Ken Harrelson knew in the spring that this likely would be his last season before he cut back his broadcast schedule even more, and on Wednesday, the White Sox put that on the board, announcing that 2018 will be the Hawk’s final year in the broadcast booth.
Harrelson, 75, already working only road games for a second season, will call a 20-game schedule in 2018, including Sunday home games and select others. The team announced a multiyear agreement with Jason Benetti, who joined the TV broadcast team in 2016, to continue as the primary play-by-play voice with an expanded role in the booth.
“After all these years,’’ Harrelson said, “after so many strikeouts and so many fat sand wedges and over 6,000 games I called, it’s about that time.
“With the White Sox, this has been the greatest ride of my life, and it’s been a lot of fun with these fans. I’ll never forget anything that has to do with this, nothing. I’ll remember it forever.”
A five-time Emmy Award winner, three-time Ford Frick nominee and two-time Illinois Sportscaster of the Year, Harrelson will serve the organization as an ambassador during the 2019 season and possibly beyond.
“Hawk has left a lasting imprint on baseball across what will be an amazing career in the game,” Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. “His passion for the White Sox — and for baseball — is apparent in every telecast he does. There have been only a handful of broadcasters who literally have rewritten the dictionary of baseball terminology and nicknames. He became the famous voice of White Sox baseball, coining well-known phrases like ‘You can put it on the board’ and colorful nicknames like ‘The Big Hurt’ that will be part of baseball culture forever. There will never be another personality in the booth quite like Hawk Harrelson.”
Harrelson told the Sun-Times in March that he wanted to stay in baseball through the 2020 season but was expecting to cut back his broadcasting schedule considerably after this year, citing a desire to spend more time with his grandchildren.
“It has been an amazing honor for me to deliver White Sox baseball to generations of fans,” Harrelson said in a statement. “I cannot thank the fans of Chicago, the White Sox and Jerry Reinsdorf enough for allowing me this fantastic career and for agreeing to my role for the 2018 season and beyond.’’
Benetti, 33, will handle expanded play-by-play duties next season and serve as the exclusive play-by-play announcer beginning in 2019. Benetti, who grew up a Sox fan in the Homewood-Flossmoor area, also plans to continue his duties as a national play-by-play announcer for ESPN, including basketball, baseball, football and lacrosse.
“This is amazing,’’ said Benetti, whose contract was up after this season. “And to do it in conjunction with Hawk Harrelson and Steve Stone, guys you’ve watched for years and know what they do and there is a part of them inside of you, it’s pretty cool.’’
“Jason Benetti is going to be a hell of an announcer,’’ Harrelson said. “I’m very proud of him, what he is right now and what he’s going to be. He’s still young as far as the majors and feeling his way a little bit. He’s just going to get better and better. You’re going to enjoy him a long, long time.’’
Harrelson’s broadcasting career began in 1975 with the Red Sox. He joined the White Sox’ broadcast booth in 1982. And now the baton is about to be passed, the timing of which at the outset of a Sox rebuilding plan wasn’t lost.
“This is unbelievable timing considering the guys in that spring-training clubhouse for the first time are there right around when I got there,’’ Benetti said. “So I can watch them as they grow as you all will and the fans will, and get to know them from Day 1. To do that with this new batch of players is an outstanding opportunity.’’
Follow me on Twitter @CST_soxvan.
Email: dvanschouwen@suntimes.com
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