Ernie Harwell, gone but not forgotten

Posted on by farlane

The Old Ball Game

The Old Ball Game, photo by dblstripe

“Ernie (Harwell) is probably the most beloved person who has ever been in Detroit with the Detroit Tigers. He is loved by everybody and rightfully so. He’s a great broadcaster but even a better person. That comes across on his broadcasts.”
~ Detroit Tiger Hall of Famer Al Kaline

Two years ago today, one of the greatest members of the Detroit Tigers organization passed away. It’s no coincidence that Ernie Harwell received a baseball announcer’s highest honor by winning the Ford Frick Award from the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Here’s his Hall of Fame induction speech, set to a scrapbook of photos. There’s much more about Ernie Harwell on Michigan in Pictures.

Bryan shot this photo of the pitchers mound at old Tiger Stadium aka Ernie Harwell Park last fall. Check it out background big and in his Detroit slideshow.

We’ll close with words from Harwell’s farewell address that you can read in full at the Baseball Almanac. Click head over to “Ernie” on Absolute Michigan to read about the play about him by Mitch Albom and to see Ernie with thousands of the fans he talks about here…

“Thank you for letting me be part of your family. Thank you for taking me with you to that cottage up north, to the beach, the picnic, your work place and your backyard.

Thank you for sneaking your transistor under the pillow as you grew up loving the Tigers.

Now I might have been a small part of your life. But you have been a very large part of mine. And it’s my privilege and honor to share with you the greatest game of all.”

Trash the Dress, Michigan

Posted on by farlane

Trash the Dress

Trash the Dress, photo by Steven White Photographic Art

Wikipedia says that Trash the Dress is:

…also known as fearless bridal or rock the frock, is a style of wedding photography that contrasts elegant clothing with an environment in which it is out of place. It is generally shot in the style of fashion and glamour photography. “Trash the dress” is the art of destruction or deconstruction of a brides wedding dress to create a new “artwork” that the bride would be proud to display on their wall. This new “masterpiece” is formed in the creative destruction of the dress. This will normally be portrayed in a sequence of images or simply a single image…

It may be done as an additional shoot after the wedding, almost as a declaration that the wedding is done and the dress will not be used again. It is seen as an alternative to storing the dress away.

It’s also being used for prom dresses now. Check this out background bigtacular and in Steven’s Portraits slideshow and at stevenwhitephotographicart.com.

There’s a Trash the Dress group on Flickr and also check out the Trash the Dress Michigan slideshow on Flickr.

It’s playoff time in Hockeytown

Posted on by farlane

Jimmy Howard

Jimmy Howard, photo by Seth Christie

The Detroit Red Wings open the 2012 NHL playoffs at 8 PM tomorrow night in Nashville. As the game preview on the Red Wings site shows, the two teams finished with just 2 points separating them. The Predators have Pekka Rinne, the NHL’s leader in wins in the net and home ice in the series. The Wings have Jimmy Howard, Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg and 2004 and 2008 playoff series victories over Nashville with 2008 resulting in a little thing called Lord Stanley’s Cup. Should be a great series – get more in Five Things you need to know about the Detroit Red Wings on Absolute Michigan.

Seth shot this great shot of Jimmy Howard from his seat in row K after being kicked out from by the glass. He has a better plan next time that involves not wearing the away teams jersey to the game. Check it out bigger and in his short but sweet Detroit slideshow.

Much more Detroit Red Wings action on Michigan in Pictures.

Snow kiting at the Straits with WISSA 2012

Posted on by farlane

WISSA 2012 at St Ignace, photo courtesy WISSA 2012

The 2012 World Ice and Snow Sailing Championships (WISSA) take place February 20 – 26 in St. Ignace, and are in the US for the first time in 17 years. This event is a major worldwide competition and you can read all about it right here on Absolute Michigan!

Under the Ice

Posted on by farlane

Under the Ice, photo by Christopher Morey

In First Dive Under the Ice, Christopher writes that he went to the local scuba shop:

I got into a conversation with Jack – the former owner of the shop, who still works there. He invited me to join a bunch of scubies for an ice dive on a wreck called the Keuka – which is up in Lake Charlevoix – about 50 miles north of where I live. I’ve never done a serious through-the-hole ice dive before.

While we were talking – he told me the story of the Keuka – which is a wooden freighter from the late 1800s and is about 180 feet long.

Read on for the story of the Keuka and see more photos in his Zenfolio gallery.

FIS Continental Cup at Pine Mountain

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

2010 FIS Continental Cup - Pine Mountain -U.P Michigan

2010 FIS Continental Cup – Pine Mountain -U.P Michigan, photo by ebaillies.

Next weekend (February 10 & 11, 2012) the FIS Continental Cup takes place at Pine Mountain. This annual competition celebrates the long heritage of on of the first ski flying sites and draws competitors from all over the United States and the world along with 20,000 fans!

