Mattie T’s Tribute to Harry Kalas (1936-2009)
Written by The Go-To-Man Mattie T. on April 13, 2009
Major League Baseball lost a legendary figure today, as longtime Philadelphia Phillies’ broadcaster Harry Kalas passed away after suffering a collapse.
Harry Kalas was the voice of the Phillies since 1971 & saw them make 9 postseason appearences, 3 World Series appearences & win 2 World Series championships (1980 & 2008).
Kalas was originally supposed to help call today’s game against the Washington Nationals, but he was found unresponsive in the booth & was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly upon arrival .
Tom McCarthy handled today’s TV duties for the Phillies’ broadcast network & did indeed announce that “the voice that carried all the memories since 1971 when the Vet opened, will no longer be on the microphone”.
Ironically enough, Kalas’ son Todd is a in-game analyst for the Tampa Bay Rays, who lost to Harry’s Phillies last October in 5 games during the 2008 World Series.
Kalas also joined Scott Graham as one of the powerful voices of NFL Films for the past 34 years until his death.
Kalas was able to make the final call of the 1980 World Series, as Tug McGraw retired Willie Wilson in the clinching Game 6 win to start the celebration at the now-defunct Veteran’s Stadium.
Kalas also helped close down “The Vet” in 2003 & was involved with master of ceremony duties with the opening of Citizens Bank Park, where he has a restaurant named in his honor.
Harry Kalas is survived by his wife Eileen & sons Todd, Brad & Kane.
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