Harmon Killibrew Says Goodbye Far too Early
(Note: Harmon Killibrew passed away on May 17 in Phoenix, Ariz. This blog was written on May 13).
It is likely we will soon be losing another hero to cancer.
Harmon Killibrew, with his family at his side, announced on May 13 that he had lost a battle with esophageal cancer and was checking into a hospice to spend his final days.
Killibrew, 74, a former major league baseball star, has battled cancer since diagnosis in December 2010. When Killibrew passes he will become one of the nearly 700,000 people to die of cancer in North America this year. There is approximately 7.6 million people who die of cancer every year http://www.ucan-behealthy.com/cancer/how-many-people-die-from-cancer-each-year/.
While I am not a Minnesota Twins fan (yes a Tigers fan), I am a Harmon Killibrew fan. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the soft-spoken slugger, who I will simply call "Mr. Twin." He is one of the classiest and most humane individuals in the history of major league baseball.
When you are a boy growing up in central South Dakota, you get to hear a lot of Twins baseball, regardless of whether you like them or not. And, when you collected baseball cards, Killibrew's was one that you valued (even if I didn't let any of my friends know that). From those cards and Twins radio (I only got Tigers baseball late at night), you learned a lot about #3 and the Twins.
Inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, Killibrew was the first Twin to have his jersey retired.
In a 22-year baseball career, Killibrew had 573 home runs, 1584 RBIs and a .509 slugging percentage. When he retired in 1975, he ranked fifth all-time in home runs (still ranks 11th). Eight times he hit 40 home runs or more with highs of 49 in both 1964 and 1969 when he was voted the league MVP. Nine times Killibrew had 100 or more RBIs, leading the league in that category three times. During his career, he hit 25 or more home runs 13 times and had 30 or more HRs 10 times. While his MVP season happened in 1969, he was in the top four in balloting five other times. Killibrew was especially dominant during a six-year period from 1959-64 when he hit 263 home runs or nearly 44 per year. Killibrew led the AL in home runs six times and was second twice.
A 6-0, 215 pound player from Payette, Idaho, Killibrew was a prep football All-American quarterback who had a scholarship offer to play for the University of Oregon but stayed home to go to the University of Idaho. Killibrew, whose football number was retired by his high school, was hitting .800 in Idaho semi-pro baseball when Clark Griffth directed a scout to go watch Killibrew, who was soon thereafter signed to a $50,000 bonus. Good thing, the Boston Red Sox were also hot on his trail. From there, he became the greatest Twins player ever (my opinion).
The soft-spoken and respectful Killibrew loved baseball. Anybody that listened to him or watched him perform had to marvel at the way he played the game. The 1971 winner of the Lou Gehrig Award, he was identified by his long high flies that disappeared over fences. He was one of four hitters to hit a home run over the left field roof at Tiger Stadium. He had the longest home run in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium and owns the longest HR hit at old Met Stadium in Minneapolis, sending the oval object 520 feet.
An 11-time All Star, Killibrew hit the most HRs of any player during the 1960s and when he retired in 1975, he had the second most home runs by an American League player to Babe Ruth. A street at the Mall of America, Killibrew Drive, is named for him, as is a gate at Target Field.
Killibrew nearly died in 1990 after a collapsed lung and damaged esophagus was followed by a staph infection and three surgeries. The man often called "Killer" beat that brush with death and survived some deep financial woes. He rebounded and set up the Harmon Killibrew Foundation and has donated more than $8.6 million to cancer research. It was probably set up to honor his former teammate Danny Thompson, who continued to play baseball while he battle leukemia; finally succumbing at the age of 29.
Now, it is time to say goodbye to a great man - a baseball hero to many. One of the great stories about Killibrew was when he was asked what he did for fun. It was well-known that he didn't go for late night partying. His answer - "wash dishes I guess," which shows his down to earth Midwestern spun personality.
Killibrew's time to go has come too early as has been the case with millions of other people cruelly impacted by cancer.
When he leaves, it will be a sad moment but perhaps a learnable moment for us. I think Killibrew's life is one that shows us hard work, resiliency, a friendly smile, and respect for others is to be appreciated. It is "Hammerin Harmon's" legacy.
Note -- the following link profile Harmon Killibrew.
http://www.foxsportsnorth.com/05/17/11/Cuddyer-He-was-able-to-paint-a-masterpie/landing_twins.html?blockID=524181&feedID=3546
http://www.foxsportsnorth.com/05/17/11/Cuddyer-He-was-able-to-paint-a-masterpie/landing_twins.html?blockID=524181&feedID=3546
It is likely we will soon be losing another hero to cancer.
