Harmon Killebrew ranks 11th on baseball’s all time Home Run list with 573. He was an 11 time All Star and former MVP. He was inducted in the the Hall of Fame in 1984. He has been fighting Esophageal Cancer for the past few years and today he announced that his
fight is over. The 74 year old has elected to stop treatment and enter hospice care. This is a very sad day for the Killebrews and baseball. ‘Killer’ Killebrew holds the single season Twins records for Home Runs, RBIs, and Walks. His number is retired in Minnesota and outside Target Field there is a monument 520 feet from home plate, the distance of his longest homer.
Killebrew has been active in baseball since his retirement in 1975. He has continued to serve as a guest instructor for the Twins in Spring Training, even this season. He is revered in Minnesota and was scheduled to throw out the first pitch at a game in April, though he couldn’t make the trip. We at Off The Bench would like to wish our best to Mr. Killebrew and his family during these hard times. One of my fondest memories is watching an old video of a Home Run Contest between Killebrew and Henry Aaron with my dad when I was kid. Killebrew was an incredible talent and he will be missed.
One quick link today. Here is an article from the New York Times about nicknames. They were much better back in the days of Babe, the Iron Horse, Killer, Clyde, Dr. J, and Yogi.
-Max Frankel
