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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2009 > April > 13
Monday, April 13, 2009
Kalas: the voice from on high
Nobody could say, “Hi, Hal McCoy, how are you?” like Harry Kalas. It was like the voice of God, a deep, low rumble that sounded as if it came from the clouds.
When Kalas spoke to you, he could be behind you and across the room and you knew instantly who it was. If you turned around and didn’t see him, you still knew — Harry Kalas is in this room.
Kalas, the legendary Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster and the voice of NFL Films, died today. He was 73. They found him in the broadcast booth at the Washington Nationals stadium.
Knowing Kalas as I did, that’s the way he preferred it. If he had to go, take him in a broadcast booth. As good as he was as a broadcaster, he was a better person. He was everybody’s friend with a kind, thoughtful and upbeat word for everybody.
I used to play tennis with and against him in the 1970’s. It would be me and another member of the Reds traveling party — trainer Larry Starr or fellow journalist Greg Hoard — against Kalas and Richie Ashburn. It was intense. All four of us were intense competitors and many “discussions” developed over line calls. Harry was always the first to say, “Ah, give it to ‘em. It’s only a game.”
Baseball was more than a game to Kalas. It was his passion and his life. He was 73 and was not even thinking about retirement.
Marty Brennaman made an interesting remark. Kalas and Ashburn were very, very, very close. Like twins. “When Richie died (about 10 years ago), I don’t think Harry got over it.”
And they’ll never get over Kalas in Philadelphia and I’ll never forget the way he said, “Hi, Hal McCoy. How are you?” Nobody else could send shudders through me just by uttering those simple words.
LATER IN THE DAY it was announced that former Detroit pitcher Mark “The Bird” Fidrych died. Fidrych was famous for standing on the mound and holding the baseball in his palm as he leaned his head forward and actually talked to the baseball, told it what to do. For one year, it obeyed and Fidrych was a one-year legend.
Then the baseball quit listening and Fidrych faded away.
Said manager Dusty Baker, with oh-so-true words: “Death has no season.”
THE REDS OPEN an 11-day, 10-game trip through three NL Central cities tonight in Milwaukee, the first of three, followed by four in Houston and three in Chicago.
Interesting matchup: Cincinnati’s Edinson Volquez vs. Milwaukee’s Yovani Gallardo (1-0, 2.70), two Latin zingers. One difference: Volquez has the bullpen to back him up, Gallardo has the bullpen to make him sick.
Amazingly, the two 39-year-old Reds in the ‘pen have done nothing so far but throw strikes. LHP Arthur Rhodes and RHP David Weathers have combined to retire all 13 batters they’ve faced. And between the two they have thrown 42 pitches, 35 strikes. Rhodes is 27 for 31 with strikes and Weathers is 8 for 11.
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