November 6, 2024 • 32 mins
This month on Lost Ballparks, Ken "Hawk" Harrelson joins us with stories as colorful as his career. From meeting Mickey Mantle as a kid to helping save Fenway, playing with Satchel Paige, and even catching the eye of Frank Sinatra, Hawk's stories are legendary. Hear how a twist of fate before Game 7 of the ’67 World Series might have cost the Red Sox their title, and relive highlights from his 9-year big league career and 33 years in the White Sox broadcast booth. Grab some peanuts and cracker jack—Hawk Harrelson joins us on Lost Ballparks!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Mike Koser (00:00):
"You handsome son of a gun, don't you ever die.
I look in the mirror and saythat anywhere from one to a
dozen times a day, depending onhow often I shave, change my
clothes, comb my hair, or justhappen to see my reflection
somewhere." That's how HawkHarrison begins his 1969
autobiography.
Yes, sir.
(00:21):
The Hawk is one of a kind.
In baseball, few personalitieshave shown as brightly as Ken
"Hawk" Harrelson.
The five-time Emmy Award winneris one of the game's true
originals, known for hiscolorful spirit and
unforgettable style.
In fact, his impact was sostrong and so immediate that in
(00:41):
1968, the Val Perry Trio wrote asong just for him called "
Don't Walk the Hawk".
They performed it every time hestepped through the door at a
small restaurant near the RedSox Spring training home.
(01:03):
His nine-year big league careerincluded stops with the Kansas
City A's, Washington Senators,the 1967 Impossible Dream Boston
Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians.
Though his playing career cutshort by injury was notable, it
was in the broadcast booth wherehis legend grew to baseball
icon status.
He spent 33 years as the TVvoice of the Chicago White Sox,
(01:27):
coining catchphrases that arestill repeated by fans on the
South side today.
A White Sox home run...
(01:52):
(Game audio) That ball hit hard...stretch... you can put it on the booooard, yes!
A strikeout from the opposing team...
(Game audio) He gone! 1 to go!
Hawk Harrelson is my guest on this month's Lost Ballparks podcast.
Hawk, listen, first of all, Iknow it's been just a few weeks
(02:45):
since the hurricane barreledthrough Florida, and I uh we've
talked a little bit since then,but I'm so glad to hear that you
and your family are okay.
Hawk (02:52):
Yeah, we got lucky.
We got really lucky.
Mike Koser (02:55):
Yeah, just just thankful that you guys are all
good.
Those storms are so powerfuland unpredictable.
And uh yeah, man, just glad youguys are okay.
Anyway, look uh I'm lookingforward to talking with you.
If you're good, I'm good.
Let's go ahead and get started.
Hawk (03:09):
All right, buddy.
Mike Koser (03:10):
In 1950, your family moved to Savannah, Georgia.
When you were nine, your momlet you skip school one spring
day.
The Yankees were playing theReds in an exhibition game at
Grayson Stadium in Savannah.
Uh what stands out in yourmemory about that ballpark and
that special day?
Hawk (03:30):
Listen, I was a mama's boy.
I asked her if I could go seethe Yankees play.
She says, sure, let's go, I'llgo with you.
And we went to Grayson Stadium,and I had played uh some, you
know, some high school ballthere, and it was a short porch
in left field with a highscreen, but it was still easy to
(03:50):
hit home runs in.
It was right off Victory Drive,which is a famous drive there
in Savannah.
And it was really a niceballpark.
They had a uh an A-ball clubthere, and I used to go there
because my mom only made 56bucks a week, and her uh
ex-husband didn't give her adollar or a dime, a nickel,
(04:13):
nothing.
I'd go there and I forget thename of the manager.
He was a nice guy, big guy, bighe was a big ex first baseman.
And I asked him if I could comethere and you know, shine shoes
and try to pick up some money.
He said, sure.
So I went there and I used toshine shoes and uh in the
visiting clubhouse.
(04:34):
And that's Jacksonville.
They had Hank Aaron on thatball club.
So I was shining Hank's shoeswhen I was, you know, like 14
years old.
I picked up quite a bit ofmoney doing that.
When I say quite a bit, I'mtalking about, you know, 20, 25,
30 dollars.
Mike Koser (04:53):
On that day, you came face to face with your
idol, Mickey Mantle, and youwalk up to him and ask him for
his autograph, but but hebrushed you off, right?
Hawk (05:03):
Yeah.
Well, uh I went there and andthen the game was over, and the
Yankees came out and they weregetting on their bus to go back
to the hotel.
And so I told my mom, I said,Mom, I said, I want to wait
outside, I want to try to getMickey Mantle's autograph.
And she said, Okay.
So she stood there with me, andall of a sudden the Yankees
come walking out after thegame's over, and then I see
(05:25):
Mickey and I walk over toMickey, and I said, Mickey, can
I have your autograph?
And he said, Beat it, kid.
Mike Koser (05:33):
Wow.
Hawk (05:36):
You know...And when I got to the big leagues, Mickey and I
became really good friends.
We played a lot of golftogether and everything else,
but I used to bring that up tohim.
But it was I was heartbroken,you know.
Mike Koser (05:47):
Oh, I'm sure.
I mean, it must have beenheartbreaking.
You get that close to someoneyou've admired for so long and
then to have it have it end likethat.
In the um in the 40s and 50s,like most kids of that era, you
would uh take your transistorradio to bed with you and uh
have it on your pillow, and Ithink you would listen to KMOX
(06:09):
out of St.
Louis.
Hawk (06:10):
Yeah, most of the time.
Mike Koser (06:11):
You would have heard Jack Buck and Harry Caray
calling games, right?
Hawk (06:15):
Oh, I loved them both.
Harry Caray (06:16):
The wind up, the pitch on the way.
Strike called a fastball...
Hawk (06:27):
I loved them both.
I'll tell you what.
Uh in fact, Harry Caray, when Iwas with the White Sox, he
called me several times andasked me to come over and uh
join him in the booth.
Can you imagine that pairing?
Well, that's when he uh uh hehad been broadcasting with Steve
Stone, and I don't think he andSteve got along that well.
(06:48):
So he he'd call me a couple oftimes, says, come on over here
and broadcast with me.
And I was broadcasting the Sox,and I forget exactly who it was
with, but uh I told him I said,no, I'm not gonna leave the
White Sox.
I liked Harry.
I'm not saying I loved him, butI can tell you this, I I liked
(07:09):
him a lot.
Mike Koser (07:10):
You were an outstanding high school athlete.
I th uh a true Bo Jacksonbefore Bo Jackson, uh an
all-American in basketball.
You had a football scholarshipoffer from the University of
Georgia, and by your junior yearof high school, you were a
scratch golfer.
You could hold your own inpool, you had a 200 bowling
average, and you could play alittle baseball.
(07:32):
Good enough to be drafted bythe Kansas City Athletics.
Announcer (07:35):
Kansas City is a brawling, lusty city that stands
defiantly on the shores of theMissouri River, straddling 12
railroads, seven airlines, and anetwork of transcontinental
highways.
Mike Koser (07:45):
And at 21, you get the call to the big leagues,
arriving at Kansas City'smunicipal stadium on June 8th,
1963.
What went through your mind asyou walked through that dugout
tunnel and saw that ballpark forthe first time?
Hawk (08:00):
Oh, I was I was overwhelmed, you know.
