Wayne State Opens Harwell Field, A Tribute To The Legendary Tigers Broadcaster
DETROIT (WWJ) -- A celebration was held at Wayne State University on Tuesday as a ribbon was cut in front of Harwell Field, a baseball diamond dedicated to the late Detroit Tigers play-by-play announcer Ernie Harwell.
Some of Harwell's baseball artifacts and memorabilia collected over his career are set to be displayed at the new complex.
What a fantastic day! We are proud to have Harwell Field at WSU! We know Ernie is looking down and is happy! pic.twitter.com/XunBwbNm6o
— WSU Athletics (@waynestwarriors) April 18, 2017
Architect Marco Silveri said there was one big challenge with this project.
"There was the challenges of doing a fitting tribute to somebody so important and that's always kind of, you know -- that raised the bar for us kind of in a way no other project ever has," Silveri said.
Tigers legends Alan Trammell and Kirk Gibson helped dedicate the newly renovated stadium and shared some of their favorite memories of Harwell.
"[I'm] just privileged to be a part of this, it was a privilege to have known Ernie and call him a friend," Trammell said. "This just kind of makes sure that his legacy will never be forgotten -- not that it would've been, but this just makes it even better."
"It's an honor to be here and this is great," Gibson said. "I'm all for no matter what university or what school or what community -- anybody's in -- to come together and do good, so people can give back. That's what it's all about, and to do it in honor Ernie Harwell."
The university first announced the plans for the baseball complex in June of 2013. Harwell spent 42 years broadcasting with the Tigers before he died in 2010 at age 92.