On this day in 1941, Ken Harrelson was born.
Call your sons! Call your daughters! Call your friends! Call your neighbors! It's Hawk's birthday!
While Harrelson never played for the White Sox during his playing career, which lasted from 1963 to 1971, he has certainly (for better or worse) ingrained himself into the lexicon for the baseball team that resides on the South Side of Chicago. Ken was hired as a broadcaster for the White Sox in 1982, after being fired from the Boston Red Sox broadcasting booth, and lasted through the 1985 season. Critical comments that he made during the 1985 season led to Harrelson being promoted to General Manager for the 1986 season. In what could only be called "disastrous", Hawk made questionable moves, such as trading away Bobby Bonilla and firing Tony LaRussa and Dave Dombrowski. Notable players that the White Sox received through trade during Hawk's tenure would be Ivan Calderon and Steve Lyons. Notable signings include Craig Grebeck and Steve Carlton. Scott Radinsky and Matt Merullo were drafted under his watch. His GM tenure is always the source of great debate among White Sox fans. Some bonehead moves were balanced out by smaller moves than panned out in the early nineties.
By 1990, Hawk was back in the broadcast booth for the White Sox, partnered with ex-White Sox player Tom Paciorek. He has since partnered with Darrin Jackson and Steve Stone, regularly since Paciorek's departure. Harrelson is now known more for his jukebox of catchphrases and overblown, imaginary arguments with umpires and personnel from the opposing team. Occasionally, Hawk will giggle like a schoolgirl at White Sox players getting hit in the testicles.
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