Spacious municipal stadium, oneof the most modern in the game.
This giant arena was built inrecord time when the A's came to
town.
First of all, it was a beautiful ballpark.
All the players loved comingthere to play.
The ball carried well there,too.
So it was it was short porch inright field.
(08:22):
And of course, I was aright-handed hitter, but that
helped me out as I didn't thinkabout it at the time, but later
on I realized that really helpedme grow as a hitter.
Mike Koser (08:34):
On September 10th, 1965, during the final month of
your third season with theKansas City Athletics, Charlie
Finley, the owner of theathletics, signed 59-year-old
Satchel Paige.
Just two weeks later, onSeptember 25th, Satchel pitched
in his last major league game.
Announcer (08:51):
Three innings of almost perfect ball here tonight
at Municipal Stadium.
Whether he is 23, 53, 63, or73, as some say, he really
showed a lot of people that hestill has that old love of the
game, and boy, his arm is stillthere.
What a guy, Satchel Paige.
Mike Koser (09:09):
And after the game, you walk up to him with a
request.
Hawk (09:14):
Satch and I had become pretty good buddies there.
I said, Satch, can I have yourglove?
And he looked at me, smiled,reached back in his locker,
brought it out, and handed it tome.
Satchel Paige's lastappearance, and he gave me his
glove, which I later on donatedto uh I think the Hall of Fame.
Mike Koser (09:44):
Yeah, but you think about that now, like that is a
uh that's a priceless piece ofmemorabilia.
Hawk (09:50):
Yeah.
You're right on the money.
Mike Koser (09:52):
Hawk, it was your mom's dream to watch you play in
the big leagues.
So one day she drove thePontiac that you had bought for
her after signing your firstmajor league contract, and uh
she drives it over a thousandmiles to Kansas City to watch
you face the Tigers.
Hawk (10:09):
I remember her coming up, yeah.
Mike Koser (10:11):
After reading both of your books, I get a sense
that your mom was your biggestfan.
In fact, early on uh in yourtime with the Kansas City A's
when you hit a bit of uh I don'tknow, like a little bit of a
slump and saw your playing timereduced, she took she took
matters into her own hands.
She wrote a letter to uhCharlie Finley demanding that he
(10:33):
treat you better.
I don't think you knew about itat the time, but later you
found out that she had told uhFinley if you're not gonna play
my son, send him back home tome.
Hawk (10:43):
I remember that quote.
I remember that quote, yeah.
And I I don't remember exactlywhat the what the uh letter
said, but I remember that quotethat was in that letter.
Mike Koser (10:56):
Yeah, well not long after in 1967, Charlie Finley
does release you, and they're...
surprisingly, because you'rehaving a great year, and the Red
Sox, who had just lost theiryoung star right fielder Tony
Canigliaro, were in the middleof a pennant chase.
Uh and they hear that you'vebeen released, and they must
have thought, uh, you gotta bekidding me.
This is this is too good to betrue.
(11:17):
But you're going from you weremaking, I think, twelve thousand
dollars with the with the A's,and they offer you a giant pay
increase.
Hawk (11:26):
Yeah.
He said, Well, I'll tell youwhat we're gonna do.
We're gonna give you $150,000to come over here and play for
the Red Sox.
And at that time, uh that wasthe highest paid salary in
baseball.
Yeah.
More than Mickey, more thanWillie Mays, more than Aaron,
and of course I was not in thatcategory.
But it was the highest paidsalary, and that's what broke
(11:47):
down where the owners hadcontrol of the salaries, but the
players did.
Mike Koser (11:52):
That was the match that lit the fire of free
agency.
Hawk (11:55):
That was the beginning of the change, and and they lose
Tony, who Ted Williams said Tonywas the greatest young home run
hitter he ever saw, and JackHamilton hit him with a with a
pitch.
And Jack wasn't trying to throwat him.
He it's just a pitch.
And Tony was one of thosehitters, once he got in that
box, he was there.
He didn't move very well atall, you know.
(12:17):
And he uh Jack hit him with a afastball right upside the
temple.
Mike Koser (12:22):
So they lose Tony and look, it's no exaggeration
that going into that 1967season, um Red Sox owner Tom
Yawkey was seriously consideringtearing down Fenway Park.
I mean, I know that soundscrazy now, but uh if you look
back at that particular time,Boston hadn't seen a winning
season in eight years.
(12:43):
The 65 team had finished with ahundred losses, and at
sixty-six they were twenty-sixgames out of first place.
That sixty-seven pennantwinning team that you were part
of truly saved Fenway Park.
Hawk (12:56):
I agree.
I agree.
I didn't know it at the time,you know.
Mike Koser (13:00):
Yeah.
Hawk (13:00):
But uh in retrospect, I agree.
And the guy who really was abig catalyst in that was Dick
Williams.
They hired Dick Williams tocome aboard, and Dick Williams
really was the savior of thatfranchise.
Dick was the one that got usready.
I remember a game we wereplaying in Baltimore, and I'm
playing right field.
(13:21):
Lee Stange pitching, and FrankRobinson comes to the plate.
And I'm in right field, and inright field, the bullpen, the
way you entered the bullpen wasthey had two iron gates that you
had to open to get into thebullpen.
I'm playing right field, andLee hangs in uh slider, and
Frank hit a rocket out there.
(13:41):
It's over my head, and I'mgoing back as hard as I can run.
And I hit that gate, and when Ihit it, I thought I broke my
shoulder.
So I'm lying on the ground, andI'm I'm really in pain, and I'm
I'm I can stand a lot of pain.
Believe me, I've been in toomany fights not to.
But I'm writhing on the groundthere.
(14:03):
So finally I get up.
Williams, he didn't doanything, he didn't come out.
So they sent the trainer outand they get me up, and I'm I'm
going back to the dugout, and Iwalk into the dugout.
Mike Andrews is there, andMike's Mike had a great sense of
humor.
He was like he was like anearly Bob Uecker, you know.
Mike Koser (14:25):
Right.
Hawk (14:25):
He said, You know what Skipper said when he poked his
head out of the dugout and sawme on the ground?
I said, What?
He said, Drag his ass in thebullpen and let's finish the
game.
Mike Koser (14:38):
Yeah, Dick Williams was not exactly an empathetic
manager.
Um in 67 I mean, listen, in 67,who would have thought that
from where you started at thebeginning of the year, that you
would um that you would findyourself in the World Series by
October as a member of theBoston Red Sox facing off
(14:59):
against one of the greatestall-time pitchers, Bob Gibson,
and the St.
Louis Cardinals.
Announcer (15:04):
Over 200 million listeners of
today's game. This game is about ready to start...
Mike Koser (15:34):
In game five of the 1967 World Series, the Red Sox
were down three games to one.
And it's a must-win situationat Busch Memorial Stadium.
In the bottom of the first, LouBrock sent a line drive to you
in right field, and you makewhat might have been the best
catch of your career.
Announcer (15:52):
Let's see what he can do today.
Here is the pitch by Lonborg.
...
Mike Koser (16:06):
So the Red Sox win that game.
Take game five.
Uh Red Sox win game six,setting up a decisive game seven
at Fenway Park.
Harry Caray (16:13):
Manager Red Schoendienst gets together with
Bob Gibson, his starter in thisdecisive seventh game.
