[personal profile] grayhawkfh
Longtime Phillies announcer Harry Kalas dies at age 73

Philadelphia Daily News

Daily News Staff Report
WASHINGTON - Legendary Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas has died. He was 73.

"We lost our voice today," team president David Montgomery said. "He knows the game and made a tremendous contribution to the sport and to our organization . . .

"Anybody who has played for us, it's an immediate point of connection with the club. He is the Phillies."

The Phillies were told the news at 1:20 p.m.

Montgomery described the team as "stunned."

Kalas collapsed in the press box and was was found at about 12:30 p.m. by Rob Brooks, the Phillies' director of broadcasting. Emergency medical personnel were called and took Kalas to George Washington Medical Center.

"He himself [Brooks], as I understand it, worked with him and immediately got emergency medical there," Montgomery said earlier.

The Phillies have contacted the White House and said they are not going to visit with the president tomorrow.

As of now, today's game will be played as scheduled.

Kalas missed most of spring training after undergoing surgery in early February. The team declined to provide specifics of the surgery at that time, saying only that it was a "minor medical procedure" and that there was no reason for concern. It is unknown if that is related to the current situation.

Kalas had broadcast Phillies games since 1971. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002 as the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award.


People who know me know that I am not a big baseball fan. I enjoy going to the occasional game, but as a rule, I just don't get into it like I do football or hockey.

But to not hear the voice of Harry Kalas anymore will be jarring. He was part of the soundtrack of my youth. Down at Jersey shore in the summers, whenever the Phillies were playing, you couldn't swing a sand bucket without hearing a radio with his voice coming out of it. I can't possibly count the number of times while growing up when I was doing something else at home and heard his voice on the TV or radio as the game was on in the background. Feeling a small thrill when he cut loose with his trademark "Outta here" call for a home run.

No more.

I'm glad that he got to see the Phillies win one more World Series before he passed. And you always will want to hear him call just one more game. And I feel bad for whoever will be calling the games now, because he will probably not be compared favorably to Harry.

To his family, his friends, his co-workers, and his fans, I offer my deepest sympathies and condolences.

Date: 2009-04-13 08:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] klytus.livejournal.com
I'm a South Jersey Boy, and, yeah, you just could not see or hear the Phillies without Harry Kalas. He had a wonderful voice for broadcasting with a great delivery and style. He was an icon, and he will be missed.

Date: 2009-04-13 09:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pleasantlyevil.livejournal.com
Harry was sidelined towards the end of last season due to a retina detachment issue, so we know who will be working in his stead. Not bad. Not Harry Kalas, either. He will be missed, and I don't know when a Phils' game will sound like a Phils' game again. . .

Profile

Frank N. Huminski

February 2014

S M T W T F S
      1
23 45 6 7 8
9 1011 121314 15
16 17 1819202122
232425262728 

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 25th, 2025 08:31 am
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios