1968 Detroit Tigers - Ernie Harwell

[anotherbluesguy]

As a 6 year old I played the hell out of this record on my brothers record player. Along with his Beatle records !

[spxmet]

Is Ray Lane still around? Last I saw he was on channel 50 when they shared the Red Wings wth FSD.

[lgbpop]

These guys were a throwback to the Gas House Gang-type of teams from the 1930s. They played hard on field and off the diamond as well. I still hear stories from people who were "in the know" about this team from 1963 through about 1970 and they were a bunch of characters. My dad took me out to Tiger Stadium for my birthday present - Games 3 (October 5, my birthday) and 4 were already sold out so 5 was it and I'm happy about that because Mickey Lolich won to keep the Tigers alive in the Series.

[purpleraider53]

43 years later, I remember it very well. My favorite was the August 11 DH against the Red Six when Gates Brown had the wining hit in both games. 1st game started at 1:30 and second game ended at 9:05 p.m. Great day of baseball.

[kagiso3741]

The 1968 Tigers were the greatest Tiger team of all time .. An overwhelming pitching staff, starters and bullpen .. a very strong outfield .. close to the best the Tigers they ever had .. and gold glove level defense at 3B, C, CF, and RF ... And to have Ernie Harwell calling these games .. what a golden era ... !! Feel very blessed to grown up in this area .. and to be able to hear broadcasts on the radio .. wow ... it was like a new media that would only be available in one era ...

[shireyp]

@kagiso3741 Don't 'ya know it my friend. I was at game 5 in the series- in dead center field, but what a fantastic win, 5-3 under Mickey Lolich. They went on of course, to win it all in seven. So sad wehn Ernie Harwell was silenced. My gosh that voice make me feel 16 years old all over again. Wonderful memories.

[Scoclamor]

@shireyp They were behind 3-0 in that game, and then...

[SCWPreviewz]

R.I.P. Harwell

[yaksammytovsky]

My dad had this record for many many years, it some how got lost when they sold their home of 40 yrs and moved, I sure wish I knew what happend to it!!

[wilde4200]

@yaksammytovsky i bought it

[JCVH60]

The first 24 seconds of this piece are so perfect... If any young broadcaster wants to know how to communicate, listen to anything from Ernie.

[craigr9045]

Thanks so very much. I remember -- I was 9 at the time -- when the Tigers won. I remember buying this album and listening to it over and over and over again. I can still recite Ernie's calls -- especially the Matchick homer over Baltimore to win 5-4 in the 9th with Freehan on.

[yasoon1234]

RIP and all but I'd like some playoff highlights sprinkled in today ESPN!

[USAGiant]

RIP Tigers.

[jonfojtik]

RIP Ernie

[ezramead]

The Northrup slam is what did it

[LooseGoose2012]

We'll mis you Ernie.

[Midnightguy1171]

R.I.P Ernie we'll miss you! LONNG GONE!!!

[gooberteasdale]

Ernie Harwell was the voice of my summer

[SoulKissin]

I used to listen to this LP all the time. I can't believe how much Tiger baseball meant to me growing up. My favorite was Willie "The Wonder" Horton. What a team..."Steaming Stanley" "Stormin' Norman" "Roly Poly Mickey Lolich" I remember running home from elementary school to watch the end of the WS games.

[GregERobertson]

part of my childhood . . that cool voice callin' the games . .when there was a game on TV, we'd turn it down and listen to Ernie and Ray . I met him a few years ago and he autographed my bible. Prob'ly worth a bit but I wanna donate it to hall o' fame or somethin' . . .Any ideas??

[haire9]

Where's side 2? It might a be triple play....they did it!!!!.....a triple play (Ray Lane)

[Eliopolous]

Go get 'em Tigers!