Mike Koser (16:19):
Before the game, though, something happened that
I bet most people don't knowabout.
Um, something that could havechanged the outcome of that game
and possibly the entire 1967World Series.
You go to your locker to grabyour glove and it's gone.
Hawk (16:37):
That's right.
Mike, uh you you've done yourresearch, I'll tell you that.
You've done your research.
Seventh game of the WorldSeries, I go to my locker, my
glove's gone.
And to this day, nobody has hadguts enough to say or claim
stealing my glove.
I can't find my glove.
(16:57):
And I go looking around atevery locker in their locker
room.
Never could find it.
Never could find it.
I'll tell you, the person whostole it, I had to figure it was
one of the clubhouse guys.
Person who stole it is isafraid to admit he's got that
glove.
Mike Koser (17:14):
Look, anyone who's played ever played baseball
understands the value of yourpersonal glove.
It's uh it's something that'sbeen carefully maintained and
broken in to suit your specificstyle of play.
I mean, yeah, you could you canborrow someone else's glove,
but I can Hawk, I can promiseyou this, and I'm sure that
you'd agree, it it is not thesame as using your own glove.
Hawk (17:36):
You're right.
I had to borrow DannyOsinski's, and I had my glove
like it was like a suction cup.
If if that ball hit my glove,you were out.
Uh McCarver comes up.
Announcer (17:48):
This is McCarver who's popped the short and
grounded to second.
Hawk (17:51):
And he hits a low-line drive out there that I came in,
dove.
Announcer (17:58):
Harrelson.
had it and the lost it.
and on at second base isMcCarver.
Hawk (18:06):
And it hit in the glove, and because Osinski's glove was
stiff, you know, the ball poppedout.
Curt Gowdy (18:12):
I think Ken, and it happens many times.
They uh dislodged the ball whenthey hit the ground.
Harrelson driving his shoulderin the ground and rolling over,
and the ball was jarred loose.
So he made quite an effort, andthe crowd was all set to give
him a big ovation.
He's not known, as a fancyfielder, but he nearly made the
play of the ball game there.
He almost did.
Hawk (18:32):
And you couldn't give Gibson a couple extra runs like
that.
Mike Koser (18:37):
Yeah, Bob Gibson was lights out, yeah.
Hawk (18:39):
Yeah, well, he beat us three times, and I couldn't
stand him.
You know, I couldn't stand him.
So anyway, the last time, thisis the seventh game of the World
Series, So I come to the platein the last game.
He'd beaten us twice already.
So this is the seventh game,and I come to the plate.
And so my last at bat, I hit aground ball to Dal Maxvill, a
(19:00):
shortstop.
Maxvill over to Javier, andit's a double play.
Six, four, three, double play.
And Gibby had come over to back up in case it was a wild
throw.
And I'm going back to thedugout.
And Gibson, who had back, wasover there, we crossed paths,
(19:21):
and I had to do it.
I had to say, uh, I looked athim and I said, you know, I
hated this guy.
I said, Gibby, you're thegreatest.
I had to pay him respect.
Mike Koser (19:32):
Yeah.
And in front of 35,000 atFenway on October 12th, 1967,
the Cardinals win their eighthoverall championship.
Announcer (19:40):
Strike three, and the Cardinals have won the World
Series.
And Bob Gibson gets his 10thstrike and the mob him down on
the field.
A 7-2 victory for theCardinals.
All of his teammates surroundhim, and they're roaring in from
the bullpen now to continuetheir congratulations on a
(20:01):
magnificent pitching job turnedin by the St.
Louis right-hander today.
Mike Koser (20:06):
In 1969, you were traded to Cleveland to the
Indians, and you rented a condoat Winton Place, condominium
just west of downtown.
The Indians were...
they were so excited to haveyou on that team after a
historic 68 season, uh by farthe best year of your career.
They were so excited to haveyou that they even offered to
(20:27):
fly you by helicopter tomunicipal stadium to bypass
traffic on game day.
Where would it land?
Hawk (20:34):
Well, I had the penthouse there and the helicopter would
land on the roof.
Mike Koser (20:38):
It picks you up, it takes you to the ballpark, into
the actual ballpark on thefield?
Hawk (20:42):
Yeah.
Drop me uh on the field.
Or sometimes if the if they hadtoo many cars there, they'd
drop me in the parking lot.
Mike Koser (20:48):
What do you remember, Hawk, about municipal
stadium in the late 60s?
Hawk (20:52):
Well, I know that uh boy, they had some good pitchers.
They had uh Steve Hargan, theyhad "Sudden" Sam McDowell, and
sudden Sam had uh the best stuffthat I've ever seen.
You could hear Sam's fastballbecause back in those days the
ball was different.
The ball had seams that weremaybe a third of an inch,
(21:13):
quarter of an inch high.
Today, these seams are stuckright on the ball.
But Sam, I and then I playedwith Sam and I had hit a couple
home runs off Sam.
And so I remember Yaz and I arewe come in from Detroit one
night and we get in late and welanded on the airstrip downtown
(21:35):
in Cleveland, and there was thisrestaurant, after hours
restaurant, that we uh used toalways go to because you could
tie, but you couldn't beat thesteaks he put out.
I mean, you know, and so he hadhe uh got us a table.
It was like one o'clock in themorning.
So we were eating our steaks,and all of a sudden I look in
the back and I see this lightback there because there was
(21:57):
nobody else in there except thethe waiter, the owner, yes, and
myself.
I asked the guy, the owner, Isaid, Who's that in the back
back there?
He said, That's McDowell.
All of a sudden we finish oursteak, and I see this big guy,
Sam was 6'6, you know, and hecomes walking up and to our
(22:18):
table, and we're the only othertwo people in the restaurant.
Sam comes walking.
He don't even look at Yaz, helooks at me.
And I think it was probablybecause I hit a couple of home
runs off of him.
And he says, Hawk, he said, I'mgonna strike your ass out four
times because he was pitchingthat night.
He said, I'm gonna strike yourass out four times, nothing but
(22:40):
fastballs.
So the owner comes over, grabsSam by the shoulder and is
pulling him away.
And Sam looks at me again, heholds up uh four fingers.
He said, Four times, I'm gonnastrike your ass out tonight.
Nothing but fastballs, nothingbut fastballs.
So now we go to the ballparkthe next night, and first time
(23:00):
up, he threw me a fastball, andI hit it.
In fact, one of the writersthere for Cleveland said it was
the only ball he ever saw hitall the way out of uh municipal
stadium, but it was foul byabout 10 or 15 feet.
Announcer (23:14):
Long belt but foul.
He whacked that one.
Meanwhile, the story is hethrew me nothing but fastballs
in four bats, and he struck meout four times.
Two balls, two strikes.
Strike three.
Called out by Evan Ashton.
Harrelson not caring at all forthe call.
(23:34):
He's out of there, and they'retwo away.
Hawk (23:37):
Sam was a great guy.
He really was.
And when I went there, youknow, uh played, we played
together, and he was just agreat teammate.
But as I said, he had the beststuff I ever saw.
I faced Nolan Ryan in springtraining, and he threw hard.
But Sam, with with the seams onthe ball the way it was, you
could hear his slider, you couldhear his curveball.
(24:00):
I'll tell you what, he was hewas something.
