R.I.P. Harry Kalas: 1936-2009

by **Marion** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:23:00

momadance wrote:He definitely got a ring.

But did they give them out yet? I thought they said the broadcasters and the rest of the "other people" wouldn't get them for a few weeks?

by **Bakestar** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:30:22

I just had to call my dad and tell him, he's at work and not near a computer/radio. My voice cracked a couple times. It was much harder than I expected.

by **BigEd76** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:32:18

Selig:

"Major League Baseball has lost one of the great voices of our generation. Harry Kalas was an outstanding ambassador for the game, first as an original member of the Houston Astros' broadcast team in 1965 and, beginning in 1971, as the voice of the Philadelphia Phillies.

"Baseball announcers have a special bond with their audience, and Harry represented the best of baseball not only to the fans of the Phillies, but to fans everywhere. On behalf of all of Major League Baseball, I express my dearest sympathy to Harry's wife, Eileen, and his three sons, Todd, Brad and Kane."

Marty Brennaman, from the ESPN article:

"I always find it interesting when a celebrity passes away and people are so quick to say, 'He was a great actor,' or, 'He was a great broadcaster.' Harry Kalas was a great person. As much as we will remember Harry as a broadcaster, many of us will remember him even more as being a hell of a guy.''

Brennaman said he spoke to Kalas by phone late last week. The friends talked for 45 minutes, and among other things, they discussed the importance of eating right, getting enough sleep and dealing with the hectic lifestyle of a major league broadcaster at an advanced age.

"I considered Harry a very good friend, and I was concerned about his health. I talked to him about getting the proper amount of rest and the things that we need to think about at our ages,'' said Brennaman, 66. "I was very concerned about him, but he sounded good. When I found out about it today, I was shocked. It's very, very sad.''

by 1 » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:35:04

the wife and i decided we are going to have pizza for dinner tonight in honor of Harry: plain and pepperoni!

by **Bucky** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:39:07

1 wrote:
BigEd76 wrote:9-zero-2-one-zero

Franzke telling stories about how much he loved the fans, how he'd continue to do requests for fans' answering machine messages even though he didn't have to....

i've heard a bunch of stories about him recording wedding reception intros, too. always wish i had thought of that.

http://home.comcast.net/~buckyswider/Ha ... _Intro.mp3

by 1 » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:41:47

awesome

by 1 » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:42:14

just awesome.

*tears*

by **SideshowBob** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:47:02

I don't really have anything else to add. But I too am sad (and have difficulty trying to work) today and feel as thought a part of my youth is gone. A world without Harry Kalas just seems less bright.

I'm glad they won the World Series last year and get to have Harry's call as it ended.

by 1 » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:47:12

apparently the inquirer will be printing thousands of extra copies of tomorrow's paper

by **BigEd76** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:48:31

CSN with Mike Schmidt's printed statement.....should be online soon

Website · by **Wolfgang622** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:53:58

Bucky wrote:
1 wrote:
BigEd76 wrote:9-zero-2-one-zero

Franzke telling stories about how much he loved the fans, how he'd continue to do requests for fans' answering machine messages even though he didn't have to....

i've heard a bunch of stories about him recording wedding reception intros, too. always wish i had thought of that.

http://home.comcast.net/~buckyswider/Ha ... _Intro.mp3

Well, that fuck-ing rules.

by **kenrosenthal** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:55:38

BigEd76 wrote:CSN with Mike Schmidt's printed statement.....should be online soon

he has a 4 minute reaction on espn.com

by **kenrosenthal** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 16:59:32

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000 ... ign=ec0009

by 1 » Mon Apr 13, 2009 17:01:34

http://www.vimeo.com/4136826

(CSN tribute to Harry Kalas)

by **Trent Steele** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 17:04:03

Bob Ford article

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/200 ... IFIED.html

by **seke2** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 17:07:19

i was stuck in the office and really busy earlier when i found out, so i really didnt even have time to think about it and react

since i came home and my conference calls finally ended, i put the game on and as soon as they ran the ws winning call and harry, i started sobbing and i havent really stopped since

sigh

by **Official Scorer** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 17:10:44

This is very sad. Kalas's Phillies career parallels my love affair with the Phillies.

It will not be the same. Someone mentioned earlier in the thread that childhood ended today. I concur.

Just think of the game he and Whitey can call now. That would be some line-up at the big ball park in the sky.

by 1 » Mon Apr 13, 2009 17:29:44

by **stevelxa476** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 17:33:35

Really just awful. I keep going back to the couple of times I got to meet Harry after Phils games and when he would toss bags of peanuts down from the press box during Take Me Out to the Ballgame. I am just glad he finally got to call the World Series before he left us.

by **stevelxa476** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 17:36:45

kenrosenthal wrote:
BigEd76 wrote:CSN with Mike Schmidt's printed statement.....should be online soon

he has a 4 minute reaction on espn.com

They has Chris McKendry, a local product doing the interview. She could barely keep it together herself.

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R.I.P. Harry Kalas: 1936-2009

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