Georgia-native Ernie Harwell has died. The legendary baseball broadcaster lost his battle with inoperable cancer of the bile duct. He was 92.

Harwell is best known for his work as the voice of baseball's Detroit Tigers for more than four decades.

But Harwell had strong ties to Georgia.

A native of Washington, Ga., he was a member of the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. In the 1940's, he did radio play-by-play for the minor-league Atlanta Crackers on WSB Radio in Atlanta. He also worked as a copy editor for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in high school and college years.

The Baseball Hall of Fame honored Harwell in 1981 with the Ford C. Frick Award, given annually to a broadcaster for major contributions to baseball.

He was surrounded by his wife of 68 years, two sons and two daughters at his Detroit apartment when he died Tuesday.

Contributors: Associated Press

Tags: Georgia, Washington, Ernie Harwell, GA., baseball announcer, Atlanta Crackers, Detroit Tigers