Mike Koser (24:03):
You had no shortage of star friends who wanted to be
around you just as much, if notmore, than you wanted to be
around them.
Guys like Clint Eastwood, FrankSinatra.
These stories are crazy.
Tell me about the night thatFrank Jr., Frank Sinatra's kid,
was performing at a club inMiami and you were there to
watch him.
Hawk (24:24):
We had uh baseball celebrity tournament in Palm
Springs every year.
And uh Clint Eastwood was inthere, Frank was in there, uh
all the big stars are there, youknow, and so after the round's
over, we're sitting in there andFrank came in and sat down with
us, and of course we were allyou know thrilled at that.
And uh then when I was livingin in Miami, I'd retired from
(24:49):
baseball, and that's the onlytime I met Frank.
And I read in the paper wherehis son was playing now at a
friend of mine's bar and
Mike Koser (24:57):
yeah, like a little nightclub.
Hawk (24:58):
Yeah, like a nightclub.
Uh I go there, and I got thelast table in the back.
So I'm sitting there, and allof a sudden now Frank Jr.'s
getting ready to come on.
And here comes Jr.
Here comes Frank and with hisentourage, and they sit in a
table, like two tables in frontof mine.
So now later on I gotta get uhgo pee and I get up and I walk
(25:24):
by Frank Sr.
So I go pee, come back, walkingback to my table, and Frank
grabs me by the arm and he goes,Hey buddy, you don't say hello
to your friends?
And I just melted, you know.
Mike Koser (25:38):
I mean, to have Frank Sinatra recognize you and
call you out in a crowded clublike that, I can't even imagine.
You broadcast Major LeagueBaseball games for over 40
years, starting in Boston, andthen spending 33 years with the
Chicago White Sox, with a coupleyears with the Yankees in
between.
There's one story I want you toshare.
Um one night you're atCleveland Municipal Stadium, and
(26:01):
as someone who grew up going tothat ballpark, Storms would
just whip off that lake and uhsometimes catch you off guard.
But you're at the ballpark, andyou and your broadcast partner,
Don Drysdale, are in the boothpreparing for the game that
night, and as you put on yourheadset, a bolt of lightning
strikes the stadium.
Hawk (26:19):
Well, yeah, I I I mean that's not unusual.
Back in those days, of course,the the uh headsets and
everything now is sosophisticated.
I think they have guard guardsagainst uh, you know, lightning
strikes and everything.
But back in those days, it wasnot un unusual for when there
was a storm or something, thelightning and it just blasts
(26:43):
your ears off, you know.
And but Don Drysdale to me, tome, Don Drysdale is the greatest
baseball announcer that I'veever heard.
Don Drysdale (26:51):
And of course, when you're playing the Yankees,
you know one thing going intothe ballgame, you only play him
seven innings because afterthat, you've got that big
redhead in the bullpen, and heis awfully, awfully tough.
Keep going.
That's it.
Hawk (27:03):
Drysdale, I'm telling you, he he knew more about the game
of baseball than anybody I'veever known.
If you were in your cardriving, he put you right in the
ballpark.
Don Drysdale (27:14):
Gossage was just waiting for Harrison to stand in
there.
As soon as Jerry stepped inthere, got the bat back.
Gossage was coming at him.
Hawk (27:21):
And that's what you know Vin Scully did with the Dodgers
for many years.
He put you right in theballpark.
Koufax takes a peek at first now left hands a fastball in there that's cut on and fouled to the right of the plate and close to the dugout. Campanella comes over to the lip
of the dugout, and he has noplay.
(27:42):
Ball finally winds up about 4 rows back of the dugout. Young GI with his gal got that foul ball.,and proudly presented it to
her.
Like to see that in a ballpark.
Another thing you like to seeis a father catch a foul ball
and hand it to his little son. "That's my pop."
There are so many announcers today that are good.
I mean, you know, to me, thebest baseball announcer is Tom
Hamilton of Cleveland.
I've always thought thatbaseball was a radio game if you
(28:03):
had the right announcer.
Tom, every time I get a chanceto, because I commuted, you
know, for a long time back andforth from South Bend our home,
which was about 102 miles fromthe ballpark.
And I could coming back,I occassionally could get games
on the West Coast, and whenCleveland would be on the West
Coast, I'd listen to TomHamilton.
Tom Hamilton (28:23):
Thome drills one high and deep to center.
Away, way, way back.
Gone deep into the picnicplaza, and that might have even
got out of the ballpark.
Jim Thome has just left JacobsField onto Eagle Avenue.
Mike Koser (28:42):
You know, I think too that you, you, Vin Scully,
um, Drysdale, you guys were allmasters of the art of just uh
letting a moment breathe alittle.
You know?
Not not feeling like you had tocover every second with
commentary.
Hawk (28:59):
Exactly.
You've got guys today, they'reafraid that it's gonna be the
last time they get a chance tosay anything.
Mike Koser (29:05):
Uh very few have done it as well as you, Hawk.
You know, and one moment standsout in particular to me, and
that is September 30th, 1990,the final game at Comiskey Park.
After the game, uh White Soxplayers returned to the field to
this uh roaring standingovation from fans who were glued
(29:26):
to their seats, reluctant toleave the ballpark.
Nancy Faust, the great NancyFaust, was at the organ, and you
and your partner Tom Paciorekbeautifully delivered Comiskey's
eulogy.
Hawk (29:38):
I saw a little glisten of a tear in your eye, it's moving
one of mine.
It has been a significant partof your life, as it has been
mine, and certainly for all themillions of fans for enjoying
their white sox play.
Tom Paciorek (30:00):
Great baseball palace in the last 80 years.
Mike Koser (30:02):
Comiskey Park, the baseball palace of the world,
the White Sox home from 1910 to1990, forever stands as an
immortal piece of baseballhistory.
And the same can be said forKen Hawk Harrelson.
Nine seasons in the bigleagues, over 40 years in the
booth, in the broadcast wing ofthe Baseball Hall of Fame.
It has been a lot of funspending some time with you
(30:25):
today, Hawk.
Hawk (30:26):
Well, as I said, I'm one of the luckiest guys.
I've been married to my wifefor 52 years.
And I'll tell you one thingright now.
She has she has saved my life.
Mike Koser (30:36):
Well, God bless you both, Hawk.
Really enjoyed both of yourbooks.
The one that came out in 68,69, and uh the one more recently
a few years ago.
Listen, I I sure do appreciateyour time.
Hawk (30:48):
Well, it's my pleasure, and and I I I enjoy talking to
guys who do their homework likeyou have done, you know.
And and in fact, I'm gonna doanother book, probably,
probably, not for sure.
I don't know when it'll be, butuh
Mike Koser (31:01):
Man, I hope so.
Hawk (31:03):
Yeah, this next one will be okay.
Mike Koser (31:05):
I can't wait for that.
And I think it's only fittingto end our time together with
the catchphrase you would say asan opposing player would strike
out.
Hawk (31:15):
He gone!
Mike Koser (31:15):
Thank you, Hawk.
This was great, man.
Hawk (31:17):
All right, Mike.
Mike Koser (31:19):
A couple of quick footnotes.
Harrelson got his nickname, theHawk, thanks to his distinctive
profile.
After breaking his nose, Idon't know, some seven, eight
times in his younger years andthroughout his young adulthood,
it took on a striking shape,giving him a unique look that
earned him the nickname Hawk.
