Today, baseball fans in Detroit and far beyond celebrate the life of legendary play-by-play announcer Ernie Harwell. Born on this day, January 25, in 1918, the “Voice of Tigers baseball” called more than 8,500 Major League Baseball games spanning over five decades, including 42 years with the Detroit Tigers.

For many baseball fans, Harwell’s voice was the embodiment of baseball. His warm and approachable style, punctuated with anecdotes and funny asides about his beloved wife, Lulu, endeared him to every baseball fan as far as the airwaves would take him.

“Thank you for sneaking your transistors under the pillow as you grew up loving the Tigers,” he said upon his retirement in 2002. “Now God has a new adventure for me.”

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At a time when many people, especially those in the hospitality and restaurant industries, are looking for work, Little Caesars is hiring tens of thousands of new employees to meet the family-owned pizza company’s growing demand across the country.

Little Caesars has undergone tremendous growth over the past year due in large part to new options available for customers, including having a Hot-N-Ready pizza delivered to their door through a partnership with DoorDash, as well as contactless pick-up at in-store Pizza Portals.

“We’re fortunate to have a product and business model that meets consumers’ needs, especially during the pandemic,” Dave Scrivano, Little Caesars CEO, said. “Continued hiring across the country is essential to address the growing demand for affordable, quality meals with no-contact pick-up and delivery options.”

Company and franchise-owned stores throughout the U.S. are looking to fill jobs at all positions, including full-time managers and co-managers, as well as part-time crew members and assistant managers. Little Caesars stores offer flexible hours, competitive wages and potential for career advancement.  

In its hometown of Detroit, Little Caesars will be hosting a number of job fairs to fill new full- and part-time positions at all its metro Detroit stores.  At these job fairs, Little Caesars offers on-the-spot hiring opportunities, and, for those that are hired, a free pizza every week for a year while employed at Little Caesars.

To apply for a position or to learn more, visit https://LittleCaesars.com/en-us/careers.

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First-year Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch recently sat down with radio announcer Dan Dickerson for an exclusive conversation, to talk about building a coaching staff of proven winners, his deep appreciation for the team’s history and the opportunity to lead a young and talented team.

Hinch’s hiring, which was announced in October, is driving excitement and anticipation for the 2021 baseball season as fans look forward to Opening Day, which is scheduled for April 1 at Comerica Park.

Hinch, who has a diverse background in the game, brings experience as a player, success as a manager, and perspective as a scout and from player development from teams across Major League Baseball. He plans to use that experience, along with technology and facilities both in Lakeland, Fla. and Detroit, to maximize the performance of the team’s roster of veterans and talented rising prospects.

“The draw to this opportunity is the players,” Hinch said. “A lot of attention will be on me, but at the end of the day, this game is about players. This organization’s not about me. The talent on the field is what produces the wins.”

Get to know Hinch in the video below.

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Center becomes first metro Detroit native to wear “C” for franchise

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that center Dylan Larkin has been named the team’s captain, becoming the 37th captain in franchise history and the first Michigander and native metro Detroiter. Additionally, centers Luke Glendening and Frans Nielsen will serve as alternate captains for the 2020-21 season.

Larkin, 24, has served as an alternate captain for the Red Wings since 2018-19, and assumes a captaincy that has been vacant for the last two seasons, following the end of Henrik Zetterberg’s career in 2017-18 due to injury. The Waterford, Mich., native is just the second American to wear the “C” for Detroit after Reed Larson (Minneapolis, Minn.) and is the fifth player to serve as captain under Ilitch ownership (since 1982-83). Larkin’s career has been exclusively linked to the state of Michigan, playing his youth hockey in the Lakeland Hockey Association and with Belle Tire AAA Hockey, before spending two seasons with the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based U.S. National Team Development Program (2012-14), one season at the University of Michigan (2014-15) and debuting professionally with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins during the team’s postseason run in 2014-15 prior to making the Red Wings as a 19-year-old in 2015-16.

“Dylan is an extremely competitive and driven player who sets the standard for dedication and conduct for the Red Wings,” Steve Yzerman, Red Wings executive vice president and general manager, said. “This is the right time to name our new captain and we’re certain Dylan is ready to take on the responsibility. He will be an outstanding leader for us, both on and off the ice.”

