Ex-White Sox Broadcaster Ken Harrelson Says He Was Forced to Retire

“Hawk” spent 33 years as the team’s play-by-play broadcaster.

Former White Sox broadcaster Ken “Hawk” Harrelson retired from his duties in Chicago after the 2018 MLB season, but the 81-year-old indicates there’s more to his departure than what was originally revealed. 

During an interview on the Foul Territory podcast with Scott Braun and former White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski, Harrelson alleged that while he publicly retired, it was the organization pulling the strings.

“I didn’t retire. I got retired,” said Harrelson. “I got fired, is what it boils down to. I’m sure they will deny that, but what led up to that and everything else is going to be interesting.”

Harrelson started his broadcasting career with the Red Sox in 1975 before joining the White Sox’s booth in 1982. He briefly served as an executive for the club before returning to broadcasting with the Yankees, and eventually making his way back to the south side of Chicago, where he remained from 1990 until his retirement in 2018.

Now, a few years later, Harrelson is indicating that his departure from the booth was not entirely up to him, suggesting it was effectively a firing disguised as a mutual parting of ways. 

During the interview, Harrelson teased his upcoming book, indicating that he dives into further detail on what transpired at the end of his tenure as a broadcaster for the White Sox.