’ Harwell was born in 

Washington, Georgia, in 1918, graduated from Emory 

University, and began his career as a copy editor and 

sportswriter for the Atlanta Constitution and as a regional correspondent for The Sporting News; 

Whereas Ernie Harwell served four years in the United 

States Marine Corps during World War II, after which 

he announced games on the radio for the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association; 

Whereas Ernie Harwell became the only announcer in baseball history to be traded for a player when the Brooklyn 

Dodgers acquired his services from the Atlanta Crackers 

in 1948; 

Whereas Ernie Harwell called baseball games for the Brooklyn Dodgers through 1949, the New York Giants from 

1950 to 1953, including his call of Bobby Thomson’s 

‘‘shot heard ’round the world’’ in the 1951 National 

League pennant playoff game on NBC television, and the 

Baltimore Orioles from 1954 to 1959; 

Whereas in 1960, Ernie Harwell began calling games at the 

corner of Michigan and Trumbull as the ‘‘voice’’ of De-
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troit Tigers baseball, until his retirement from broadcasting in 2002; 

Whereas Ernie Harwell called the 1984 World Series for the 

Tigers and WJR Radio, exclaiming ‘‘Here comes Herndon, he’s got it! And the Tigers are the champions of 

1984!’’; 

Whereas Ernie Harwell broadcast two Major League All-Star 

Games (1958 and 1961) and two World Series (1963 and 

1968) for NBC Radio, numerous American League 

Championship Series and American League Division Series for CBS Radio and ESPN Radio, the CBS Radio 

Game of the Week from 1992 to 1997, professional and 

college football, and the Masters Tournament of golf; 

Whereas Ernie Harwell was honored by the National Baseball 

Hall of Fame as the fifth broadcaster to receive its Ford 

C. Frick Award in 1981, inducted into the Michigan 

Sports Hall of Fame and the National Sportscasters and 

Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 1989, and inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1998; 

Whereas in January 2009, the American Sportscasters Association ranked Harwell 16th on its list of Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time; 

Whereas, on May 5, 2010, Ernie Harwell was posthumously 

awarded the Vin Scully Lifetime Achievement Award in 

Sports Broadcasting; 

Whereas Ernie Harwell thrilled baseball fans with his signature call of ‘‘That ball is looooong gone!’’, and said, 

‘‘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.’’; 
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Whereas Ernie Harwell’s low-key delivery and colorful, conversational style are synonymous with baseball and 

known to fans across the Nation; 

Whereas Ernie Harwell began the first spring training broadcast of each season with a reading from Song of Solomon 

2:11–12: ‘‘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.’’; 

Whereas for 55 years, Ernie Harwell endeared Americans in 

his broadcast of over 8,400 baseball games; 

Whereas Ernie Harwell spent 43 of his 55 major league seasons calling games for the Detroit Tigers; 

Whereas Ernie Harwell said, ‘‘I know we’re all going at some 

time, and I’m ready for whatever God’s got’’; 

Whereas, on May 4, 2010, Ernie Harwell, residing in Novi, 

Michigan, passed away at the age of 92 after a long career enjoyed by millions; and 

Whereas Ernie Harwell is survived by his beloved wife of 68 

years, Lulu, their four children, seven grandchildren, and 

seven great-grandchildren, and by baseball fans across 

the Nation: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) honors the life and legacy of William Earnest 

‘‘Ernie’’ Harwell for his significant contributions to 

Major League Baseball; 

(2) expresses profound sorrow at his passing on 

May 4, 2010; and 
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(3) expresses sincere condolences to his wife Lulu, 

and the rest of his family, friends, colleagues, and admirers. 

Attest: 

Clerk.