Ernie Harwell 1918 - 2010

It is a sad time as the world has lost one of its best. As great a Sportscaster as Ernie Harwell was, he was even a better person. We will miss him. We will remember him. We will hold him dear. Forever he will be with us in each of our memories. In each of our hearts.

The Lord has taken the greatest voice of Detroit Baseball home. He lived a long life. A full life. Maybe not full of adventure and excitement, but one full with giving others a warm welcome, a voice of comfort and heart of contentment. Whether you knew him in person or simply remember him from listening to the Tigers play on the radio, you were better for hearing Ernie Harwell speak.

For the last twenty four hours since learning of Ernie Harwell's passing, I have listened to countless stories about personal experiences with him. Every story had a special feeling about it. A sense of honesty, caring and gentleness. Not once have I ever heard one person say anything bad about him. Not once have I ever heard one story that portrayed Ernie Harwell as anything other than a truly genuine and caring individual.

Harwell was not one of those athletes who would give God glory for something then turn around and get in trouble. He did not push his beliefs on others, but he was never shy about bringing up God. When Harwell brought the Lord into his conversation, it was always genuine.

I heard on the news earlier, about a woman who has a facebook page started where she is trying to start a movement to change the name of Comerica park. She wants to change the name to "Ernie Harwell Stadium". Now, I don't believe for a moment this will ever happen. Comerica has too much money wrapped up into having their name up there. I don't believe any of the big banks in America care enough about one man or one town to be willing to give that up. But I will also say that there has never been, nor will their ever be another person who would be more deserving than Ernie Harwell to have the stadium named after him. Personally, I would much rather call it Ernie Harwell Stadium than Comerica Park. I wish it could happen.

I would like to end this with a prayer. Maybe not quite the prayer you might expect at this time, but a prayer I believe Ernie Harwell would appreciate....

Dear God, Our Heavenly Father. You have taken a wonderful soul into your home. I do not pray now for Ernie's soul as I do believe that he could be in no better hands than yours and thus he needs no prayers. Instead Father, I pray for his wife Lulu and his children, that you will give them peace in their loss. Father I pray that all of us who heard him on the radio or knew him personally will see him for who he was. A warm-hearted man who cared for others around him. A man who took joy in giving others pleasure. I pray that you will open our eyes, our ears and our hearts to know the same love, patience and joy as he had. That others will use him as an example of what a man, a husband and a Christian should be. That his love for others will not end with his passing but his passing will help us to remember to love others. To lead others to the same joy in life that his life had found. The joy of knowing you Father and knowing your son Jesus. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.