Paul Carey, who was Ernie Harwell’s broadcast partner with the Detroit Tigers for 19 seasons, died Tuesday at the age of 88.
Per the Associated Press (via NBCSports.com), Carey’s wife, Nancy, confirmed her husband’s death, noting he had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart disease.
Nancy Carey added her husband was “the love of my life and anybody that knew him was better off for knowing him.”
Paul Carey and Harwell were paired in the broadcast booth for the Tigers from 1973-91. He was a staple of the professional sports scene in the state of Michigan for decades, including calling games for the Detroit Pistons and doing work on the local pre- and postgame show for the Detroit Lions.
Tom Gage of the Detroit News wrote in March 2015, prior to Carey’s 87th birthday, about some of the many historical moments in Tigers’ history that Carey was a part of:
He is the broadcaster who was at the microphone in 1984 when Bergman hit his 13-pitch home run off Toronto’s Roy Lee Jackson. The broadcaster who was at the mic for Cecil Fielder’s 50th home run in 1990. For Al Kaline’s 3,000th hit in 1974. And for Larry Herndon’s pivotal home run in Game 1 of the 1984 World Series in San Diego.
The Tigers released a statement following his death, per MLB.com’s Jason Beck:
The Tigers organization is saddened by the loss of (Carey). Paul was a consummate professional who had one of the most distinctive and classic broadcast voices. Paul captivated Tigers fans for 19 seasons behind the microphone including the magical 1984 World Series Championship. The Tigers family extends our sincere condolences to Paul’s wife, Nancy, and his family.
Carey was a Michigan lifer. He was born in the state in 1928, graduated from Michigan State University in 1950 and worked for various radio and television stations in the state until his retirement in 1991. He was elected to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
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