As I woke up Yesterday I turned on the news to see what was going on while I had been asleep, it was the same old blah blah blah, till I heard something that just made me begin to cry, Ernie Harwell was gone. Now for many of you here in the upstate you may or may not have known who Ernie was, but for those of us who grew up in the midwest, and in paticular Michigan, Ernie was like family to us. I mean there is no one in the state of Michigan who didn’t know who Ernie Harwell was. Thats because for 42 years he came into our homes, back yards and cars every night in the summer as the Voice of the Detroit Tigers. Simply put, Ernie was my Hero! He was so good at the craft of radio,his ability to put you right in a seat at Tiger stadium every night was wonderful. His charm came from being a regular guy on the air, a gentle sort of man who’s love of being at the ball park and the game of baseball just made him feel like he was your friend, or a your favorite uncle! I played a clip of Ernie doing a play by play call from the night the Tigers won the 1968 american league title, and dozens and dozens of former Michiganders called the show telling there tales of love for Ernie and how everyone of them had tears in there eyes when they heard the news. Ernie was such a part of all of our lives that it just seemed like he’d be around forever, But towards the end of last season Ernie came to Co-America park to speak to the fans, not on the radio anymore, but right there on the field. He came to say goodbye, cause he just found out he was going to die from cancer. Even after the announcement I don’t think any of us thought he’d pass. Some how this was just all wrong and that Ernie would beat this death sentence, no way could it be possible to not have Ernie Harwell around. So even with all this time to prepare for the loss, it still hit all of us like a bomb! I could tell you story after story of why Ernie meant so much to us all, but I would rather send you to the attached link so you can all expereince what Ernie Harwell was like and why we all loved him so much. He was my Hero, and he along with long time WJR Morning personality the late JP McCarthy are the reasons I followed my dream to be in radio. I was was one lucky person to have grown up Michigan and so privliged to have been able to hear these two talents execute to perfection the magic of radio! I feel as though someone in my family has died, and in a way it’s true. For Ernie Harwell was part of my life for 20 years, twenty summers of  Tiger Baseball, 20 summers I will cherish even more for the rest of my life! I will miss you Ernie, god bless your wife Lulu and your kids, and thanks for making growing up in Michigan so very special! Please click the following link to hear more on this wonderful man!               http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.squidoo.com%2Fernieharwell&h=14ad2