Hall of Fame Broadcaster Speaks at Benefit Reception

Former Major League Baseball announcer and Hall of Famer Ernie Harwell will be the keynote speaker at a benefit reception at Westmont. Former Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Ross Porter and film director Ron Shelton will also be part of the event, Sunday, Jan. 29, at 1 p.m. in Page Hall. Suggested donation is $20 for adults and $10 for children and will directly benefit Warriors baseball.

Harwell was a MLB broadcaster for 55 years, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers. He was honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981, the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame in 1989, and the Radio Hall of Fame in 1998.

In 1948 he became the only announcer in baseball history to be traded for a player. He also announced the play-by-play of Bobby Thomson’s “shot heard ‘round the world” in 1951.

Harwell will be selling and signing copies of his latest book, “Ernie Harwell: My 60 Years in Baseball.”
Porter, was a broadcaster for the Dodgers for 28 years. Previously, he was a sports anchor for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles and called NFL games for NBC Sports. His daughter, Rosalyn, graduated from Westmont in 1987.

Shelton is best known for his 1988 baseball movie, “Bull Durham” which starred Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. He has also directed “Hollywood Homicide,” “Dark Blue,” “Tin Cup,” “Cobb,” “White Men Can’t Jump” and “Blaze.” Harwell had a cameo appearance in “Cobb.” Shelton graduated from Westmont in 1967.

Page Hall will open for the event at 12:15 p.m. For directions to campus please visit our Web site at www.westmont.edu.