Harmon Killibrew, with his family at his side, announced on May 13 that he had lost a battle with esophageal cancer and was checking into a hospice to spend his final days.
Killibrew, 74, a former major league baseball star, has battled cancer since diagnosis in December 2010. When Killibrew passes he will become one of the nearly 700,000 people to die of cancer in North America this year. There is approximately 7.6 million people who die of cancer every year http://www.ucan-behealthy.com/cancer/how-many-people-die-from-cancer-each-year/.
While I am not a Minnesota Twins fan (yes a Tigers fan), I am a Harmon Killibrew fan. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the soft-spoken slugger, who I will simply call "Mr. Twin." He is one of the classiest and most humane individuals in the history of major league baseball.
When you are a boy growing up in central South Dakota, you get to hear a lot of Twins baseball, regardless of whether you like them or not. And, when you collected baseball cards, Killibrew's was one that you valued (even if I didn't let any of my friends know that). From those cards and Twins radio (I only got Tigers baseball late at night), you learned a lot about #3 and the Twins.
Inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, Killibrew was the first Twin to have his jersey retired.
In a 22-year baseball career, Killibrew had 573 home runs, 1584 RBIs and a .509 slugging percentage. When he retired in 1975, he ranked fifth all-time in home runs (still ranks 11th). Eight times he hit 40 home runs or more with highs of 49 in both 1964 and 1969 when he was voted the league MVP. Nine times Killibrew had 100 or more RBIs, leading the league in that category three times. During his career, he hit 25 or more home runs 13 times and had 30 or more HRs 10 times. While his MVP season happened in 1969, he was in the top four in balloting five other times. Killibrew was especially dominant during a six-year period from 1959-64 when he hit 263 home runs or nearly 44 per year. Killibrew led the AL in home runs six times and was second twice.
A 6-0, 215 pound player from Payette, Idaho, Killibrew was a prep football All-American quarterback who had a scholarship offer to play for the University of Oregon but stayed home to go to the University of Idaho. Killibrew, whose football number was retired by his high school, was hitting .800 in Idaho semi-pro baseball when Clark Griffth directed a scout to go watch Killibrew, who was soon thereafter signed to a $50,000 bonus. Good thing, the Boston Red Sox were also hot on his trail. From there, he became the greatest Twins player ever (my opinion).
The soft-spoken and respectful Killibrew loved baseball. Anybody that listened to him or watched him perform had to marvel at the way he played the game. The 1971 winner of the Lou Gehrig Award, he was identified by his long high flies that disappeared over fences. He was one of four hitters to hit a home run over the left field roof at Tiger Stadium. He had the longest home run in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium and owns the longest HR hit at old Met Stadium in Minneapolis, sending the oval object 520 feet.
An 11-time All Star, Killibrew hit the most HRs of any player during the 1960s and when he retired in 1975, he had the second most home runs by an American League player to Babe Ruth. A street at the Mall of America, Killibrew Drive, is named for him, as is a gate at Target Field.
Killibrew nearly died in 1990 after a collapsed lung and damaged esophagus was followed by a staph infection and three surgeries. The man often called "Killer" beat that brush with death and survived some deep financial woes. He rebounded and set up the Harmon Killibrew Foundation and has donated more than $8.6 million to cancer research. It was probably set up to honor his former teammate Danny Thompson, who continued to play baseball while he battle leukemia; finally succumbing at the age of 29.
Now, it is time to say goodbye to a great man - a baseball hero to many. One of the great stories about Killibrew was when he was asked what he did for fun. It was well-known that he didn't go for late night partying. His answer - "wash dishes I guess," which shows his down to earth Midwestern spun personality.
Killibrew's time to go has come too early as has been the case with millions of other people cruelly impacted by cancer.
When he leaves, it will be a sad moment but perhaps a learnable moment for us. I think Killibrew's life is one that shows us hard work, resiliency, a friendly smile, and respect for others is to be appreciated. It is "Hammerin Harmon's" legacy.
Note -- the following link profile Harmon Killibrew.
http://www.foxsportsnorth.com/05/17/11/Cuddyer-He-was-able-to-paint-a-masterpie/landing_twins.html?blockID=524181&feedID=3546
http://www.foxsportsnorth.com/05/17/11/Cuddyer-He-was-able-to-paint-a-masterpie/landing_twins.html?blockID=524181&feedID=3546
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