Sports Thread #1 For 9/4/09: Ernie Harwell With Uncurable Cancel ; The Punch After Boise State Beat Oregon

(Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)

Tough news for all baseball fans, and sports fans in general in America.

Ernie Harwell, the 91-year-old Hall of Fame broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers, said Friday that he has inoperable cancer.

Harwell told The Associated Press he has a tumour near a bile duct. He said he knows he may go through some painful days, but is in good spirits and appreciates the good wishes he's received from hundreds of fans.

Harwell spent 42 of his 55 years as a broadcaster calling Tigers games, from 1960 to 2002. He said he has been "flattered" to hear so many people tell him about the role his voice played in their lives.

"It's a great honour to be part of the family like that," Harwell said. "It was fun. You love these things. You can't take them too seriously. … So-called fame is fleeting."

Great guy and a great, legendary broadcaster forever. Blessings to him and his family in this tough time for them.

On a much different subject, in case you didn't see it already on ESPN or ESPN2 this morning, here is the punch reverberating round the sports world after Boise State beat Oregon last night.