Veteran White Sox announcer Ken Harrelson always has said he wants to make his exit from Earth while calling a game. Naturally, he doesn’t want to be describing a “duck snort.”
In an interview with Matt Lindner of Redeye, Hawk envisioned his final call:
“Verlander on the bump,” he began. “Here’s the pitch. Konerko hits it. That ball hit hard. Wayyyyyy back … he looks up, you can put it on the boooooard,” before hitting his head playfully against his desk while laughing. “That would be it for me,” he continues. “And then all of a sudden on my tombstone it says ‘He gone.’ “
Hopefully, it doesn’t work out that exact way. Since Konerko might be playing his final year with the Sox, that final call would occur much sooner than Hawk, 71, would prefer.
Hawks is somewhat divisive figure in sportscasting. He gets a lot of knocks from the Score guys and nationally for being such a homer. I’m a Cubs fan and I kinda enjoy him when he talks baseball and the Red Sox of the late ’60s. I get a kick out of his spurning of Sabermetrics. He does tend to make blanket statements about players that aren’t necessarily backed up by the facts. Just wish he’d work a bit harder to get more out of Steve Stone. I wonder how diehard Sox fans feel about him.
I’m probably the only Cub fan on earth who likes the Hawk, and how he calls a game, in spite of his anti-sabremetric willful ignorance. I enjoy his enthusiasm, and the lack of it when the Sox are getting waxed. I think he does a good job.
Maybe it’s also because I only get to hear him 10-12 times a year on WGN.
I respect and appreciate Hawk for his many years of service to the Sox and the fans but “it’s time” for him to leave. Like Harry Caray in his later years, Hawk is becomming difficult to listen to and his long periods of silence when the Sox are screwing up (which is often this season) isn’t very professional.
Hawk is my favorite announcer ! It is kinda sad some of these comments about Hawk and even Harry Caray. Hawk and Steve Stone or the few nights I got to listen to the return of Wimpy were a pure delight. The man has forgot more baseball than most of his detractors will ever know. PUT IT ON THE BOARD ! YEH !