Harry Kalas, 73

Today's Phillies-Nationals game is under way as I begin to type this. I honestly don't even know if there's any score yet. I'm listening on radio, but it's hard to concentrate on the details of the game.

Harry Kalas, long-time Hall of Fame broadcaster for the Phillies (and also well known for his NFL Films work), passed away only a couple hours ago. He was at the ballpark in Washington D.C. preparing for the game when he collapsed. Reports were that he had been taken to the hospital, but it was soon announced that he was gone.

For me personally, Phillies games haven't been quite the same since Harry's broadcast partner of many, many years, Richie "Whitey" Ashburn (former all-star player for the well-known '50 "Whiz Kids" team), passed away under similar circumstances several years ago while on a road trip. Now, the games will definitely never be anywhere near quite the same to listen to in my opinion. It's a sad, sad day here in Phillies land.

I'm glad he got to call a Phillies World Championship last year for the first time ever. Local broadcasters were prohibited—in favor of national broadcasters—from calling their team's World Series appearances back in '80, the only other time the Phillies reigned. It was largely due to the complaints of Phillies fans that that restrictive rule was discarded the following year and MLB permitted the participating World Series teams to continue their own local radio coverage of the games all the way to the end of the conclusion of the post season.

I have only two regrets regarding the Phils' most recent World Series victory: 1) that Harry didn't get to call the games with Whitey at his side, and 2) that my Dad was no longer around to enjoy and share the moment in this world either.

There's not a lot on Google News yet (as I type this), but I'm sure reports and reminiscences will quickly build. No doubt Phillies.com will have significant coverage over the coming week.

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NOTES

Early in the game it was quite obvious that the announcers were fighting hard to keep from breaking down, but they seemed to quickly settle in to the job at hand, especially once the game action started, and did a good job under extremely difficult circumstances.

When Shane Victorino hit a home run for the Phils to give them a lead the announcer simply and matter-of-factly with appropriate respect said, "...and yes folks, it's outta here." For those who may not be aware, a more emphatic "Outta Heeeeeeere!" was Harry's trademark Phillies home run call. One of the announcers also explained a short while ago that Harry credited that line to having heard shortstop Larry Bowa say it during batting practice way back when (early '70s) and Harry took that off-hand comment and made it his own.

The picture I included above is of Harry (on the right) with Whitey (wearing one of his famously recognizable hats) doing a Phillies game in 1980 on local TV WPHL 17. This year after many years on other channels, the team's occasional over-the-air free TV broadcasts (mostly just sunday games now) have once again returned to WPHL 17.

Phillies won 9-8. Frankly the actual game was irrelevant, but it was nice that they "won it for Harry."

The Phillies had been scheduled to make the traditional following-year champions visit to the White House tomorrow, but indications are that they have cancelled that. I strongly suspect the visit will be rescheduled for a future date, but even if it's not, well, some things are more significant than meeting the President of the United States.

During the moment of silence before the start of today's game a fan clearly and distinctly called out into the eerie quiet "We love you Harry!" And to that, I can only add, as I recall Whitey saying on more than one occasion, "No doubt about it, Harry..."

Thanks for the memories.