Over on Absolute Michigan today we have a feature on the Pine Mountain ski jumping tournament. 2012 is the 73rd annual and you can learn all about it and see some videos at the link! There’s also a vintage shot from the 1930s on Michigan in Pictures!

See this photo on black and in Eric’s great Pine Mountain Ski Jumps 2010 slideshow!

Ishpeming’s Suicide Hill

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

A skier glides down Suicide Hill, circa 1959, photo by Michigan Tourist Council

On Absolute Michigan we regularly feature articles & photos from the Archives of Michigan and their great web site Seeking Michigan. When Bob Garrett posted this feature, however, I knew that I couldn’t let Absolute Michigan have all the fun! 

Suicide Hill by Bob Garrett

Suicide Hill’s very name intimidates skiers. The Ishpeming Ski Club, however, describes it as “fine, competitive and safe” (See the Ishpeming Ski Club Web Site). Ski jump enthusiasts hold the hill – and its rich history – in high esteem.

In the Beginning

The Norden Ski Club – renamed the Ishpeming Ski Club in 1901 – held its first formal ski jump competition in 1888. The competition site was south of Lake Angeline, near Ishpeming, Michigan. An annual tradition did not immediately follow. The Club did, however, host competitions in some subsequent years. Various hills in the Ishpeming region served as competition sites.

In 1925, the Ishpeming Ski Club launched a search for a new hill. Peter Handberg and Leonard Flaa, then officers of the Club, found what would be called Suicide Hill. The Hill is located off what is now M-28, between Ishpeming and Negaunee. The Cleveland Cliffs mining company owned the land, and a lease was quickly negotiated.

In the autumn of 1925, development work began on the hill. It proved a community effort. Local citizens donated materials and volunteered their labor. The hill was cleared, graded and shaped. Finally, the Ishpeming Ski Club announced the first competition on the hill. This occurred on February 26, 1926.

“A Little Color”

Ted Butler, a local newspaper reporter, apparently gave the hill its nickname. An Ishpeming skier named Walter “Huns” Anderson was injured a few days before the 1926 meet. Butler wrote about this, using the phrase “Suicide Hill” in his story. “Sure, it’s a good hill, but why not add a little color to it?,” he reportedly said. James Flaa of the Ishpeming Ski Club protested the name, claiming that it created a bad impression and kept skiers away.

Today, eighty-six years later, skiers are still coming to Suicide Hill. They come from many countries and gather for the annual competitions, traditionally held in February.

The annual Suicide Hill Ski Tournament will be held next on February 8, 2012. Suicide Hill waits quietly for the day, ready to challenge a new wave of daring skiers.

Editor’s note: we found a great video of a jump at Suicide Hill and another from the point of view of the jumper. 

Sources

“Flying into the Future” by Jane Nordberg. Michigan History Magazine, March/April 2002, pp. 6-11.

Ishpeming Ski Club Web Site

For a related article, click Ishpeming winter events

Get Ready to ROAR!

Posted on by Michigan in Pictures

PP_Zoo_0132-2-2 Lion web

PP_Zoo_0132-2-2 Lion web, photo by alj70.

The Detroit Lions travel to New Orleans tomorrow to face the New Orleans Saints in their first playoff appearance of this century.

My favorite sports blog, the Bleacher Report, has a nice preview of what should be a high scoring and exciting affair. Here’s a fantastic highlight video to get you roaring!

Check it out on black and in Alan’s slideshow … and GO LIONS!!

MSU Spartans face Wisconsin Badgers in first-ever Big Ten Championship!

Posted on by farlane

SPARTANS!

SPARTANS!, photo by Mario.Q
Drew Sharp writes that while the Legends and Leaders divisions were designed to showcase “the Big Four” of UM, Ohio State, Nebraska and Penn State, it’s two of the afterthoughts who meet in the first ever Big Ten title game this Saturday night (Dec 3) at 8:17 PM on FOX.

With a record of 7-1, MSU won the Legends Division this year. Their wins included a surprise upset in the first meeting with the Wisconsin Badgers, and you can relive the miracle catch on YouTube. You might also enjoy MSU Head Coach Mark Dantonio’s press conference yesterday and this preview from Green & White.

Mario took this shot at the MSU/Wisconsin game. Check it out bigger and in his slideshow.

More MSU on Michigan in Pictures!

All Star, Cy Young, MVP, Tiger

Posted on by farlane

PITCH!

PITCH!, photo by robmelody

“Obviously pitchers are not just written off all of a sudden because they’re pitchers.”
~Tiger Pitcher Justin Verlander

Our feature on Absolute Michigan on Verlander’s MVP victory explains that Verlander is only the second player in baseball history to capture a Rookie of the Year, Cy Young and Most Valuable Player award over his career and finished this season with pitching’s Triple Crown.

Check it out background big!