Anyone who knows me at all knows how I feel about my beloved Phillies. Today, Phillies phans everywhere lost a true legend, a piece of their collective soul, their voice. Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas collapsed and died in the broadcast booth in Washington, DC, prior to the Phillies game versus the Washington Nationals. The Phillies have lost their voice, a part of their identity. My love of the Phillies started in 1985 when I was eight years old. Players like Mike Schmidt, Juan Samuel, and Steve Carlton inspired me to want to play but it was the voice and enthusiasm of Harry Kalas that made me love the game. Harry had a style and delivery like no other and you could instantly see how much he truly loved the game. Harry's wonderful rapport and chemistry with Richie Ashburn brought them out of the booth and into your home. I listened to Harry during Harry's induction into the Hall of Fame, his tribute and eulogy of Richie Ashburn in 1997, and his tribute to America and baseball following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. After 24 seasons of watching the Phillies with diehard enthusiasm and faithful, I finally got to hear Harry Kalas call the final out of the World Series in 2008 as they Phillies finally won the World Series that I had been waiting so long for them to win. 24 years of baseball equates to almost 3,900 baseball games and for once, finally, I got to hear Harry cry out, "Swing and a miss, struck him out.... the Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball!" I wish we could bring him back, just like anyone wishes they could bring back a loved one. Harry felt like he was one of my family. I loved listening to him and I couldn't wait until Spring Training every year after a long, cold winter so I could hear Harry call a Grapefruit League game. Harry was certainty in a world of change. As I grew older and my life situation changed from year to year, as Presidents changed, as economies rose and fell, and entire countries came and went, I could always count on hearing Harry broadcast a Spring Training game and know that all was right as long as we have baseball in the world. I always felt like Harry was speaking directly to me, as did millions of others in the listening area. I got to meet Harry one time, briefly, in Clearwater, Florida, about ten years ago. It was a pleasure to speak with him and he was a gracious and genuine person. He even signed a baseball bat for me. At the time, his signature was just one of about twenty-five or so signatures that I was able to collect. Now, that bat is all about Harry's signature with twenty-four others. I write this post with tears in my eyes and heaviness in my heart. With his death, I feel like I lost a dear friend, a family member, a loved one. Now that he is gone, he becomes even more immortal than he was in life. The Phillies have lost their voice and baseball will never be the same. Thanks for the memories, Harry, we all loved you and will miss you. Your legend will live on forever, as long as there is baseball in the world. So long, old friend.
my son asked me why i had tears in my eyes earlier today while watching a tribute to harry the k and i had to explain to him that harry is now with god. ; i wish he could have had the love for harry kalas that i did... ; millions of daddys across the country are feeling the same lament, i am sure. ; baseball has lot a true gentleman, a legend.
Was he an older voice of NFL films? ; He doesn't sound like the current guy from the last 10+ years or so. Anyway, a sad loss of a legend indeed. ; The silver lining though is pretty good: ; He got another chance to call a World Series for his team before he died, and he died in the booth, doing what he loved. ; I think he satisfied his soul before he left.
at least he got to call a winning world series, harry caray suffered a long time in chicago without even that professional satisfaction and the phillies did have some great players when you were a pup, mike schmidt, now there was a fine example of how the game is supposed to be played and btw, wonderfully evocative soulful writing, you write reports and court info's that good???
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d ... nfirm=true According to their story, he was the voice of Inside the NFL from 1977 to 2008, and it mentions NFL Films....
Harry was definitely still doing NFL films! My tv production class just did a tour there (it's literally across the street from school) his voice was used on the Superbowl video NFL films did this past Jan/Feb *and* I snapped this on our way out~ I still tear up thinking about Harry. I too literally grew up listening to him announce the games...a Phillies commercial came on for an upcoming game and hearing his voice on the promo was so bittersweet~ I have a feeling the Phillies will find a way to help keep his voice alive. There is a Hall of Fame area in Citizen's Bank Park - limited access unfortunately, but I am sure Harry will be memorialized there real soon.
