Ernie Harwell caps 90th birthday with pizza, ice cream and cake

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DETROIT -- Ernie Harwell was more than glad to broadcast the menu for his 90th birthday party.

"Three of my four kids and their spouses are coming over for a dinner of pizza, ice cream and cake," the Hall of Fame baseball announcer said Friday. "I like everything on my pizza, so we're going all out tonight!"

As he does every day, Harwell stretched, jumped rope and did sit ups when he woke up. After lunch, he walked on a treadmill for 12 minutes, then hopped on an elliptical trainer for another 12 minutes and lifted weights on a circuit of six machines.

Harwell left the broadcast booth in 2002, ending a 55-year career that included 42 years with the Detroit Tigers, along with stints with the New York Giants, Brooklyn Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles.

Harwell received the 1981 Ford C. Frick Award, which the Baseball Hall of Fame uses to recognize excellence in broadcasting. He was the fourth broadcaster to be enshrined.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index

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