Entering his sixth season with the Red Wings in 2020-21, Larkin has appeared in 389 games with the team since 2015-16, totaling 266 points (107-159-266) and 246 penalty minutes. In 2019-20, Larkin led the Red Wings in points for the third-consecutive season, becoming one of just six players in franchise history to lead the team in scoring for three-straight years (along with Ted Lindsay, Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg). Additionally, he’s one of just 12 players to lead Detroit in points three-or-more-times in his career. Larkin also became one of the youngest Red Wings to reach 100 career goals, becoming the sixth player in the last 40 years to reach that mark for Detroit prior to turning 24 and, at 23 years and five months, was the youngest to do so since Yzerman.

“I am extremely excited that Dylan Larkin will be our captain,” Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill said. “To be named captain of the Detroit Red Wings is an enormous honor and one that Dylan has certainly earned. He is ready for the challenges that come with serving as captain and will be complimented by a great leadership group ready to support him.”

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Since its 1989 renovation, the historic Fox Theatre has been a holiday destination for countless Detroiters. Each winter, the theatre transforms into a winter wonderland, with all the sights and sounds the season brings. Part of what makes those holiday sounds come to life are the theatre’s two organs: the Mighty Wurlitzer and the Moller Lobby Organ.

To bring the theatre’s sights and sounds to you, David Calendine, the Fox Theatre’s house organist, performed some holiday classics for you and your family to enjoy.

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Through the annual Hometown Holiday Assist initiative, the Detroit Red Wings and Tigers partnered with Meijer and The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division’s community program, Pathway of Hope, to bring joy to local families. Pathway of Hope offers services to families seeking to break the cycle of poverty.  

During this year’s Hometown Holiday Assist, five local families identified through the Pathway of Hope initiative were surprised by the Red Wings, Tigers and Meijer with an all-inclusive holiday experience.

“The Salvation Army has enjoyed a long, storied and successful relationship with the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers,” Major Timothy Meyer, general secretary, metro Detroit area commander and chief operating officer for The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division, said. “In a year that has been difficult for thousands of metro Detroit families, it’s a blessing to know that there’s individuals in this community, including the amazing folks with the Red Wings and Tigers, who are helping rescue Christmas.”

Meijer, players from both teams, as well as coaches and front office staff donated thousands of dollars towards the initiative. Colleagues and players then took to the Meijer in Royal Oak, Mich. to purchase gifts, décor, food and a $200 Meijer gift card for five families and then surprised them outside of their homes, along with pre-recorded holiday greetings from Red Wings and Tigers players.

The families were also given the opportunity to “pay it forward,” by donating $1,000 of Hometown Holiday Assist funds to an organization of their choosing. Recipients included the Ronald McDonald House, the National Diabetes Association, The Salvation Army and the Samaritas Family Center.

“The benefits of this initiative extend beyond the gifts and food delivered to each home,” said Kevin Brown, director of community impact for the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers. “True to the spirit of giving and receiving, many additional lives will be positively impacted through the pay-it-forward donations directed by each recipient family to nonprofits near and dear to their hearts.”

To learn more about Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers community impact efforts, visit DetroitRedWings.com and DetroitTigers.com. Learn more about The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division and Pathway of Hope here.

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From “Pizza! Pizza!”™ to Hot-N-Ready, innovation has been fundamental to the growth and success of Little Caesars for the past 60 years. And since Anita Klopfenstein joined the company as Chief Information Officer in 2017, she has continued that legacy by creating a best-in-class IT team and implementing industry-leading technology that drives the business forward.

Under her leadership, Anita has helped develop technology solutions that has digitally transformed Little Caesars into a carryout and delivery company.  This includes online ordering and delivery through the Little Caesars app, as well as contactless order pickup through Pizza Portal, the first self-service mobile order pickup station in the quick service restaurant industry.  These innovations help ensure even greater convenience, quality and value to Little Caesars customers.

Anita has also built partnerships with leading technology companies like Cisco, Google, World Wide Technology and Microsoft, as well as grown a world-class IT team with top recruits from around the globe.  

Recognizing Anita’s vast experience, ingenuity and strength as a leader, Industry Era Magazine recently named Anita as one of the “10 Best CIOs of 2020.” With Anita on board, Little Caesars is poised to remain an innovative leader in the food service industry.

See more about Anita and the Little Caesars approach to technology.

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Today, we mourn the tragic loss of a true hero, Benny Napoleon. A champion of the people of Detroit, Benny touched the lives of so many with his decades of public service and leadership, creating a legacy of inspiring mentorship and integrity. He was a tremendous partner and dear friend of our organization and owners, and we are grateful for our longstanding relationship. Our thoughts are with Benny’s family during this difficult time.