Ravens, Harbaugh to give game ball to WBAL's Ron Smith

CLEVELAND — Ravens coach John Harbaugh said after the team's 24-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns today that he was giving the game ball to WBAL radio broadcaster Ron Smith, who retired last week as he is battling pancreatic cancer.

Harbaugh said Smith spoke to the team Friday before it left for Cleveland.

Smith announced on-air last week that he is in home hospice and will no longer be appearing on air.

"The decision has been made by me to stop appearing on the radio show," Smith said just before the start of his show, which begins at 9 a.m., according to The Sun's Z on TV blog.

"I'm retiring," Smith said, according to the blog. "I basically can no longer do it. I'm getting weaker every day, and it's time to pull the plug. How's that for succinct?"

Smith said he "never wanted to retire." But the Stage Four pancreatic cancer that has spread through his body makes it impossible to go on the air any longer.