May 4, 200520 yr Detached retina to sideline Harrelson By Teddy Greenstein Tribune staff reporter May 3, 2005, 8:09 PM CDT Like a batter who has been sizzling at the plate, Hawk Harrelson does not want to miss a game. Not with the White Sox off to the best start in baseball. But Harrelson has no choice. The Sox's television play-by-play man will have surgery Wednesday to repair a detached retina in his right eye, forcing him to miss the final two games of the Sox's homestand and their six-game trip to Toronto and Tampa Bay. The Sox have yet to announce who will fill in for Harrelson, 63, who has had trouble with his eyes before. After the 2003 season, Harrelson was taking a golf lesson when he started to see dark spots and his left eye began to fill with blood. He had surgery the next morning to fix that detached retina. Last season he had cataract surgery twice but didn't miss a game. This surgery is more serious, though. Harrelson said his eye problems likely stem from his days as a club boxer in his hometown of Savannah, Ga. "The doctors asked me if I ever got hit hard," he said. "I told them I got knocked [down] a lot of times. That's probably what loosened them up. But people have sneezed hard and gotten a detached retina." Harrelson will not be permitted to fly for some time after the surgery because doctors will place a gas bubble in the eye cavity to protect the retina. "If you go on a plane and the bubble pops, the retina goes with it," Harrelson said. Harrelson is confident the surgery will go well, as the problem was detected so early. But he probably won't want to return to the booth until his vision is restored completely. "Maybe I can switch to radio and make it up," he joked.
May 4, 200520 yr QUOTE(KWs OK for Me @ May 4, 2005 -> 02:41 AM) Steve Stone anyone? I'd love that. I think Stone would be great for DJ. DJ could talk, but I think, for whatever reason, he'd be a little more comfortable with Stone. Probably a pipe dream, but it's a nice thought.
May 4, 200520 yr QUOTE(flippedoutpunk @ May 3, 2005 -> 09:43 PM) Get well hawk, READ MY EMAIL! Screw that. READ MY EMAIL!!!!
May 4, 200520 yr I've had the feeling that they were letting DJ do some play by play for a reason TBH. I have a fear that they are setting DJ up for when Hawk quits one day...now thats a scary thought.
May 4, 200520 yr I tend to look at the bright side during bad situations... Hopefully more DJ home run calls!!!!!!!!
May 4, 200520 yr QUOTE(Capn12 @ May 3, 2005 -> 09:44 PM) I've had the feeling that they were letting DJ do some play by play for a reason TBH. I have a fear that they are setting DJ up for when Hawk quits one day...now thats a scary thought. Hopefully Dave Wills comes back here then.
May 4, 200520 yr Author I think one of my favorite recent moments was the Garland vs. Detroit game when DJ referenced the song "Leanback"
May 4, 200520 yr QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ May 3, 2005 -> 09:45 PM) Robin Ventura.... He did some ST games, right? DJ and Robin = horrible television. Robin would say nothing and DJ would just be babbling to himself the whole time.
May 4, 200520 yr Robin Ventura.... He did some ST games, right? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Maybe we can pry him away from what di dhe call it again? life after baseball
May 4, 200520 yr QUOTE(wsox08 @ May 3, 2005 -> 09:46 PM) yuck.... steve stone.... boo cubs, well used to be Look past the Cubs hatred. He's a great color man and he's fair
May 4, 200520 yr QUOTE(KWs OK for Me @ May 3, 2005 -> 09:47 PM) Look past the Cubs hatred. He's a great color man and he's fair One of the best colormen in all of baseball.
May 4, 200520 yr QUOTE(wsox08 @ May 4, 2005 -> 02:46 AM) yuck.... steve stone.... boo cubs, well used to be This would be defying the cubs actually. Rubbing it in their face that we could handle him but they couldn't.
May 4, 200520 yr QUOTE(MinnesotaSoxFan @ May 3, 2005 -> 10:47 PM) wimpy... Pipe Dream. Wimpy enjoys being the Fox Sports Net guy now, I still get to hear him on Braves games some, nice to hear. Stoney would be a nice fill in tbh, look past the Cubs ties in his history.
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.