Harry Kalas, longtime Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster, died in the broadcast booth today in Washington D.C.
He did a lot of things in his life, including NFL game film narration and Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl live broadcasts. But his first baseball job was broadcasting the Hawai’i Islanders in 1961, and he’s remembered fondly out here.
R.I.P., Mr. Kalas.
As a lifelong Phillies Phan, I grieve for Harry. He was deeply loved. Kinda spooky how his end was so similar to that of his long-running broadcast partner Whitey Ashburn.
Though I grew up with the broadcasters before Harry, By Saam and Bill Campbell, his voice will forever resound in my baseball memories.
The best way to remember Harry is with a variation on his homerun call:
Outta here, Harold Norbert Kalas…
He will be missed. We live in the Philadelphia area, and the whole city seems saddened.
Cas