Former Royal Harmon Killebrew to enter hospice

Feared as any hitter in baseball when I was growing up.

As well as a lot of 60s era Twins for some reason, so I really connected with that team – Bob Allison, Camilio Pascual, Zoilo Versailies, Tony Oliva, Mudcat Grant, Jim Kaat. Anyway, Killer was one of the most feared hitters in baseball, a real slugger, and by all accounts, a great guy as well.

They also have where home plate was at the Met, the distance is huge. Hate to see these guys go, such a classy fellow and one of the greatest of all time. My dad and I share a beer in memory of any of the classics when they pass on, looks like we’re going to have to have another again soon.

Killebrew would always win

That he was a 7-foot beast of a man with tree trunks for arms and a heart as genuine as you will ever find in the game of baseball.

“I never knew the man, but I know what he meant; and that is why I mourn.”

as they inevitably will. My understanding of him is one of a true lover of his organization, of baseball, and of people.

as a kid and immediately Harmon Killebrew became my favorite player because he also looked a lot like my grandfather, especially when they displayed his face on the old scoreboard which had about the same pixel resolution as my Lite-Brite, making him look older than he did, already…but he also looked like he’d be a nice, kindly man, which I found out later, he was. He looked kinda plump at that point, which endeared him all the more to my cousin and me when he trotted around the bases. I was only just getting into baseball at that stage of my life and didn’t have any ideas about batting average, much less age-regression, so I couldn’t understand when my dad told me Killebrew was pretty much done, and was crushed to find out he probably wouldn’t be back with the Royals the following year. It was the first time I’d ever seen a player hit two homers in a game, and with his power, portly physique, and spindly-looking legs, he came off pretty much as ‘Ruthian’ to my 12 year-old eyes . So I have fond, and some of my first, vivid Royals memories thanks to Harmon Killebrew. Great one who will be missed.

same pixel resolution as my Lite-Brite

Killer Incredibly sad news. My first MLB game was in 1975 when White Sox played at Kansas City. Harmon joined the Royals for his last season in the bigs, and my father took me out to the stadium on Picture Day. He told me to "Go out on the field, stand next to Harmon Killebrew, and I’ll take your picture with him. He’s going to be in the Hall of Fame one day!" I was really shy, and could barely look Harmon in the eye. He introduced himself ("Hi, my name is Harmon. What’s your name?"), I introduced myself, and we turned around for the picture.

Ten years later, I saw that Harmon was doing an autograph signing in Kansas City with then Royals Frank White & Jamie Quirk. Both Frank & Jamie played on the 1975 Royals team with Harmon. I took that enlarged photo to the autograph session, and without saying anything, placed it in front of Harmon to sign. He paused, looked up at me and said, "Is that you?" I laughed and said it was, told him the story, and he showed the photo to both Frank & Jamie. Harmon was amazed, and signed the photo: "To My Pal Jeff. Good Luck. Harmon Killebrew"

That autographed photo hangs on the wall in my office to this day.

Harmon’s battle is finished.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6559023