When Jose Feliciano Lit a Fire That Almost Singed Ernie Harwell by Rob Fournier, Esq, Director of Athletics
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When Jose Feliciano Lit a Fire That Almost Singed Ernie Harwell By Rob Fournier, esq, Director of Athletics The following is one of a group of stories written by Rob Fournier that appear in the Harwell Museum. This is the first of those stories -- in this case detailing when Ernie Harwell selected the national anthem singers for the 1968 World Series home games in Detroit and the "non- traditional" performance by Jose Feliciano almost cost Ernie his job. Times have changed. Ernie Harwell’s most controversial call in his long career never occurred during a broadcast. That brew-haw would start innocently with an invitation to an aspiring native of Puerto Rico Jose Feliciano to sing the national anthem. However the invitation was to perform the national anthem in the 1968 World Series before a sold-out Tiger Stadium crowd and millions around the country. It was arguably the biggest stage in a country struggling with civil unrest at home and a war in Southeast Asia. Looking back decades later, the performance by Feliciano seems inconsequential especially when juxtaposed to kneeling players and less stylized versions that seem to want to promote a message other than lyrics. Feliciano was simply offering a “blues version” more in keeping with his background and upbringing. But that soulful inspiration did not stimulate some of the audience. And although Feliciano was enjoying success with a recently released album that featured his popular hit song “Light My Fire” the rendition quickly replaced his hoped-for public image. It all started so innocently. Unlike today’s well-choreographed presentations xxxxxxxxx. managed directly by Major League Baseball and the networks, back in 1968 the selection of the national anthem presenters was delegated to the home teams to honor local performers or long-standing orchestrations that the local fans had come to expect. Jim Campbell, the general manager of the Tigers, asked Ernie Harwell to select the singers for the games in Detroit. Ernie was known to have an “ear” for music having penned numerous songs and lyrics. Despite the talent, Harwell himself, using some self-deprecating humor, and a baseball analogy about those skills remarked, “As a song-writer, Continued on page 2 I have a no hitter going.” Except that magical 1968 season for Detroit he penned a little ditty that earned more and more play time with the lyrics, “we’re all behind our baseball team, Go get ‘em Detroit Tigers, Go get ‘em Tigers.” It received no Grammy votes, but the City was awash with excitement after a twenty- three year gap in World Series appearances. LETTER FROM THE AD 2018 WINTER WARRIOR WITHIN 1 Although no guarantee there would be three games played in Detroit The postscript to the whole incident is celebrated in some fitting irony. (in that World Series games 3, 4 and 5 would be at Tiger Stadium), he After the firestorm that nearly cost Ernie Harwell his job, he and Feliciano identified three artists to sing – Detroit born Margaret Whiting who had became lifelong friends. Years after the uproar, Ernie introduced Jose to been a dominant pop singer in the 40’s and 50’s performing for troops Susan Omillian, a native Detroiter who was upset over the treatment given around the globe in World War II, local Motown celebrity Marvin Gaye, and to the singer. They later married and had three children. And prior to Game if there was a game five, Jose Feliciano. Harwell had heard that Feliciano One of the 2012 National League Championship Series between the San had “an interesting version” of the national anthem although he had never Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals – the latter the same opponent heard it performed. of the Tigers in 1968 and who likewise blew a 3-1 games advantage, Feliciano again stepped to the microphone and reprised his same version of Maybe it was in part the mood of the Tiger fans as Feliciano readied for his the anthem before a national television audience. And in 2010, as a tribute performance having flown in from Las Vegas. Their hometown heroes were to his friend Ernie Harwell who had recently passed away, he once again down three games to one to the Cardinals and their “ace”, 31-game winner performed his singular version of the national anthem in Detroit…this Denny McLain, had just lost for the second time in the series the day before 10-1. time ending with a standing ovation. Ernie did not know it, but Feliciano was already a fan of his broadcasts having enjoyed his style and presentations when Harwell worked for the Brooklyn You can see Jose Feliciano's National Anthem Dodgers and New York Giants in the Big Apple. Though blind since birth, performance at the Harwell Museum located on Feliciano appreciated the vivid descriptions of the play on the field and the excitement of the audio presentation. Prior to the game Harwell took the WSU's Athletic Campus, or you can view the entire young singer around to meet some of the Tiger stars, performing at one point performance on YouTube. an improvisational version of his hit Light My Fire to the lyrics, “Come on Kaline light my fire…Tigers got to have desire.” It seemed so American on a bright sunny afternoon of baseball. But that quickly changed. Being accompanied by his seeing-eye dog Trudy, and straddling a raised chair, with Harwell looking on from the side, Feliciano version seemed “to set certain listeners on fire”. Harwell remarked that he enjoyed the soulful version…but his review seemed in the minority. At his conclusion, the 53,000 fans in Tiger Stadium seemed “puzzled”. And then the reaction. The two main television stations (WWJ-TV/ channel 4 and WJBK-TV/ channel 2) logged 100 complaints in less than a half hour. In New York, NBC airing the World Series received over 400 complaints as did radio and television stations around the country. At Tiger Stadium, the switchboard jammed with callers angered by the “disrespectful” presentation. Detroit radio stations refused to play Feliciano’s music…and any replay of his national anthem. Detroit Tigers owner and President John Fetzer personally told Harwell the organization had received over 2,000 responses with complaints running 100 to one. Newspapers from Boston to California carried editorials debunking Feliciano’s artistry. In true Harwell fashion, Ernie took responsibility deflecting any additional criticism away from the young singer. HARWELL FIELD MUSEUM The fervor died down…partly as a result of the esteem Tiger fans held for Building Hours (Subject to Change) Mr. Harwell, and probably somewhat, as a result of the Tigers come back Monday-Friday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. from a 3-1 World Series deficit to capture the 1968 world championship. Years later Feliciano whimsically recalled the controversy by remarking, Admission is free to all ages. “Some people wanted me deported…as if you can be deported to Puerto Rico.” He explained he never thought what he performed was in the least For questions about building hours please contact Paul Harker at bit controversial. He saw it entirely differently – a gratitude anthem to (313) 577-2253 or [email protected]. a country and its people who had given so much to his family, and an Parking is available in Lot 50, which is located off Warren Avenue, south opportunity to a blind kid. America’s promise. of the Matthaei. 2 2018 WINTER WARRIOR WITHIN LETTER FROM THE AD.