The great Harmon Killebrew dies at 74

[Hardbopjazz]

I remember him as a child hitting moster homeruns. He didn't need to juice up to hit.

Story

[Matthew]

Sad news, indeed. Classy guy, well respected by everyone who met him.

[JSngry]

RIP. A fine player indeed.

When were the Senators ever called the Nationals?

[GA Russell]

He was my favorite player. I named my first goldfish after him.

He finished up with the Royals in '75, and I was surprised to learn then that when he was ejected from a game that year, that was the first and only time in his career. A real gentleman.

[MartyJazz]

Some 25 years ago, give or take, a friend had moved to Seattle and was working as a waiter at a bar/restaurant when he spied Killebrew with a party at a nearby table. He went over and politely asked "Are you Harmon Killebrew"? Apparently bugged by the intrusion, Killebrew responded with annoyance "And what if I am"? My friend saved the occasion by replying, "Well then you'd be one of the greatest home run hitters who ever lived". Killebrew smiled and was quite gracious after that. RIP.

[Hot Ptah]

My family lived in north central Wisconsin beginning in 1965, and my parents took us to one Minnesota Twins game ever, some time between 1966 and 1969. In that game, Killebrew hit a really long home run to straight away center field off of Denny McLain of the Tigers. It was the longest home run I have ever seen. I can still remember it climbing really high in the air and really far.

It had a quality as it traveled though the air, that differs from any other long home run I have ever witnessed. Even now I can remember how it looked.

[PHILLYQ]

RIP. A fine player indeed.

When were the Senators ever called the Nationals?

Here's an explanation, it was news to me:

http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/al/wasdc/nats.html

[JSngry]

That's just weird.

[ValerieB]

i remember him when he played for the Senators in the '60s. always seemed like a straight-up kind of guy.

he sure went quickly after going into hospice. blessings to him, his friends and family.

[Neal Pomea]

Here's an explanation, it was news to me:

http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/al/wasdc/nats.html

Thanks for posting this! I thought that despite the popular use of the name Senators, the team did not officially change from Nationals to Senators until the second franchise, the one that became the Rangers. Now it seems it was 1956.

[Hardbopjazz]

500 foot shot.

[GA Russell]

One of my happiest boyhood sports moments was when he pinch hit a home run in the '61 All-Star game.

[Tom in RI]

He hit 40 or more dingers in the 60's in 6 seasons and had 39 in 1966 (and 42 in 1959), I'd imagine no else had more 40 home run seasons for that decade. The Red Sox announcers (Ken Coleman and ?) always made a point of saying his popups were "major league".

Oops, Hank Aaron had 7 40 HR seasons in the 1960's.

Edited May 18, 2011 by Tom in RI

[AmirBagachelles]

Jim Rice, Darryl Strawberry, Reggie Jackson, I saw these guys hit monster home runs. One can easily recall the flight I think. That's what these accounts of mighty Killebrew sound like. Not all home runs are made the same.

[Hot Ptah]

Jim Rice, Darryl Strawberry, Reggie Jackson, I saw these guys hit monster home runs. One can easily recall the flight I think. That's what these accounts of mighty Killebrew sound like. Not all home runs are made the same.

I saw home runs by Rice and Jackson in person. Killebrew's long home run to center, which I witnessed in the late 1960s, went up much higher at an early stage in its flight, almost freakishly high. I have never seen anything else like it.

Edited May 19, 2011 by Hot Ptah

[Dan Gould]

Killebrew was a great hitter and by all accounts a greater man, but let's remember what Jim Palmer said about Rice - one of his homeruns he hit off of him went so high it "brought rain".

[Hot Ptah]

Killebrew was a great hitter and by all accounts a greater man, but let's remember what Jim Palmer said about Rice - one of his homeruns he hit off of him went so high it "brought rain".

Well, I admit that I did not see many Rice home runs in person.