Harry Kalas, 1936-2009

Monday, April 13, 2009


Just a terrible, terrible day for Phillies' fans and Baseball fans in general. Harry Kalas was pronounced dead this afternoon at the age of 73 years old. Via the Daily News....

Harry Kalas, the Phillies' Hall of Fame announcer, died at 1:20 p.m. today, the Phillies announced.

Mr. Kalas collapsed in the press box at Nationals Stadium in Washington at about 12:30 p.m. and was rushed to George Washington University Medial Center.

The cause of the death was not announced. Today's game against the Nationals will be played, but the team will not visit the White House tomorrow.

"We lost Harry today," David Montgomery, the team president, said. "We lost our voice."
I spent a year in Philly after graduating College, and I immediately felt an attachment to Harry Kalas when listening to games. Philly fans are harsh on many players and personalities, but once you're in you're in their hearts forever. Kalas was one of those individuals, and was the voice of not only a Baseball team and city, but all of Baseball. The only fitting tribute I can give to Kalas is by posting his call of the final out of last year's World Series. You will be missed, Harry....

Posted by Awful Announcing at 2:01 PM

13 Comments:

RIP, a legend, great man, great voice and not only baseball but football will miss him.

Unknown said...
Apr 13, 2009, 2:22:00 PM  

Kind of fitting he got to call a Phillies World Series win right before he died.

Morgan Wick said...
Apr 13, 2009, 2:42:00 PM  

I live near Philly and actually hate the Phillies but listening to Kalas call games was always a treat and actually made Phils games worth watching/listening too.

GM said...
Apr 13, 2009, 2:48:00 PM  

This life long Philadelphia Sports Fan is completely heart broken. Harry was not only THE voice of the Phillies but of Phialdelphia as well. That distinctive purr will be definately missed in the city. God Bless the Kalas family and may Harry RIP with his life long buddy Richie Ashburn up heaven.

N Garrett said...
Apr 13, 2009, 3:03:00 PM  

RIP Harry...

Another comforting voice of my youth disappears...

E Buzz said...
Apr 13, 2009, 3:39:00 PM  

Everything GregMann said is eerily similar to me, you took the words out of my mouth.

You'll be missed Harry

Unknown said...
Apr 13, 2009, 3:45:00 PM  

Morgan Wick had it right about Harry calling a World Series win before he died. I'd also add that he lived long enough to be inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame. God bless, Harry.

bceagle91 said...
Apr 13, 2009, 3:54:00 PM  

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2009 Washington Nationals!!!

/not trying to be a prick about this, sad day for baseball

GMoney said...
Apr 13, 2009, 4:12:00 PM  

R.I.P. Harry Kalas. You'll be missed by everyone.

And to think that the last game he called was a 7-5 Phillies win where Matt Stairs hit a game-winning 2-run Homerun, the same way that the Phils won Game 5 of the NLCS, a game that many people in Philly feel was the play and the moment that catapulted the Phils to the World Series.

After not being allowed to call the 80 World Series win live, it is so good to know he got to do it in 08. Here's the actual video of Kalas making the call.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBk3wTs-t2A

Justin F. said...
Apr 13, 2009, 4:52:00 PM  

Glad he got to make that call again before he passed. Not too many of that classic generation of announces left. It's sad.

testing thing said...
Apr 13, 2009, 7:49:00 PM  

It is really sad. Vin Scully might be one of the last ones we have left from the generation gone.

walnuts said...
Apr 14, 2009, 9:07:00 AM  

Nobody is mentioning that he did Sunday afternoon NFL broadcasts for WestWood One Wadio, er, Radio, as recently as 2008.

Not the NFL, not CBSSports, nobody.

http://affiliates.westwoodone.com/sports/doublheaders.asp

da HOOK said...
Apr 14, 2009, 12:42:00 PM  
Anonymous said...
Apr 15, 2009, 5:20:00 AM  

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