[xmotorcity]

I've got this LP....so great to hear it again along with the Voice of the Tigers Ernie Harwell. Ernie Harwell is one of the nicest gentleman there is. I've met him a few times when he helped us with the 13yr old Little League World Series in Taylor MI. Ernie was recently diagnosed with inoperable cancer. At age of 91 he still has wit, humor and the love for baseball. God bless you Ernie, so many of us grew up listening to your voice and love of the game.

[bluv6]

"Let's listen to the bedlam..." Yup, still makes me cry everytime.

We love you Ernie.

[grudgrime]

God Bless Ernie!

[MrSylinder]

orlando cepada

[eddyb6666]

i got this record

[steve0281]

I saw every pitch of this series. What was really annoying, the MVP of the Tigers Mickey Lolich did not get free tickets to the 84 series.

[wwk68tig]

greatest year of my life.

[Destry7]

This was a team that would not be denied. I've never witnessed a team, in any sport, that so adamantly refused to fail. Everyone, even the reserves stepped up & produced when fate was on their shoulders. And there was never a more thrilling & dramatic World Seies than when the '68 Tigers recovered from a 3-1 deficit to whip Lou Brock, Curt Flood, Bob Gibson & the rest of the very intimidating St. Louis Cardinals, when no one gave them a chance. Detroit needed it & these guys came through!

[USAGiant]

@Destry7 That '68 world series like 1982 and even 1972 are so underrated in MLB history. And that '68 Tiger team is so underrated in sport history as well as the amazing '84 is always mentioned and overshadows that great team from 1968.

I am no Tigers fan but this is after the Yanks and Red Sox the most succesful team in AL History imo.

[Ariamaluum]

@Destry7. Mickey Lolich was the man. However, I think had Mayo Smith started Lolich in Game 1, I believe the Tigers would have won it in 6. He won Game 2, Game 5 and Game 7. Denny McClain stepped up in Game 6. Mickey Stanley playing second really turned the series. Norm Cash really hit Gibson well after Game 1. The bench really did their jobs particularly Dick McCauliffe. Key play: Willie Horton throwing Lou Brock out at home in Game 5.

[psu68born]

the other i watched the 68 tigers special i had taped on HBO and timmcarver said that roger maris told the team Mcclain would not be the problem for them it would be lolich btw I met Mr harwell twice a GREAT Guy

[craigr9045]

@Ariamaluum Stanley played short -- McCauliffe played second

[shireyp]

@Ariamaluum Thanks for helping me remember that fantastic world series against St Louis. I attended game 5- out in dead center field with my Dad and Mom and a buddy. Makes me feel 16 years old all over again!

[johnnyu278]

@Destry7 I, too, agree that this team was on a mission. My father and I attended game four on that very rainy Sunday at Tiger Stadium where the Tigers lost 11-1. But even that many runs down the crowd of 52,000 or so were chanting rythmically "Go Team Go"! That was the last loss by the Tiger team in 1968. After they won it I had the flu and was the most disappointed kid in the city because I couldn't go out. I was 13 years old. Go team, go.

[Destry7]

@johnnyu278 Great story. Though under-publicized, the '68 season & World Series have to rank with the most exciting in history. i'm not sure what the team batting average was, but I've never heard of a team with so many .260ish hitters so consistently reach for & find something extra when it mattered most, and this in what's been called "Baseball's 2nd Dead-Ball Era", when pitching & defense were dominant. This home-grown team just wanted it more & had the guts to achieve it!

[kagiso3741]

@Destry7 The 1968 Tigers were the greatest Tiger team of all time .. An overwhelming pitching staff, starters and bullpen .. a very strong outfield .. close to the best the Tigers they ever had .. and gold glove level defense at 3B, C, CF, and RF ... And to have Ernie Harwell calling these games .. what a golden era ... !! Feel very blessed to grown up in this area .. and to be able to hear broadcasts on the radio .. wow ... it was like a new media that would only be available in one era ...

[Scoclamor]

@johnnyu278 Actually, they lost the game 10-1. McLain just didn't seem to have it. He pitched well in the first game, and avenged his two losses with a win in game 6 (13-1), setting up Lolich vs Gibson in game 7.

