So the Philadelphia Phillies inducted Harry Kalas into their Wall of Fame today, an honor that heretofore was only allowed for players and coaches. I was at the game and there was a nice little tribute to the great announcer in a ceremony prior to the first pitch tonight. Mike Schmidt (whom I supposedly modeled my stance after when I was a youth...there apparently was a moderate butt shake involved that I copied from Schmitty [wikipedia calls it a "waving of his posterior while waiting for a pitch," but let's call a spade a spade -- I shook my ass in the batter's box apparently]) gave a short but sweet speech about Kalas and then Kalas's family was shepherded around the stadium in a car. Granted, it wasn't anything exciting, but Phillies baseball really is missing something without him. I find myself not listening to radio broadcasts nearly as much anymore (I realize he did the tv broadcasts, too). Anyway, the Phils' lack of any type of offensive strength when runners were in scoring position led to a loss (haven't seen a winning game at Citizens' Bank Park this year), but the tribute was nice.
Below is both the tribute video that Comcast SportsNet aired immediately following Kalas' death. And below that is my original post from back in April the day Kalas died.
***Originally posted 4/13/09***
As owner David Montgomery said, the Philadelphia Philles have lost their voice today, with the announcement that Harry Kalas has passed away.
Kalas was with the Phils since before I was born and he was the Phillies. Players came and went, but Harry was always there, singing "High Hopes" whenever the mood set in (which, to be completely honest, I never really understood, but now I feel guilty for thinking it was odd).
I guess my Kalas memory would be anytime he said "Michael Jack Schmidt" when I was growing up. I mean, I don't remember any specific time he used the name (heck, Schmidt stopped playing before I turned 10), but I really do remember his staccato reading of "Michael Jack Schmidt." Definitely fun (and certainly sad) to hear that repeated during the reminiscing today on Comcast Sportsnet.
It's fitting that he got to see the Phils win the World Series last year, and fitting still that he threw out the first pitch the day of their ring ceremony.
Harry, you will be missed.
That last sentence you wrote sums it up completely.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I bet everyone thought your little stance and shake was adorable.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame the phillies can't even win on a big night to honor Kalas, although I would still like to go to a game.
The image of an eight- or nine-year old me shaking my bum while waiting for a pitch from the pitching machine even makes me laugh. I don't remember it, but I'm told that's what I did.
ReplyDeleteFYI...the ass shaking didn't help...I was never anything better than average at the plate and got worse as I got older for sure (of course as I got older, the ass shaking stopped, so maybe there really is something to be said for the "wagging of the posterior.")