Sad news from the shadows of Michigan and Trumbull. Hall of Famer George Kell died in his sleep on Tuesday at the age of 86.Us youngin's remember Mr. Kell from his days announcing Tigers games with Al Kaline and Ernie Harwell until his retirement in 1996 after 37 years.
More seasoned veterans will remember him as an amazing 3rd baseman who made it to the Hall of Fame in 1983. He batted .306 with 2,054 hits during his career, winning the American League batting title in 1949 for the Detroit Tigers hitting .3429. He beat out Ted Williams by .0002 percentage points. He was an All-Star 10 times during his career.
ESPN.com has a really nice piece about him.
I tried to find a youtubes of one of his broadcasts, but no luck.... anyone???
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10 comments:
T9,
George and Al along with Ernie were the trioka of Hall of Fame announcers in our youth.
I can remember in 8th grade taping a Tigers baseball game on a BETAMAX tape and trying to emulate George and Al with a friend of mine with the "new" technology of the day. It allowed us to tape our voices over the recorded video and audio.
I was being George and my friend was Al...the moment that I remember was in my most pubesent voice "and he rrriiiipppsss a foul ball" trying to sound like George Kell, blessed be his name.
wv=blessyouboys
My Grandfather used to watch the Red Wings on a small B&W TV with the sound down so he could hear the Tigers' spring training broadcast on the AM radio.
Another good Kell-ism: "Long drive...way back...could be... and it is. Home run!"
And Ernie--every year to open Spring Training
"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."
Song of Solomon 2:11-12
George Kell and Al Kaline on TV are what I remember. Being too young to see either of them play.
Sad.
I remember thinking that George Kell and Al Kaline announced all baseball games...having only seen Tiger games. I don't know if they were much better than any other team, but they were my favorite.
Having grown up on the "west side" I never really got to appreciate the sweet sounds of Detroit Tigers baseball. (I was stuck with Harry Carey with the White Sox and later the Cubs).
This is yet another example of how my friend T9 has effected me: In 1984 I considered Kirk Gibson and the Detroit Tigers the walking embodiment of satan. I now consider myself a semi-fan of the Detroit Tigers because of her.
Andy, when I first came to south Carolina I thought I'd never root for the Chickens. Ahh but I have friends.... many. I've been known to yell "Go Cocks" now and again.
Andy,
Bite your tounge!
"Back in the day" Tiiiigers Baseball (not possible to emulate George Kell's Arkansas accent via cyberspace) were broadcast approximately 40 times on WWMT, the CBS station in the 616 (based in Kzoo which is now the 269) as well as Ernie Harwell on WKZO-AM 590.
I know that Harry Carey was a "Bud Man and a Cubs fan" but, dude, you lived "in the mitten" and NOT in the Windy City.
As far as Gibby is concerned, I forgave his "little brother" roots when he was THE MAN in the 1984 World Series. Dude can't help it when "Eddie Smith to Gibby" won the Big 10 his senior year and was ineligible to go to the Rose Bowl due to recruiting violations. I find it ironic that Dodger Fans consider Gibby a "true Dodger" because of his historic homerun against Dennis Eckersley in 1988. Dodger Fan forgets, or doesn't care, about 1984 and Gibby's rooftop blast against Goose Gossage in 1984 to clinch the World Series.
wv=blessyouboys
Turtles don't speak unless they're Teenage mutant Ninjas.
The voice of the "Turtledove" has been heard...
Whets.... The song of solomon says "turtle", not turtledove. It is not the same reading it as when you hear Ernie say it on the radio just prior to that first spring training game broadcast. With Ernie not broadcasting anymore this is another tradition that will be lost.
BlueBob,
Not to be obnoxious, but the Hebrew in SofS is "turtledoves."
Depending upon your English translation, "doves" may be substituted for "turtledoves", but "turtle" is not acceptable nor could it be on several levels.
Maybe you could use "turtle" in an Eng. translation as an abbreviation assuming your reader would make the connection to "turtledove", but I would personally avoid such a translation. It doesn't pass the smell test.
Now, I plead absolute ignorance on G.C. Kell. I have never heard of him.
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