Dodgers Acquired Announcer Ernie Harwell for Catcher Cliff Dapper

Published on February 10th, 2024 1:49 pm EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


In 1948, one of the strangest trades in Major League Baseball history went down when the Brooklyn Dodgers traded for a play-by-play announcer, Ernie Harwell.

Back in those days, people didn't watch baseball games on TV - instead, they listened in on the radio.

The general manager and partial owner of the Dodgers, Branch Rickey, was flipping the dial one night when he landed on a broadcast from a AA team, the Atlanta Crackers.

Even though Rickey was based in New York, the powerful broadcast from the Crackers managed to reach Rickey's radio.

Rickey was impressed by the young play-by-play announcer, Ernie Halwell, and wanted him to call Dodgers' games. Also, the current announcer for the Dodgers at the time, Red Barber, was having health issues.

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A deal was struck between the Dodgers and Atlanta Crackers - the Dodgers would receive Harwell, while the Crackers would receive catcher Cliff Dapper.

The Dodgers had gotten their man.

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The Dodgers may have been surprised when Harwell stayed less than two seasons as the team's play-by-play man.

It turns out that other teams were impressed by his talents as well, as Harwell would sign a contract to call games for the New York Giants in 1950.

After moving to the Baltimore Orioles in 1954, Harwell would sign a deal with the Detroit Tigers in 1960. This is where Harwell would become a legend, as he called games for roughly 40 years with the team.

Branch Rickey clearly had a nose for talent, as Harwell would go on to become one of the Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time (American Sportscasters Association).