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Aging & Wisdom Quote by Ernie Harwell

"That other saying, I'm a part of all that I have met, I think that would have to begin with my wonderful parents back in Atlanta, when I was a youngster, five years old. I was tongue tied"

About this Quote

Harwell borrows a line that sounds like Tennyson and then immediately drags it down to earth: not epic self-mythology, but parents in Atlanta and a five-year-old kid who couldnt get the words out. The intent is humility with a spine. By invoking "Im a part of all that I have met", he frames a life as an accumulation of voices and influences, then punctures any temptation to treat that as grand destiny. The real origin story isnt talent; its nurture, place, and an early obstacle.

The subtext is especially poignant given Harwells job: a broadcaster celebrated for voice, ease, and verbal music. "Tongue tied" isnt just childhood shyness; its a quiet reminder that fluency is made, not magically bestowed. In a culture that loves the natural-born storyteller, he offers a different, more democratic narrative: you become articulate because someone gives you room to practice, fail, and grow. Credit flows backward to the family before it flows forward to the audience.

Context matters. Harwell, the longtime voice of baseball on the radio, spent a career turning fleeting moments into shared memory. This quote reads like a pregame acknowledgment of the invisible team behind any public figure. It also fits baseballs particular romance: lineage, hometowns, and the way personal history keeps sneaking into the present. He isnt claiming to be self-made; hes insisting that the people who met him first still speak through him.

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APA Style (7th ed.)
Harwell, Ernie. (2026, February 19). That other saying, I'm a part of all that I have met, I think that would have to begin with my wonderful parents back in Atlanta, when I was a youngster, five years old. I was tongue tied. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/that-other-saying-im-a-part-of-all-that-i-have-49405/

Chicago Style
Harwell, Ernie. "That other saying, I'm a part of all that I have met, I think that would have to begin with my wonderful parents back in Atlanta, when I was a youngster, five years old. I was tongue tied." FixQuotes. February 19, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/that-other-saying-im-a-part-of-all-that-i-have-49405/.

MLA Style (9th ed.)
"That other saying, I'm a part of all that I have met, I think that would have to begin with my wonderful parents back in Atlanta, when I was a youngster, five years old. I was tongue tied." FixQuotes, 19 Feb. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/that-other-saying-im-a-part-of-all-that-i-have-49405/. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.

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Ernie Harwell (born January 25, 1918) is a Celebrity from USA.

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