I'm from SE Michigan, not from Detroit. I don't say I'm from Detroit unless I'm abroad. I've never even been to Greektown. Detached, I feel only curiosity and pity, not sadness, toward its crumbling and decay.
There are a few exceptions to this and Ernie Harwell and Tiger Stadium both fall in the realm of being MINE. Part of me, unlike the other sports teams, buildings, etc.
Harwell is wallpaper at a house from your childhood. Always there and incapable of aging. Harwell is not human. Does he eat cereal? I can't imagine it in my head. There is only talking. When he exits a non-existent stadium at Michigan and Trumbull each day (all year) he goes to a diner that hasn't been updated ever and sips something and continues to calmly chat with whoever happens to be sitting across from him. Maybe one by one he charms a building crowd before exiting into the night.
The southern gentleman became as Detroit as anyone or anything. Unassailable, exception-less class. A treasure that, as jeremy discussed, voices for millions so much more than a ball game. Somehow there is art in that.
6 comments:
Note: Most appropriate tag ever.
You're right, I can't imagine him eating cereal. Or dancing.
ha, detroit. you have the luxury of being from an actual town. the rest of us can only make it so far as chicago before we have to start using detroit, which is perfectly acceptable:
* short for detroit metro?
* it's a metonym for se michigan
i got tired of telling people i'm from marine city, them saying uhhhh?, me saying it's near port huron, them saying uhhhh?, and finally ending the conversation by saying we had home delivery of the free press.
I just google mapped Marine City and it turns out you're from Canada which kind of explains why your vocabulary is so English.
Mt Clemens is (clearly) part of Ohio, Marine City's an hour east of Windsor. If I know my provincial/state geography this makes New Baltimore the only thing that fits criteria to be considered Michigan in your vicinity... if such a place as "New Baltimore" actually exists and isn't just a google map typo.
It doesn't usually bother me when people say they are from Detroit, I just spent about 5 hours there outside of cars and sports venues so I didn't feel it applies to me (unless you count Plymouth and then the total is like 10). I'm not sure AA is considered to be part of metro Detroit though Marine City, ditto. Ever try "the far east (mumble mumble) of Michigan" as a descriptor?
My old roomate grew up a 45 min drive from Montreal on Lake Champlain and told people he was from New York. He was honestly dishonest.
Try explaining you are from New Mexico to people abroad. Scratch that. Try explaining you are from New Mexico to people. Is that in California?
But back to the original topic, I dont think I ever realized how great Harwell was. I think I took it for granted that every city had its own classic beloved voice.
RIP Ernie. I'll always remember Steve doing your voice doing the Tuffy Muffler commercials in King Elementary's parking lot.
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