Spring Break
Kalas' death stuns Baker
Mike Mazzeo
Issue date: 4/17/09 Section: News
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There was no microphone, no game to call, no names to announce, no grand audience. Just two men - two friends talking about baseball, family and longevity.
Kalas was hired as the Phillies' television/radio play-by-play announcer in 1971, the franchise's inaugural season at Veteran's Stadium, while Baker took over as the team's public address announcer a year later, in 1972.
The two men developed not only a friendship, but also a mutual admiration for one another as they became icons in Philadelphia while withstanding the test of time and change of venue. One set the stage, and the other one called, many of the greatest moments in Phillies' history.
Both Baker and Kalas were on field April 8 for the team's ring ceremony - the culmination of the 2008 Phillies' World Series championship. Kalas even threw out the first pitch to grand applause.
Unfortunately, it would be their last time together.
While preparing for an afternoon Phillies-Nationals broadcast April 13 in Washington D.C., Kalas passed out in the broadcast booth at approximately 12:20 p.m. He was given CPR by director of broadcasting Rob Brooks shortly after and rushed to George Washington University hospital where he was pronounced dead (due to what was found to be heart disease) an hour later. Kalas was 73.
"Harry the K," who was known for his signature home run call "Outta Here!" and singing Frank Sinatra's famous song "High Hopes," called over 6,000 games during his 44-year career in the booth. He was inducted into the broadcasting section of the baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.
Baker had just come home from a walk when he received a call from Comcast SportsNet asking him to do a live phone interview on the breaking newscast with his reaction to the grave and shocking news of his friend's death.
"Frankly, I was stunned," Baker, who also serves as the radio play-by-play announcer for the Drexel men's basketball team, said. "I was concerned for Harry's health since he had lost so much weight. I just hoped and prayed that he would just go on and on. Even though I was concerned for his long-term health, I didn't realize he was in any imminent danger; something so sad as that you're never prepared for."
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