The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 4/14/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: George Widman - Associated Press In this July 2, 2002 file photo, Philadelphia Phillies announcer Harry Kalas looks out over Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia before the start of the New York Mets-Phillies game.

WASHINGTON - Radio and TV broadcaster Harry Kalas, whose baritone delivery and signature "Outta here!" home run calls provided the soundtrack to Philadelphia baseball for nearly four decades, died Monday after collapsing in the broadcast booth before the Phillies' game against the Washington Nationals. He was 73.

"We lost our voice today," Phillies president David Montgomery said. "He has loved our game and made just a tremendous contribution to our sport and certainly to our organization."

Familiar to millions of sports fans outside Philadelphia for his voiceover work with NFL Films, "Harry the K" was beloved at home. Since 1971, he was the man who was the bearer of news - good and bad - to those who followed the losingest franchise in major professional sports.

"Players come and go," Phillies radio broadcaster Scott Franzke said, "but 'Outta here!' - that's forever."

When the Phillies won their second World Series title last fall, Kalas - who normally called only the middle three innings on radio - was in the booth for the last out of the clincher. He then joined the on-field celebration, grabbing a microphone to sing Frank Sinatra's "High Hopes."

That song was among several Kalas standbys that endeared him to Phillies supporters. Another: He would call homers off the bat of a certain Hall of Fame third baseman by noting the player's full name - "Michael Jack Schmidt."

The Phillies had been scheduled to meet President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday, a day off, to be honored as World Series champions, but the event was postponed. A new date has not been set, Obama spokesman Josh Earnest said.

Kalas didn't get to call the final out of Philadelphia's other title, in 1980, because Major League Baseball prevented local broadcasts of the World Series games. But Phillies fans complained and the rule was later changed.

A 2002 recipient of the Baseball Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award for his contributions to the game, Kalas was one of the last longtime announcers closely associated with one city. Another, Vin Scully, threw out the first pitch at the Los Angeles Dodgers' home opener Monday, marking his 60th year with that club.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools