Being a baseball fan living in the Chicago area, I’ve had the chance to watch a lot of White Sox TV play-by-play announcer Ken “Hawk” Harrelson.
He’s pretty much known for his cornpone country shtick and baseball catchphrases as much as being the first baseball player to regularly wear a batting glove.
Among Harrelson’s phraseology is
- He Gone (for a strikeout victim)
- Gas (for a fastball)
- Stretch (cheering for a fly ball to get over the fence
Mind you , I somehow missed the fact that he says the exact same thing to start up every game he broadcasts.
”Sit Back, Relax, and Strap it down.”
Here’s Hawk saying that phrase … 32 different times.
Did you notice former White Sox TV analyst Darrin Jackson doing what he did best? Namely showing off his glazed expression while not saying anything as Harrelson dominates the airwaves?
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March 3rd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
MLB Network last week had the 1981 Opening Day from Boston. White Sox were the road team. I guess it was WGN doing the game (is that channel 9? they always had the number 9 on their scoreboard no letters.)
Harry Caray did a few innings. Including the Home Run over the monster that would win the game for the White Sox.
When did Harry stop doing White Sox games since he is the Cubs Icon?
March 4th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Right after 1981 Cubs management lured him away from the White Sox.
March 7th, 2009 at 12:26 am
Thanks.
I was born in 1979 so I only thought of him with the cubs.
I was confused when I was watching a AL game and herd him.
March 9th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Brian/Spike: It wasn’t as simple as being lured away by ivy and Budweiser; Harry had a host of off-field issues – the drinking, the feuding with other broadcasters – that Sox brass didn’t really want to keep around, not unlike what happened in St. Louis and Oakland.
The Cubs made an offer, Harry took it, and the rest was history. Ironically, Harry walked for refusing to be a company man and in turn became one of the most famous company men in broadcasting history.
Re: Hawk, well, there’s a reason I listen to radio broadcasts more often than I watch the Comcast/WGN broadcasts. . . and it’s not the Feldco ads.