RIP Harmon Killebrew

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/2011-05-17-1776440648_x.htm

Forgive my ignorance, but I don't see the purpose behind this. I guess it's kinda like a time capsule or burial, but to me it seems a little insensitive that every time a player crosses the plate, they'll be stomping on the picture of Killebrew.

 

Yeah, I was thinking Thome or Adam Dunn.

 

I read somewhere the Twins are wearing their throwback unis at their remaining home games as a tribute. Wonderful gesture. RIP, Mr. Killebrew

 

Pretty serendipitous that Killebrew dies this week in Scottsdale and the Twins play an interleague series at Arizona this weekend.

 

RIP

When I was a kid, in probably 1979 or so, I went with my grandfather to a garage sale and there was a box of old baseball cards for sale. I think my grandpa paid $5 for the box that was mostly 1967-68 cards.

The box was a goldmine with a Bench rookie and a Carew rookie among the gems.

But as he was going through the box, the first card he stopped on was a Harmon Killebrew. I remember he said, "You would have loved this guy..."

I'll never forget that.

 

My earliest and only memory is his lone season with the Royals. Obviously, I missed a lot.

R.I.P. to someone who seems to have been a gracious gentleman, in addition to a baseball great.

 

RIP. All I knew about him what the scant bit in baseball books, and he didn't get the publicity that someone of his obvious ability should have. I do that, in one book of all-time lineups, they were trying to decide where to put him in the Twins lineup, mentioning that "Killebrew played both positions equally badly, but he has to be in here somewhere because of his bat."

I think if I had been born long before I was and was a bigger seamhead, I would have really liked Harmon Killebrew. A great baseball player and a better man by every account that matters.

RIP, good sir.

 

Tribute and interview Harmon gave in 2007:

http://www.cyinterview.com/2011/05/cyinterview-remembers-baseball-legend-harmon-killebrew-a-look-back-at-our-2007-cyinterview/

 

Twins held a memorial press conference today. Kent Hrbek, Jack Morris, Paul Molitor and Tony Oliva were among those on-hand.

Hrbek, a Minnesota native, called Killebrew "Paul Bunyan in a baseball uniform." Sounds about right.

 

Like to see so many of the old guys still in the area. Granted, three of them are from Minnesota but still good to see.

 

Steak, thanks for passing this along.