(31:39):
If you've never had theopportunity to hear him call
White Sox game, there are plentyon YouTube that are available,
including some all-time greatcalls that will make it clear
why Ken Hawk Harrelson is in theBaseball Hall of Fame.
He really is one of a kind.
"You handsome son of a gun, don't you ever die.
I look in the mirror and saythat anywhere from one to a
dozen times a day, depending onhow often I shave, change my
clothes, comb my hair, or justhappen to see my reflection
somewhere." That's how HawkHarrison begins his 1969
autobiography.
Yes, sir.
(00:21):
The Hawk is one of a kind.
In baseball, few personalitieshave shown as brightly as Ken
"Hawk" Harrelson.
The five-time Emmy Award winneris one of the game's true
originals, known for hiscolorful spirit and
unforgettable style.
In fact, his impact was sostrong and so immediate that in
(00:41):
1968, the Val Perry Trio wrote asong just for him called "
Don't Walk the Hawk".
They performed it every time hestepped through the door at a
small restaurant near the RedSox Spring training home.
(01:03):
His nine-year big league careerincluded stops with the Kansas
City A's, Washington Senators,the 1967 Impossible Dream Boston
Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians.
Though his playing career cutshort by injury was notable, it
was in the broadcast booth wherehis legend grew to baseball
icon status.
He spent 33 years as the TVvoice of the Chicago White Sox,
(01:27):
coining catchphrases that arestill repeated by fans on the
South side today.
A White Sox home run...
(01:52):
(Game audio) That ball hit hard...stretch... you can put it on the booooard, yes!
A strikeout from the opposing team...
(Game audio) He gone! 1 to go!
Hawk Harrelson is my guest on this month's Lost Ballparks podcast.
Hawk, listen, first of all, Iknow it's been just a few weeks
(02:45):
since the hurricane barreledthrough Florida, and I uh we've
talked a little bit since then,but I'm so glad to hear that you
and your family are okay.
Hawk (02:52):
Yeah, we got lucky.
We got really lucky.
Mike Koser (02:55):
Yeah, just just thankful that you guys are all
good.
Those storms are so powerfuland unpredictable.
And uh yeah, man, just glad youguys are okay.
Anyway, look uh I'm lookingforward to talking with you.
If you're good, I'm good.
Let's go ahead and get started.
Hawk (03:09):
All right, buddy.
Mike Koser (03:10):
In 1950, your family moved to Savannah, Georgia.
When you were nine, your momlet you skip school one spring
day.
The Yankees were playing theReds in an exhibition game at
Grayson Stadium in Savannah.
Uh what stands out in yourmemory about that ballpark and
that special day?
Hawk (03:30):
Listen, I was a mama's boy.
I asked her if I could go seethe Yankees play.
She says, sure, let's go, I'llgo with you.
And we went to Grayson Stadium,and I had played uh some, you
know, some high school ballthere, and it was a short porch
in left field with a highscreen, but it was still easy to
(03:50):
hit home runs in.
It was right off Victory Drive,which is a famous drive there
in Savannah.
And it was really a niceballpark.
They had a uh an A-ball clubthere, and I used to go there
because my mom only made 56bucks a week, and her uh
ex-husband didn't give her adollar or a dime, a nickel,
(04:13):
nothing.
I'd go there and I forget thename of the manager.
He was a nice guy, big guy, bighe was a big ex first baseman.
And I asked him if I could comethere and you know, shine shoes
and try to pick up some money.
He said, sure.
So I went there and I used toshine shoes and uh in the
visiting clubhouse.
(04:34):
And that's Jacksonville.
They had Hank Aaron on thatball club.
So I was shining Hank's shoeswhen I was, you know, like 14
years old.
I picked up quite a bit ofmoney doing that.
When I say quite a bit, I'mtalking about, you know, 20, 25,
30 dollars.
Mike Koser (04:53):
On that day, you came face to face with your
idol, Mickey Mantle, and youwalk up to him and ask him for
his autograph, but but hebrushed you off, right?
Hawk (05:03):
Yeah.
Well, uh I went there and andthen the game was over, and the
Yankees came out and they weregetting on their bus to go back
to the hotel.
And so I told my mom, I said,Mom, I said, I want to wait
outside, I want to try to getMickey Mantle's autograph.
And she said, Okay.
So she stood there with me, andall of a sudden the Yankees
come walking out after thegame's over, and then I see
(05:25):
Mickey and I walk over toMickey, and I said, Mickey, can
I have your autograph?
And he said, Beat it, kid.
Mike Koser (05:33):
Wow.
Hawk (05:36):
You know...And when I got to the big leagues, Mickey and I
became really good friends.
We played a lot of golftogether and everything else,
but I used to bring that up tohim.
But it was I was heartbroken,you know.
Mike Koser (05:47):
Oh, I'm sure.
I mean, it must have beenheartbreaking.
You get that close to someoneyou've admired for so long and
then to have it have it end likethat.
In the um in the 40s and 50s,like most kids of that era, you
would uh take your transistorradio to bed with you and uh
have it on your pillow, and Ithink you would listen to KMOX
(06:09):
out of St.
Louis.
Hawk (06:10):
Yeah, most of the time.
Mike Koser (06:11):
You would have heard Jack Buck and Harry Caray
calling games, right?
Hawk (06:15):
Oh, I loved them both.
Harry Caray (06:16):
The wind up, the pitch on the way.
Strike called a fastball...
Hawk (06:27):
I loved them both.
I'll tell you what.
Uh in fact, Harry Caray, when Iwas with the White Sox, he
called me several times andasked me to come over and uh
join him in the booth.
Can you imagine that pairing?
Well, that's when he uh uh hehad been broadcasting with Steve
Stone, and I don't think he andSteve got along that well.
(06:48):
So he he'd call me a couple oftimes, says, come on over here
and broadcast with me.
And I was broadcasting the Sox,and I forget exactly who it was
with, but uh I told him I said,no, I'm not gonna leave the
White Sox.
I liked Harry.
I'm not saying I loved him, butI can tell you this, I I liked
(07:09):
him a lot.
Mike Koser (07:10):
You were an outstanding high school athlete.
I th uh a true Bo Jacksonbefore Bo Jackson, uh an
all-American in basketball.
You had a football scholarshipoffer from the University of
Georgia, and by your junior yearof high school, you were a
scratch golfer.
You could hold your own inpool, you had a 200 bowling
average, and you could play alittle baseball.
(07:32):
Good enough to be drafted bythe Kansas City Athletics.
Announcer (07:35):
Kansas City is a brawling, lusty city that stands
defiantly on the shores of theMissouri River, straddling 12
railroads, seven airlines, and anetwork of transcontinental
highways.
Mike Koser (07:45):
And at 21, you get the call to the big leagues,
arriving at Kansas City'smunicipal stadium on June 8th,
1963.
What went through your mind asyou walked through that dugout
tunnel and saw that ballpark forthe first time?
Hawk (08:00):
Oh, I was I was overwhelmed, you know.
Spacious municipal stadium, oneof the most modern in the game.
This giant arena was built inrecord time when the A's came to
town.
First of all, it was a beautiful ballpark.
All the players loved comingthere to play.
The ball carried well there,too.
So it was it was short porch inright field.
