WHEREAS, Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson, former Major League Baseball player, and a five-time Emmy Award winner is retiring after thirty-three seasons as the "voice" of Chicago White Sox baseball; and
WHEREAS, Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson, with a unique signature style of play-by-play description energized White Sox fandom and endeared him to the Chicago sports world beginning in 1981 when he became a member of the broadcast team with Hall of Fame pitcher Don Drysdale; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago City Council has been informed of Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson's retirement by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, a native of Savannah, Georgia, Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson signed his first professional contract with the Kansas City Athletics in 1959 as an amateur free agent and made his Major League debut as a first-baseman-outfielder on June 9, 1963; and
WHEREAS, early on, Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson established himself as a colorful and flamboyant player popular with fans and teammates in Kansas City, Washington, Boston and Cleveland, gaining fame for his nickname, manner of dress, humor and alter ego as "the Hawk;" and
WHEREAS, on September 28, 1967 Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox and enjoyed his greatest season a year later as a member of the American League All Star team and league leader in runs batted in; and
WHEREAS, during his professional playing career, Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson introduced the batting glove to baseball; and
WHEREAS, following the conclusion of his baseball playing career in 1971 following a severe injury, Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson played professional golf for the next three-and-one-half years, qualifying for the British Open and winning several tournaments before launching a new career as a broadcast announcer for the Boston Red Sox in 1975 on WSBK-TV; and
WHEREAS, in 1982, following the departure of Harry Caray from the Chicago White Sox broadcast booth, Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson took over play-by-play duties for Chicago's beloved South Side ball club; and
WHEREAS, with style, flair and outstanding baseball insight, Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson analyzed managerial strategy, provided listeners with an insider's perspective of the game on the field and educated a generation of younger fans about the history and traditions of the sport; and
WHEREAS, his trademark home run call, "You can put it on the board, yes!" along with a collection of enduring "Hawk-isms" including "that's a can of corn," "he gone!" and "hang with 'urn" endeared him to the home-town fans; and
WHEREAS, his enthusiastic booster-ism as a fan of the home-town team distinguished Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson from the bland play-by-play neutrality of baseball announcers in other cities; and
WHEREAS, Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson left the broadcast booth on October 2, 1985 to assume his duties as Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, an arrangement that lasted one year; and
WHEREAS, after serving as the play-by-play man for the New York Yankees in 1987-1988, Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson returned to the White Sox booth in 1990, teaming up with Tom Paciorek for the next ten seasons and continuing on thereafter with partners Darrin "DJ" Jackson and Steve Stone; and
WHEREAS, awards and accolades were to follow including five Emmy Awards; two Illinois Sportscaster ofthe Year Awards; the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ComcastNet Awards Dinner in 2007; the 2010 Ring Lardner Award for Excellence in Sports Journalism; and induction into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 2017; and
WHEREAS, in 2007, 2014 and 2017 Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson was named a finalist for the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson has generously supported Chicago White Sox Charities and fund raising efforts by hosting the annual Hawk Open charity golf outing and other events to aide and assist communities in need; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council assembled this twentieth day of September, 2018, do hereby congratulate Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson, his wife Aris and the entire Harrelson family, for thirty-three memorable seasons of White Sox baseball and wish him the very best in retirement; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson. JI