Harry Kalas 1936-2009
Harold Norbert "Harry" Kalas, best known for being the radio voice of the Philadelphia Phillies and of NFL Films, passed away today before the Phillies-Washington Nationals game, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 73. According to reports, Kalas was in the visiting clubhouse at Nationals Park jotting down the line ups around noon. About 30 minutes later, he was found in the broadcast booth, collapsed on the floor. He was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Kalas had one of the most distinct voices in the game. It was deep, with a slow tempo. He started broadcasting with the Phillies in 1971 after spending 5 years with the Houston Astros, as the first broadcaster in team history. He witnessed so much during his 43 years as a baseball announcer. Not only did he broadcast the first Houston Astros games, he also saw six no-hitters, the first games ever at the Houston Astrodome, Veterans Stadium, and Citizens Bank Park; he called Pete Rose's 3631st hit (which set the National League career record), every one of Steve Carlton's Phillies starts from 1972-86, saw two World Series Champions (1980 & 2008), and had agruably his most famous call, Mike Schmidt's 500th career homerun. He was to the Phillies as Jack Buck was to the Cardinals, Bob Uecker to the Brewers, Vin Scully to the Dodgers, Ernie Harwell to the Tigers...Kalas WAS the Phillies to their fans.
Kalas also became the voice of NFL Films after John Facenda could no longer do it, just before passed away. After Facenda died, who was nicknamed "The Voice of God", the NFL was wondering who could replace that distinct voice of his. Harry Kalas became that person.
Personally, I took every opportunity I could to listen to Harry Kalas over the past couple of years. One of the major reasons I started to subscribe to XM Radio was to listen to guys like Kalas, Scully, and Uecker, broadcasting their games locally. As a fan of the game, and a huge fan of broadcasters, I grew up listening to the best in Ernie Harwell. As I said before, Kalas was Philadelphia's Harwell. No other game values its' history more than the game of baseball. As a fan, you grow up learning the game and it's history. It's passed down generations, one person to the next. Whether it's the statistics, players, or announcers, there is no other game that it's fans hold so high. These players, these voices, come around once in a generation. As fans, we need to take them in as much as possible, for you never know when they will fall silent. Today, Harry Kalas fell silent. As he would say after a someone hit a homerun, "It's Outta Here!"...Kalas may be "Outta Here", but he will never be out of our memories.
Mark Fidrych 1954-2009
Mark "The Bird" Fidrych died of what appears to be an accident, while fixing one of his trucks on a farm today, at the age of 54. While details of his death have yet to be released, I personally found out while I was awaiting the start of the Great Lakes Loons (Class Low A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers) game in Midland. I received a text update from ESPN. I was shocked. When I read it, I showed the guy who sits next to me. We were both stunned. A few minutes later my dad called me to see if I heard the news...he said, "You are not going to believe this...".
Fidrych was a rising star when he hit the Major Leagues in 1976 with the Detroit Tigers. That year, as a rookie, he took baseball by storm. An almost instant national sensation, he compiled a 19-9 record, 2.34 ERA, and an astounding 24 Complete Games. He was the starting pitcher at the All-Star game that year and after a brilliant pitching performance on Monday Night Baseball where he talked to the baseball, manicured the mound on his hands and knees, and enthusiastically shook teammates hands after plays, he became a star. In the spring of 1977, Fidrych tore cartilage in his knee...he was never the same pitcher again. He pitched parts of the next 4 seasons with Detroit, never more than 11 games in any of those seasons. He retired after the 1980 season with just 29 career wins...a once promising career cut short by knee and arm problems. He could have been upset the rest of his life about what might have been, but he wasn't.
After retiring, Fidrych lived in the Boston area on a farm. He was a garbage man at one time, and often helped his county with road projects hauling things in his dump truck. When the Tigers came to Boston, he would always be around doing interviews with the Tigers' television and radio broadcasters. He remained upbeat, excited, and very much in love with what his life became after baseball. I had a chance to meet Fidrych at a baseball card show back in the early 90s when I was a kid. I don't remember much about it, but what I do remember is that he was talking to anyone and everyone who would listen to him. When it was my turn to get his autograph I remember him saying hi to me and smiling. He was as nice a guy as you'd ever meet, just a regular guy really. Fidrych will be missed by the Tigers organization and its' fans.
For me, a die hard baseball fan, days like today, and over the past few weeks are especially sad. While I didn't know these players, former players, and broadcasters, but having followed the game as close as I have over the years, you feel like you know them. I hadn't heard of Nick Adenhart other than he was a good young pitcher for the Angels, but to hear of his tragic and senseless passing last week at the age of 22 was crushing. The passing of George Kell was not as surprising as the rest, but still sad. Then the events of today, first Harry Kalas, then Mark Fidrych, just hours apart. Death always makes you think of your own mortality. While mourning these deaths, we should also celebrate their lives and what they did while they were here. Adenhart, a great kid with so much upside, was also a great teammate...Kell, a Hall of Fame player, great broadcaster and Tiger baseball on TV in the 70s-90s...Kalas, THE voice of the Phillies and NFL Films, loved by players and fans alike.
Let's remember these four indviduals, not only as baseball personalities, but as people. They were all great people first, who will be sorely missed by their friends and family. We will all miss them...
