The Voice of Forever

Ernie Harwell returned to the ball park to say his goodbyes last night.

For as long as I can remember, he was the voice of the Detroit Tigers. He had just come to town when I began falling in love with the game. I can remember when he was teamed with the also-new George Kell, sharing radio and TV duties together.

Through the years, he was a constant presence...a constant reminder of when I was a young boy...an older boy...a young man...and now, a middle-aged man, with aging parents, who has noticed Time watching over his shoulder every now and then.

There are landmarks to every life: birthdays, vacations, the first day of school...then, before long, graduations, weddings, and eventually funerals. But through it all, a constant presence has been Ernie Harwell, the voice of the Tigers. Now, with cancer racing through his aging body, his voice will soon leave us.

Thanks, Ernie...as you requested, we'll try not to cry when you're gone. Instead, we'll simply try to remember...as we try to feel as young at heart as you always were.

JEFFREY CAMINSKY, a veteran public prosecutor in Detroit, Michigan, specializes in the appellate practice of criminal law and writes on a wide range of topics. His books include the science fiction adventure novel The Star Dancers, the exciting second volume in the Guardians of Peace-tm series, The Sonnets of William Shakespeare, and the acclaimed Referee’s Survival Guide, a book on soccer officiating. All are published by New Alexandria Press, and are available on Amazon, as well as directly from the publisher.