Apr 18, 2009 11:33 pm US/Eastern
Fans, Phillies Hold Tribute For Harry Kalas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS3/AP) ―
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The Kalas family and the Phillies have announced that a memorial tribute for Harry Kalas will be held at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday, April 18.
CBS
Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas was honored by the Philadelphia Phillies in a moving ceremony before Friday night's game against San Diego.
After a video tribute, Kalas' three sons, Todd, Brad and Kane, threw ceremonial pitches to Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt, John Kruk and Jimmy Rollins.
Kane Kalas then sang the national anthem while Rollins held a pair of Kalas' customary white loafers and Chase Utley held Kalas' blue sportcoat.
"Harry Kalas, if you can look past Ben Franklin and William Penn, may have been the greatest person to grace Philadelphia in the history of the city," Schmidt said.
Citizens Bank Park was transformed into a shrine for Kalas, who joined the Phillies in 1971. A billboard with Kalas' initials around a microphone was placed on the wall in left-center field. Kalas' signature was displayed on the field behind first base and third base.
The television booth was named the Harry Kalas Broadcast Booth. A plaque with Kalas' picture was hung on the wall and it read, "That ball's outta here!"
A black drape hung in front of the Phillies radio and TV booths and the Phillies flag in Ashburn Alley was at half-mast. There was no announcer commentary during the first half-inning of the game televised by Comcast Network Philadelphia.
Outside, fans continued to place flowers, pictures and other memorials honoring Kalas at Schmidt's statue.
"I'm honored that fans would think of my statue as a place to honor Harry's life," Schmidt said.
During the seventh-inning stretch Friday night, the team played a video of Kalas singing Frank Sinatra's "High Hopes." The Phillies are wearing a black, circular "HK" patch on the front of their jerseys the rest of the season, near the heart.
Known for his signature "Outta here!" home run calls, Kalas died
Monday after collapsing in the broadcast booth before the Phillies' 9-8 victory
over the Washington Nationals. He was 73.
Beverly Fields, a spokeswoman at the Washington
D.C. chief medical examiner's
office, said Tuesday that an autopsy showed Kalas had atherosclerotic
cardiovascular disease. The disease, in which plaque buildup restricts blood
flow in arteries, is a major cause of heart attacks and strokes.
Funeral services and burial will be private and held early next week.
Kalas is survived by his wife and three sons, one of whom is a broadcaster for
the Tampa Bay Rays.
Throughout the remainder of the season, a billboard honoring Harry will be
displayed on the outfield wall and following every Phillies home run, Harry's
legendary "Outta Here!" home run call will be played over the PA
system as the Liberty Bell lights up.
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(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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