(08:22):
And of course, I was aright-handed hitter, but that
helped me out as I didn't thinkabout it at the time, but later
on I realized that really helpedme grow as a hitter.
Mike Koser (08:34):
On September 10th, 1965, during the final month of
your third season with theKansas City Athletics, Charlie
Finley, the owner of theathletics, signed 59-year-old
Satchel Paige.
Just two weeks later, onSeptember 25th, Satchel pitched
in his last major league game.
Announcer (08:51):
Three innings of almost perfect ball here tonight
at Municipal Stadium.
Whether he is 23, 53, 63, or73, as some say, he really
showed a lot of people that hestill has that old love of the
game, and boy, his arm is stillthere.
What a guy, Satchel Paige.
Mike Koser (09:09):
And after the game, you walk up to him with a
request.
Hawk (09:14):
Satch and I had become pretty good buddies there.
I said, Satch, can I have yourglove?
And he looked at me, smiled,reached back in his locker,
brought it out, and handed it tome.
Satchel Paige's lastappearance, and he gave me his
glove, which I later on donatedto uh I think the Hall of Fame.
Mike Koser (09:44):
Yeah, but you think about that now, like that is a
uh that's a priceless piece ofmemorabilia.
Hawk (09:50):
Yeah.
You're right on the money.
Mike Koser (09:52):
Hawk, it was your mom's dream to watch you play in
the big leagues.
So one day she drove thePontiac that you had bought for
her after signing your firstmajor league contract, and uh
she drives it over a thousandmiles to Kansas City to watch
you face the Tigers.
Hawk (10:09):
I remember her coming up, yeah.
Mike Koser (10:11):
After reading both of your books, I get a sense
that your mom was your biggestfan.
In fact, early on uh in yourtime with the Kansas City A's
when you hit a bit of uh I don'tknow, like a little bit of a
slump and saw your playing timereduced, she took she took
matters into her own hands.
She wrote a letter to uhCharlie Finley demanding that he
(10:33):
treat you better.
I don't think you knew about itat the time, but later you
found out that she had told uhFinley if you're not gonna play
my son, send him back home tome.
Hawk (10:43):
I remember that quote.
I remember that quote, yeah.
And I I don't remember exactlywhat the what the uh letter
said, but I remember that quotethat was in that letter.
Mike Koser (10:56):
Yeah, well not long after in 1967, Charlie Finley
does release you, and they're...
surprisingly, because you'rehaving a great year, and the Red
Sox, who had just lost theiryoung star right fielder Tony
Canigliaro, were in the middleof a pennant chase.
Uh and they hear that you'vebeen released, and they must
have thought, uh, you gotta bekidding me.
This is this is too good to betrue.
(11:17):
But you're going from you weremaking, I think, twelve thousand
dollars with the with the A's,and they offer you a giant pay
increase.
Hawk (11:26):
Yeah.
He said, Well, I'll tell youwhat we're gonna do.
We're gonna give you $150,000to come over here and play for
the Red Sox.
And at that time, uh that wasthe highest paid salary in
baseball.
Yeah.
More than Mickey, more thanWillie Mays, more than Aaron,
and of course I was not in thatcategory.
But it was the highest paidsalary, and that's what broke
(11:47):
down where the owners hadcontrol of the salaries, but the
players did.
Mike Koser (11:52):
That was the match that lit the fire of free
agency.
Hawk (11:55):
That was the beginning of the change, and and they lose
Tony, who Ted Williams said Tonywas the greatest young home run
hitter he ever saw, and JackHamilton hit him with a with a
pitch.
And Jack wasn't trying to throwat him.
He it's just a pitch.
And Tony was one of thosehitters, once he got in that
box, he was there.
He didn't move very well atall, you know.
(12:17):
And he uh Jack hit him with a afastball right upside the
temple.
Mike Koser (12:22):
So they lose Tony and look, it's no exaggeration
that going into that 1967season, um Red Sox owner Tom
Yawkey was seriously consideringtearing down Fenway Park.
I mean, I know that soundscrazy now, but uh if you look
back at that particular time,Boston hadn't seen a winning
season in eight years.
(12:43):
The 65 team had finished with ahundred losses, and at
sixty-six they were twenty-sixgames out of first place.
That sixty-seven pennantwinning team that you were part
of truly saved Fenway Park.
Hawk (12:56):
I agree.
I agree.
I didn't know it at the time,you know.
Mike Koser (13:00):
Yeah.
Hawk (13:00):
But uh in retrospect, I agree.
And the guy who really was abig catalyst in that was Dick
Williams.
They hired Dick Williams tocome aboard, and Dick Williams
really was the savior of thatfranchise.
Dick was the one that got usready.
I remember a game we wereplaying in Baltimore, and I'm
playing right field.
(13:21):
Lee Stange pitching, and FrankRobinson comes to the plate.
And I'm in right field, and inright field, the bullpen, the
way you entered the bullpen wasthey had two iron gates that you
had to open to get into thebullpen.
I'm playing right field, andLee hangs in uh slider, and
Frank hit a rocket out there.
(13:41):
It's over my head, and I'mgoing back as hard as I can run.
And I hit that gate, and when Ihit it, I thought I broke my
shoulder.
So I'm lying on the ground, andI'm I'm really in pain, and I'm
I'm I can stand a lot of pain.
Believe me, I've been in toomany fights not to.
But I'm writhing on the groundthere.
(14:03):
So finally I get up.
Williams, he didn't doanything, he didn't come out.
So they sent the trainer outand they get me up, and I'm I'm
going back to the dugout, and Iwalk into the dugout.
Mike Andrews is there, andMike's Mike had a great sense of
humor.
He was like he was like anearly Bob Uecker, you know.
Mike Koser (14:25):
Right.
Hawk (14:25):
He said, You know what Skipper said when he poked his
head out of the dugout and sawme on the ground?
I said, What?
He said, Drag his ass in thebullpen and let's finish the
game.
Mike Koser (14:38):
Yeah, Dick Williams was not exactly an empathetic
manager.
Um in 67 I mean, listen, in 67,who would have thought that
from where you started at thebeginning of the year, that you
would um that you would findyourself in the World Series by
October as a member of theBoston Red Sox facing off
(14:59):
against one of the greatestall-time pitchers, Bob Gibson,
and the St.
Louis Cardinals.
Announcer (15:04):
Over 200 million listeners of
today's game. This game is about ready to start...
Mike Koser (15:34):
In game five of the 1967 World Series, the Red Sox
were down three games to one.
And it's a must-win situationat Busch Memorial Stadium.
In the bottom of the first, LouBrock sent a line drive to you
in right field, and you makewhat might have been the best
catch of your career.
Announcer (15:52):
Let's see what he can do today.
Here is the pitch by Lonborg.
...
Mike Koser (16:06):
So the Red Sox win that game.
Take game five.
Uh Red Sox win game six,setting up a decisive game seven
at Fenway Park.
Harry Caray (16:13):
Manager Red Schoendienst gets together with
Bob Gibson, his starter in thisdecisive seventh game.
Mike Koser (16:19):
Before the game, though, something happened that
I bet most people don't knowabout.
Um, something that could havechanged the outcome of that game
and possibly the entire 1967World Series.
You go to your locker to grabyour glove and it's gone.
Hawk (16:37):
That's right.
