Phils announcer Harry Kalas dies

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 2:05pm

For those who don't follow baseball you've heard Harry's distinct voice in commercials over the years. The Campbell's Soup commercials with the football players are a good example of where you would have heard him.
Phils announcer Harry Kalas dies

[lesmis]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 2:22pm

He will be missed. What a great guy.

[mijofly19]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 2:26pm

I am a Mets fan but also concentrate in Broadcasting and am very saddened by this. I imagine it is in Philly how it was in New York when Bob Murphy died. A sad day for baseball.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 2:27pm

They just broke the news here in Denver about 10 minutes ago. How sad. We just played the Phillies here. My home is the Phillies.

[lesmis]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 2:32pm

Phillies games will never sound the same.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 2:33pm

I've had the opportunity to hear many broadcasters over the years and I always came back to Harry. He loved his town and team in a way that's lacking in many of today's broadcasters. He was thrilled with a win and saddened by a loss. Just like everyone who was listening to him. He was a fan and that's what made Philadelphia love him.

I'll miss the sound of his voice and I'll miss chatting with him.

[blondebaby589]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 3:26pm

We found out in my office about an hour ago, and we've got some die hard Phillies fans in here. It's truly a shame.

[wexy]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 4:29pm

Its sad news but his last moments were in the broadcast booth.
Rest in Peace.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 6:12pm

For anyone in the Philly area they're talking about Harry instead of doing a post game show on CSN. Seeing Michael Barkan so choked up has me in tears.

As did his moment of silence
MLB Video

[violet72]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 8:29pm

I am a die hard Phillies fan and Philles baseball is forever changed today.They lost their voice today. I have never watched or seen a game without Harry Kalas announcing it.I listened to the Phils game on the way home from Maryland and it was so sad and weird not to hear Harry call any of the homeruns.I will never forget watching the last inning of the World Series. I turned down the volume of my TV and turned my radio on so I could hear Harry make the call. Or during the ceremony after the parade how we all chanted his name.

This is the kind of person Harry was, my brother and his friends went to a game at Fenway Park in Boston. On their way out they saw the Phillies bus and saw Harry get on it. They stood outside of it and chanted his name. Harry got off the bus and talked to them, he took pictures and recorded outgoing messages for their cell phone voice mails. He spent an hour with them.

Harry was a classy man and a professional...he will be missed

[Icehouse Life]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 8:30pm

I'm glad he witnessed another Phillies WS title before he passed away. I know he had some health problems recently that required surgery in March, but the Phillies didn't disclose the reasons for it. It's already bad enough recently in baseball when the young Angels pitcher lost his life just days ago.

NFL Films won't be the same without his narrations, which helped sell them to the masses.

[violet72]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 8:41pm

He had heart surgery in Feb and had stints put in....he didn't look the same, you could tell he was not feeling well


They did a tribute to him on the news tonight and he first fell in love with baseball when he was at Kaminski Park, he got a signed ball from a Washington Senator and he said after that he was in love with baseball especially the Senators...how appropriate that he passed in the broadcast booth in Washington

[PB ENT.]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 9:56pm

RIP to a truly wonderful man! May his voice be in Philly's heart always.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/14/09 at 12:16pm

"He had heart surgery in Feb and had stints put in....he didn't look the same, you could tell he was not feeling well"

He's been looking quite gaunt for several years now. I felt like every time I saw him he looked thinner and less healthy than the last time I'd seen him. While the cause of his death still hasn't been revealed (and at this rate I'm doubting it will be) Harry was a fairly heavy smoker and, added to his heart issues, had to contribute to his untimely death.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 4/14/09 at 3:35pm

Harry was also the voice of the NFL, replacing another Philadelphia legend, John Facenda, upon his death. Kalas was the greatest voice in sports history, imo.

Speaking of John Facenda, his great voice was used for decades, for the John Wanamaker Christmas Light Show. Even after his death. Strangely, Macy's (which now occupies the John Wanamaker Building), redid the voiceover the accompanies the light show, with Julie Andrews!!! Nobody loves Julie more than me, but they really need to bring back John Facenda!

[Eris0303]

Posted: 4/16/09 at 1:37am

MLB Honors Kalas