Memories of a Legend - RIP Harry Kalas

I was greeted early yesterday afternoon by a text from my oldest childhood friend in Philadelphia - "Harry Kalas has colapsed and been rushed to the Hospital". Immediately I felt like I had taken a blow to the stomach. It is amazing to me how the death of someone you never met could be so impactful, but growing up listening and watching Harry I think all of Philadelphia feels like we knew him.

As a kid growing up my first love was baseball. We played it non stop, whether it was for the Huntingdon Valley All-Star travel team, wiffle ball in Rubin's back yard or in the winter down in the basement it is all we did. We did Strat-O-matic before Fantasy Sports even existed. We had Cub Scout trips to the Vet to see the Phils' and I don't think we missed many games on TV. Along with all of my great memories of the Phils' is not just the visuals, like the '80 World Series or Michael Jack Schmidt's (even as I type it I hear Kalas' slow dlrawl) 500th home run in April of 1987, there is the soundtrack of Kalas' voice that still plays in my head. For us, he had two signature 'catch phrases': "It's outta here" on home runs and "He struck him out" for strike outs. As an 11 year old that last phrase still brings tears to my eyes as I watched Tug McGraw strike out Willie Wilson to give the Phillies their first World Title since 1950. I sat that night at the foot of my parents bed and cried with joy. Seven years later I felt the same way as Schmidtty launched #500, back when hitting 500 home runs meant something.

I think there is something poetic in the way Harry left us yesterday. First, he did it where I can only imagine him forever, in the broadcast booth before a Phils' game. I know he will also be associated with NFL Films and some commercial work but for those of us from the Greater Delaware Valley he will always be the Voice of Philadelphia. It was the same way with Dave Zincoff, who is far less famous nationally but not if you were a Philly Sports fan in the 70's & 80's. All you need to do is pull up an introduction of "The Dr. Juuuuuulius Erving" to get those goose bumps.

There other piece of poetic justice is that Harry got to see the Phils' do it again by winning the World Series last year. Harry was always 'one of the guys', just listen to interviews with John Kruk or Mike Schmidt. He was the consumate throw back to sports journalists of the past right here today. The players loved him and he was always welcome around. I can only imagine the stories Harry has taken to his grave that today's journalists would have plastered on the Front Page just to see their own BYLINE!

When I got home from work yesterday I found the broadcast of the Phils' game on cable. I sat and watched with the volume on MUTE, the entire broadcast. I am sure there were amazing tributes to Harry by our hometown broadcasters as well as call ins from so many others. For me though, I embraced the silence that will now always be there when the Phils' play.

Your voice, talent and love for our team and city will be missed Harry!