Mike, uh you you've done yourresearch, I'll tell you that.
You've done your research.
Seventh game of the WorldSeries, I go to my locker, my
glove's gone.
And to this day, nobody has hadguts enough to say or claim
stealing my glove.
I can't find my glove.
(16:57):
And I go looking around atevery locker in their locker
room.
Never could find it.
Never could find it.
I'll tell you, the person whostole it, I had to figure it was
one of the clubhouse guys.
Person who stole it is isafraid to admit he's got that
glove.
Mike Koser (17:14):
Look, anyone who's played ever played baseball
understands the value of yourpersonal glove.
It's uh it's something that'sbeen carefully maintained and
broken in to suit your specificstyle of play.
I mean, yeah, you could you canborrow someone else's glove,
but I can Hawk, I can promiseyou this, and I'm sure that
you'd agree, it it is not thesame as using your own glove.
Hawk (17:36):
You're right.
I had to borrow DannyOsinski's, and I had my glove
like it was like a suction cup.
If if that ball hit my glove,you were out.
Uh McCarver comes up.
Announcer (17:48):
This is McCarver who's popped the short and
grounded to second.
Hawk (17:51):
And he hits a low-line drive out there that I came in,
dove.
Announcer (17:58):
Harrelson.
had it and the lost it.
and on at second base isMcCarver.
Hawk (18:06):
And it hit in the glove, and because Osinski's glove was
stiff, you know, the ball poppedout.
Curt Gowdy (18:12):
I think Ken, and it happens many times.
They uh dislodged the ball whenthey hit the ground.
Harrelson driving his shoulderin the ground and rolling over,
and the ball was jarred loose.
So he made quite an effort, andthe crowd was all set to give
him a big ovation.
He's not known, as a fancyfielder, but he nearly made the
play of the ball game there.
He almost did.
Hawk (18:32):
And you couldn't give Gibson a couple extra runs like
that.
Mike Koser (18:37):
Yeah, Bob Gibson was lights out, yeah.
Hawk (18:39):
Yeah, well, he beat us three times, and I couldn't
stand him.
You know, I couldn't stand him.
So anyway, the last time, thisis the seventh game of the World
Series, So I come to the platein the last game.
He'd beaten us twice already.
So this is the seventh game,and I come to the plate.
And so my last at bat, I hit aground ball to Dal Maxvill, a
(19:00):
shortstop.
Maxvill over to Javier, andit's a double play.
Six, four, three, double play.
And Gibby had come over to back up in case it was a wild
throw.
And I'm going back to thedugout.
And Gibson, who had back, wasover there, we crossed paths,
(19:21):
and I had to do it.
I had to say, uh, I looked athim and I said, you know, I
hated this guy.
I said, Gibby, you're thegreatest.
I had to pay him respect.
Mike Koser (19:32):
Yeah.
And in front of 35,000 atFenway on October 12th, 1967,
the Cardinals win their eighthoverall championship.
Announcer (19:40):
Strike three, and the Cardinals have won the World
Series.
And Bob Gibson gets his 10thstrike and the mob him down on
the field.
A 7-2 victory for theCardinals.
All of his teammates surroundhim, and they're roaring in from
the bullpen now to continuetheir congratulations on a
(20:01):
magnificent pitching job turnedin by the St.
Louis right-hander today.
Mike Koser (20:06):
In 1969, you were traded to Cleveland to the
Indians, and you rented a condoat Winton Place, condominium
just west of downtown.
The Indians were...
they were so excited to haveyou on that team after a
historic 68 season, uh by farthe best year of your career.
They were so excited to haveyou that they even offered to
(20:27):
fly you by helicopter tomunicipal stadium to bypass
traffic on game day.
Where would it land?
Hawk (20:34):
Well, I had the penthouse there and the helicopter would
land on the roof.
Mike Koser (20:38):
It picks you up, it takes you to the ballpark, into
the actual ballpark on thefield?
Hawk (20:42):
Yeah.
Drop me uh on the field.
Or sometimes if the if they hadtoo many cars there, they'd
drop me in the parking lot.
Mike Koser (20:48):
What do you remember, Hawk, about municipal
stadium in the late 60s?
Hawk (20:52):
Well, I know that uh boy, they had some good pitchers.
They had uh Steve Hargan, theyhad "Sudden" Sam McDowell, and
sudden Sam had uh the best stuffthat I've ever seen.
You could hear Sam's fastballbecause back in those days the
ball was different.
The ball had seams that weremaybe a third of an inch,
(21:13):
quarter of an inch high.
Today, these seams are stuckright on the ball.
But Sam, I and then I playedwith Sam and I had hit a couple
home runs off Sam.
And so I remember Yaz and I arewe come in from Detroit one
night and we get in late and welanded on the airstrip downtown
(21:35):
in Cleveland, and there was thisrestaurant, after hours
restaurant, that we uh used toalways go to because you could
tie, but you couldn't beat thesteaks he put out.
I mean, you know, and so he hadhe uh got us a table.
It was like one o'clock in themorning.
So we were eating our steaks,and all of a sudden I look in
the back and I see this lightback there because there was
(21:57):
nobody else in there except thethe waiter, the owner, yes, and
myself.
I asked the guy, the owner, Isaid, Who's that in the back
back there?
He said, That's McDowell.
All of a sudden we finish oursteak, and I see this big guy,
Sam was 6'6, you know, and hecomes walking up and to our
(22:18):
table, and we're the only othertwo people in the restaurant.
Sam comes walking.
He don't even look at Yaz, helooks at me.
And I think it was probablybecause I hit a couple of home
runs off of him.
And he says, Hawk, he said, I'mgonna strike your ass out four
times because he was pitchingthat night.
He said, I'm gonna strike yourass out four times, nothing but
(22:40):
fastballs.
So the owner comes over, grabsSam by the shoulder and is
pulling him away.
And Sam looks at me again, heholds up uh four fingers.
He said, Four times, I'm gonnastrike your ass out tonight.
Nothing but fastballs, nothingbut fastballs.
So now we go to the ballparkthe next night, and first time
(23:00):
up, he threw me a fastball, andI hit it.
In fact, one of the writersthere for Cleveland said it was
the only ball he ever saw hitall the way out of uh municipal
stadium, but it was foul byabout 10 or 15 feet.
Announcer (23:14):
Long belt but foul.
He whacked that one.
Meanwhile, the story is hethrew me nothing but fastballs
in four bats, and he struck meout four times.
Two balls, two strikes.
Strike three.
Called out by Evan Ashton.
Harrelson not caring at all forthe call.
(23:34):
He's out of there, and they'retwo away.
Hawk (23:37):
Sam was a great guy.
He really was.
And when I went there, youknow, uh played, we played
together, and he was just agreat teammate.
But as I said, he had the beststuff I ever saw.
I faced Nolan Ryan in springtraining, and he threw hard.
But Sam, with with the seams onthe ball the way it was, you
could hear his slider, you couldhear his curveball.
(24:00):
I'll tell you what, he was hewas something.
Mike Koser (24:03):
You had no shortage of star friends who wanted to be
around you just as much, if notmore, than you wanted to be
around them.
Guys like Clint Eastwood, FrankSinatra.
These stories are crazy.
Tell me about the night thatFrank Jr., Frank Sinatra's kid,
was performing at a club inMiami and you were there to
watch him.
