The White Sox yesterday announced that Ken "Hawk" Harrelson will "call his final 20 games as play-by-play man" in '18, doing a "schedule of mostly Sunday home games, to cap a 34-year career with the club," according to Colleen Kane of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. He will "stay on as a team ambassador" during the '19 season, allowing him to "reach his goal of working in professional baseball for parts of eight decades." Jason Benetti, who has split play-by-play duties with Harrelson the last two seasons, will "take over the primary position alongside analyst Steve Stone" in '19 as part of a multiyear deal. Harrelson said that the "time is right because he wants to spend more time with his three grandchildren." That first "prompted him to cut his schedule" in '16 to "mostly road games, citing the taxing travel from his home near South Bend, Ind., to the South Side." His broadcasting career "began with the Red Sox" in '75, and he "joined White Sox broadcasts" in '82. He briefly "left the booth" to become White Sox GM in '86, but he "returned to broadcasting with the Yankees" in '87-88 and the White Sox in '90. Harrelson is a "three-time Ford Frick Award nominee and five-time Emmy Award winner." Benetti also will "call games for ESPN" in '18 as a play-by-play announcer for basketball, baseball, football and lacrosse (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/1). In Chicago, Daryl Van Schouwen notes in March, Harrelson said that he "wanted to stay in baseball" through the '20 season but was "expecting to cut back his broadcasting schedule considerably after this year" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 6/1).
SAY IT AIN'T SO: The AP's Jay Cohen notes Harrelson's long tenure with the White Sox has "produced several beloved sayings." His classic quotes include, "You can put it on the board, yes!", "He gone" and "Mercy." The team "gave out a Hawk Harrelson alarm clock with some of his sayings for a home game this year, and it was one of their most popular promotions of the season" (AP, 6/1). In Chicago, Scot Gregor writes, "Love him or hate him ... give Harrelson credit for creating his own style and staying true." Harrelson is a "voracious homer" and is "quick to pounce on umpires he deems detrimental to the White Sox's success." However, Harrelson has "brought passion and honesty" to the team's TV booth season after season, and that can "never be replaced" (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 6/1).
