I would have liked to chat with Harmon for a while, just because he seemed like such a quality guy....someone whose impact off the field was far greater than it was on the field --- which is saying something, since he's in the Hall of Fame and is widely considered one of the greatest home run hitters of all time.
He had the nickname "Killer," because he could just hit the living daylights out of a baseball. His homers weren't line drives that just happened to go over the fence. His homers were moon shots...the kind of hits they used tape measures on. If I remember correctly, he holds the record for longest homers hit in several stadiums. Because he didn't play in New York, he never got the credit he was due (by the sportswriters, anyway).
Other players knew how good he was, though. Managers, too. That's why he led the league in walks so many times. Remember how many times pitchers would walk Barry Bonds or Albert Pujols? That's what they did to Killebrew in his day.
Want to get a free drink at a bar some night? Just ask who hit the most home runs in the 1960s. It wasn't Willie Mays. It wasn't Hank Aaron. It wasn't Mickey Mantle.
It was Harmon Killebrew.
The irony of his nickname is that Harmon was such a gentleman if you met him off the field and didn't follow baseball you'd never peg him as one of the most feared hitters of his time. I'm reading story after story about how he would treat the rookies just up from the minors with the same dignity and respect that he would superstars of the game.
Killebrew died today at 74 of cancer. On the Royals broadcast tonight, Frank White talked about how much Killebrew loved milk shakes, and how he and Fran Healy would go out looking for milk shakes after every game.
He's probably in heaven having a milk shake with God now.
Rest in peace, Harmon.....
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