At right is a picture of me (wearing the Outsports cap) with Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas, taken at the 
Phillies Phestival charity event in 2003. The impression I came away with from that brief meeting was that, besides being such a terrific play-by-play announcer, he was truly a gentleman in every sense of the word.
Phillies Nation mourns today. Harry died at the age of 73 after collapsing at Nationals Park in Washington a few hours before today’s Phillies-Nationals game. He joined the Phillies in 1971, the year Veterans Stadium opened. Besides the opening (and closing) of the Vet and the debut of its replacement, Citizens Bank Park, as an Astros broadcaster from 1965-70 he was around for the opening of the Astrodome. He was inducted into the broadcasters’ wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.
Harry’s “outta here” home run call became the stuff of legend here. Just about everyone has tried an impersonation of that voice at one time or another. As the saying goes: often imitated, never duplicated. Ironically, on Mike Schmidt’s 500th career homer in 1987 at Pittsburgh, the ball left the park so quickly that Harry didn’t get “outta here” into the call.
Harry loved the Phillies and their fans, and we fans loved him back. Maybe never was that more obvious than in 1980. That year, after 30 years of misery and frustration that included an epic collapse in 1964 and three consecutive playoff failures from 1976-78, the Phillies outlasted the Astros in a phenomenal NLCS to win their first NL pennant since 1950 and went on to win their first World Series championship.
In those days no local broadcasts of the World Series were allowed, as NBC TV and CBS Radio had exclusive rights nationwide. Phillies fans were denied the opportunity to hear Harry and company call what turned out to be the greatest moment in franchise history to date. They later did a re-creation for a commemorative record but it just wasn’t the same. There was such a deluge of outrage directed at the Commisioner’s office from Philadelphia — and this was in the days before e-mail made for instant complaints — that MLB changed their rules to allow local teams to do their own radio broadcasts.
Thus, after 28 more years of misery and frustration, Harry Kalas finally got to call the World Series. For real, this time. It made last year’s magical postseason run all the more special, getting to hear these words, spoken by that golden voice on that cold October night…”Brad Lidge stretches…the 0-2 pitch — swing and a miss, struck him out! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball!”
on Apr 14th, 2009 at 12:23 am
The baseball world lost a true legend today. Although I’ve never been a fan of any professional Philly team I always appreciated and respected Harry’s enthusiasm, broadcasting talent and genuine love for the game which came across vividly over the airwaves. As a kid growing up in the DC area after the Senators left town and long before the advent of satellite tv and instant pitch-by-pitch access online I would scan the dial on my transistor radio trying to pick up the static-filled sound of an out of town broadcast — and with their clear-channel signals Philly and Cincy games became a staple of my late-night listening. Harry had a way of making even the insignificant parts of a broadcast memorable — Tastycake was one of the Phillies primary radio sponsors for years and I distinctly recall Harry leading into seemingly every commercial break or pitching change by reminding the fans that “It’s time for a tastybreak” in his own melodic, unique way.
With the exception of Vin Scully, I consider Harry’s voice and gentlemanly style to be the epitome of a baseball broadcaster. The tribute that the Nationals radio broadcasters, Charlie Slowes and Dave Jaeglar, paid to Harry during their postgame show today was incredibly moving that it brought tears to my eyes and I wish I had it on tape. If it’s true that the respect garnered from your peers is the highest compliment that anyone can receive then Harry is in elite company. As Charlie pointed out today if there’s a Mount Rushmore of baseball broadcasters then Harry Kalas unquestionably deserves to be on it.
RIP Harry. You were a world champion at your craft.
on Apr 14th, 2009 at 1:09 am
He had a great voice and did NFL Films for years. Another legend has passed.
on Apr 14th, 2009 at 2:14 am
Well shit!
The man died in the booth pre game even. Damn. Likely a man w/that passion died the way he wanted to live?
on Apr 14th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
The first time I ever heard his call of a baseball play was when I heard replays of his call of Joe Carter’s home run to win the 1993 World Series for the Jays over the Phillies. That play had 4 (English) play by play announcer versions. On CBS TV with Sean McDonough, on network radio in the US with Vin Scully, Harry Kalas’s version on local Philly radio and Tom Cheek’s - “Touch ‘em all, Joe! You’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life!” version - which is legendary up here. I doubt many other World Series ending plays have had that many legendary announcers call the same play.
Harry Kalas certainly had a unique unmistakable sound. I guess he joins Cheek and other legends as the best baseball announcers in heaven. Hopefully Cheek will soon join Kalas in the Baseball Hall of Fame as Frick award winners. Kalas clearly deserved the honour when he received in back in 2002 - but so does Cheek - who forever will be THE voice of the Jays. He did not miss a single Blue Jay game from their first game in 1977 until he took two games off following the death of his father in 2004. - some 4,306 games later. He died himself of cancer a year later.
Like those who can remember listening to Kalas’s radio calls - most of Canada grew-up with Cheek on the radio for the Jays. It seems in some ways like a piece of your life is gone when they go. Sad day indeed for people who love baseball.