Hawk (24:24):
We had uh baseball celebrity tournament in Palm
Springs every year.
And uh Clint Eastwood was inthere, Frank was in there, uh
all the big stars are there, youknow, and so after the round's
over, we're sitting in there andFrank came in and sat down with
us, and of course we were allyou know thrilled at that.
And uh then when I was livingin in Miami, I'd retired from
(24:49):
baseball, and that's the onlytime I met Frank.
And I read in the paper wherehis son was playing now at a
friend of mine's bar and
Mike Koser (24:57):
yeah, like a little nightclub.
Hawk (24:58):
Yeah, like a nightclub.
Uh I go there, and I got thelast table in the back.
So I'm sitting there, and allof a sudden now Frank Jr.'s
getting ready to come on.
And here comes Jr.
Here comes Frank and with hisentourage, and they sit in a
table, like two tables in frontof mine.
So now later on I gotta get uhgo pee and I get up and I walk
(25:24):
by Frank Sr.
So I go pee, come back, walkingback to my table, and Frank
grabs me by the arm and he goes,Hey buddy, you don't say hello
to your friends?
And I just melted, you know.
Mike Koser (25:38):
I mean, to have Frank Sinatra recognize you and
call you out in a crowded clublike that, I can't even imagine.
You broadcast Major LeagueBaseball games for over 40
years, starting in Boston, andthen spending 33 years with the
Chicago White Sox, with a coupleyears with the Yankees in
between.
There's one story I want you toshare.
Um one night you're atCleveland Municipal Stadium, and
(26:01):
as someone who grew up going tothat ballpark, Storms would
just whip off that lake and uhsometimes catch you off guard.
But you're at the ballpark, andyou and your broadcast partner,
Don Drysdale, are in the boothpreparing for the game that
night, and as you put on yourheadset, a bolt of lightning
strikes the stadium.
Hawk (26:19):
Well, yeah, I I I mean that's not unusual.
Back in those days, of course,the the uh headsets and
everything now is sosophisticated.
I think they have guard guardsagainst uh, you know, lightning
strikes and everything.
But back in those days, it wasnot un unusual for when there
was a storm or something, thelightning and it just blasts
(26:43):
your ears off, you know.
And but Don Drysdale to me, tome, Don Drysdale is the greatest
baseball announcer that I'veever heard.
Don Drysdale (26:51):
And of course, when you're playing the Yankees,
you know one thing going intothe ballgame, you only play him
seven innings because afterthat, you've got that big
redhead in the bullpen, and heis awfully, awfully tough.
Keep going.
That's it.
Hawk (27:03):
Drysdale, I'm telling you, he he knew more about the game
of baseball than anybody I'veever known.
If you were in your cardriving, he put you right in the
ballpark.
Don Drysdale (27:14):
Gossage was just waiting for Harrison to stand in
there.
As soon as Jerry stepped inthere, got the bat back.
Gossage was coming at him.
Hawk (27:21):
And that's what you know Vin Scully did with the Dodgers
for many years.
He put you right in theballpark.
Koufax takes a peek at first now left hands a fastball in there that's cut on and fouled to the right of the plate and close to the dugout. Campanella comes over to the lip
of the dugout, and he has noplay.
(27:42):
Ball finally winds up about 4 rows back of the dugout. Young GI with his gal got that foul ball.,and proudly presented it to
her.
Like to see that in a ballpark.
Another thing you like to seeis a father catch a foul ball
and hand it to his little son. "That's my pop."
There are so many announcers today that are good.
I mean, you know, to me, thebest baseball announcer is Tom
Hamilton of Cleveland.
I've always thought thatbaseball was a radio game if you
(28:03):
had the right announcer.
Tom, every time I get a chanceto, because I commuted, you
know, for a long time back andforth from South Bend our home,
which was about 102 miles fromthe ballpark.
And I could coming back,I occassionally could get games
on the West Coast, and whenCleveland would be on the West
Coast, I'd listen to TomHamilton.
Tom Hamilton (28:23):
Thome drills one high and deep to center.
Away, way, way back.
Gone deep into the picnicplaza, and that might have even
got out of the ballpark.
Jim Thome has just left JacobsField onto Eagle Avenue.
Mike Koser (28:42):
You know, I think too that you, you, Vin Scully,
um, Drysdale, you guys were allmasters of the art of just uh
letting a moment breathe alittle.
You know?
Not not feeling like you had tocover every second with
commentary.
Hawk (28:59):
Exactly.
You've got guys today, they'reafraid that it's gonna be the
last time they get a chance tosay anything.
Mike Koser (29:05):
Uh very few have done it as well as you, Hawk.
You know, and one moment standsout in particular to me, and
that is September 30th, 1990,the final game at Comiskey Park.
After the game, uh White Soxplayers returned to the field to
this uh roaring standingovation from fans who were glued
(29:26):
to their seats, reluctant toleave the ballpark.
Nancy Faust, the great NancyFaust, was at the organ, and you
and your partner Tom Paciorekbeautifully delivered Comiskey's
eulogy.
Hawk (29:38):
I saw a little glisten of a tear in your eye, it's moving
one of mine.
It has been a significant partof your life, as it has been
mine, and certainly for all themillions of fans for enjoying
their white sox play.
Tom Paciorek (30:00):
Great baseball palace in the last 80 years.
Mike Koser (30:02):
Comiskey Park, the baseball palace of the world,
the White Sox home from 1910 to1990, forever stands as an
immortal piece of baseballhistory.
And the same can be said forKen Hawk Harrelson.
Nine seasons in the bigleagues, over 40 years in the
booth, in the broadcast wing ofthe Baseball Hall of Fame.
It has been a lot of funspending some time with you
(30:25):
today, Hawk.
Hawk (30:26):
Well, as I said, I'm one of the luckiest guys.
I've been married to my wifefor 52 years.
And I'll tell you one thingright now.
She has she has saved my life.
Mike Koser (30:36):
Well, God bless you both, Hawk.
Really enjoyed both of yourbooks.
The one that came out in 68,69, and uh the one more recently
a few years ago.
Listen, I I sure do appreciateyour time.
Hawk (30:48):
Well, it's my pleasure, and and I I I enjoy talking to
guys who do their homework likeyou have done, you know.
And and in fact, I'm gonna doanother book, probably,
probably, not for sure.
I don't know when it'll be, butuh
Mike Koser (31:01):
Man, I hope so.
Hawk (31:03):
Yeah, this next one will be okay.
Mike Koser (31:05):
I can't wait for that.
And I think it's only fittingto end our time together with
the catchphrase you would say asan opposing player would strike
out.
Hawk (31:15):
He gone!
Mike Koser (31:15):
Thank you, Hawk.
This was great, man.
Hawk (31:17):
All right, Mike.
Mike Koser (31:19):
A couple of quick footnotes.
Harrelson got his nickname, theHawk, thanks to his distinctive
profile.
After breaking his nose, Idon't know, some seven, eight
times in his younger years andthroughout his young adulthood,
it took on a striking shape,giving him a unique look that
earned him the nickname Hawk.
(31:39):
If you've never had theopportunity to hear him call
White Sox game, there are plentyon YouTube that are available,
including some all-time greatcalls that will make it clear
why Ken Hawk Harrelson is in theBaseball Hall of Fame.
He really is one of a kind.
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