[kagiso3741]

Go anywhere .. the backyard porch .. the beach .. picnics at the park .. at the work place factory ... in bed .. The Tigers were IT! Thank you for putting this on youtube .. peace out ..

[generalbullmoose]

@Destry7 yep...Gator, Tracewski, Price, Matchick. In fact, Tom Matchick had one of the more memorable game winning moments of the year, a bottom of the 9th homer to beat the Orioles...all cheered after the ball was hit, then just before it cleared the fence, the ENTIRE stadium collectively went silent, then, of course, went crazy. But it was a crazy year. Hey, even pitcher Earl Wilson had four game winning RBI that year.

[frio109]

@Destry7 I would like to have seen them. I have one of the 68 games on a dvd but it would have been fun to see them live.

[aginaw]

@Destry7

[jackhitts08]

Man, I want this record so bad.

[donwert]

You might check out Amazon---they brought this record out on a CD several years ago...

[oakroyal]

I remember whenever the Tigers would bring up a weak-hitting infielder my Dad would always say: " The Tigers got another Ray Oyler."

[PeterMayer]

Don Wert, Dick McCauliffe, Willy Horton, Kaline, Northrup, Royal Oak's Bill Freehan, Micky Lolich, McCain, Stanley, etc...

[fgldnglbs]

Harwell's style is cooler, relative to what we were used to with Harry Kalas, whose style was about amplifying the excitement.

You'd think around Philly that Larry Bowa invented "outta here" for Harry, but here's Harwell saying it in that cooler manner and Milo Hamilton doing likewise for Hank's 715. Is it possible the Ascended Baritone Master didn't hear that in his first dozen years behind the mike?

[Sundevilhp29]

Something on the internet?

[avalanche50]

looked - no dice - this thing just disappeared

[avalanche50]

where can i get A City on Fire: The Story of the '68 Detroit Tigers? -

[nealp19078]

I'm sure U can buy the video on eBAy or Amazon, or somewhere on the internet.

[chsgrad75]

this was an hbo special a couple of years back -- check with hbo films. I taped it and converted it to dvd.

[generalbullmoose]

Any chance of hearing the rest of this?

[humanhighlight76]

do you think you can upload it on here? i ve been looking for that for a long time!

[gopher401]

Great album. I too wore mine out. Attended my first two Tiger games that year at age 8, and they are both on this album. Priceless memories to be sure

[DeeDonner]

we wore out two vinyl copies!!!Listened to to everyday for years.

[Woodpecker5]

It would be nice if you posted the entire thing.

[eddyb6666]

i got this record , my dad passed away a few years ago and i was going through his records and found this , thank you for posting this

[generalbullmoose]

My dad bought this, I played it to death...literally!

[marggeiger]

Thank you for posting this. I love the Tigers! I listened to this LP hundreds of times when I was a kid.

[glockJitzu]

nice..i bet i listened to this LP at least a couple of hundred times on the old mans Magnovox. we lived Joy/Middlebelt Rd. area. i remember the car horns honking all night long the day they won the series

[airdriver]

I remember when they won the Series in 1968. All my aunts and uncles got together to watch the last game while us kids(the oldest of us was only eight)played in the basement. When they won the game, all the adults began screaming and jumping up and down. All the noise scared the shit out of us kids and we hid in a closet until the adults came and got us.

[airdriver]

I remember my grandfather owning this album. I wonder if they have it on CD somewhere.

[ericcollins81]

that's a good question espcially since this is the 40th anniversary of them winning the world series you would hope they would rereleased on cd

[mdumas43073]

This was indeed reissued on CD a while back. I believe it's out of print now, but if you do a google or yahoo search for "1968 Year of the Tiger CD" I'm pretty sure you can find how to get a used copy.

There are also complete radio broadcasts of McClain's 30th W, the pennant winner, and most if not all of the WS games available on cassette and/or CD. Again, just do a search.