The Passing of a Legend

Harry Kalas
March 26, 1936–April 13, 2009


There isn't much I can say to really hit home the point about Harry the K.
He truly was the Voice of the Phillies. I have yet to hear a Phillies game without his voice since I was born. He was there when my dad turned 10. He has probably spoken through that radio in the garage on Bysher Ave to my grandfather over 5,000 times. He's the freaking voice of NFL films.

He's the kind of guy my kids will ask me about. He's voice that's tied to so many clips that have become our memories. Sure, he was just an announcer--but he brought something special to the table. He brought something you can't measure in decibles, or wins and losses, or neilson ratings. It's somewhere in between the lines. I can't explain it, but he's forever tied in there with all our Phillies records. He's there when the Phillies picked us up. His voice will be played again and again and again long after any of us are still around to here it. And he was a class guy. He had "it."

Something about him made him feel like everyone's grandfather. I didn't know him but I bet he had that grandfather smell. I bet he smoked cigars. I bet he always told old stories. He wasn't just a great professional--he was personal. We all knew him somehow.

This truly was one of those people in your life that you don't truly know how big a part of your life they are, until they're gone. The whole city felt it. We will continue to feel it. And I have a feeling we still don't even realize just how deep this hurt runs.

Because you taught me to say MickY MoranDIni!!
Because every time there's a deep, long fly ball to right field will it really be OUTTA HERE
Because you brought me the first Philadelphia World Championship of my life
Because when I say to myself CHASE UTEY, YOU ARE THE MAN!!!! will I be saying it alone
Because before you -- he was just Mike Schmidt
Because whenver there's an 0-2 pitch, I'll hear STRUCK 'IM OUTTTT!!
Because you're the one who gave us all such highhhh hopes -- high hopes


--you will always be missed
and you will never be forgotten.
--the voice of the Phillies
may you echo out into forever.