I’m not sure ANY words, could describe how tragic today is for baseball. Not only did the voice of my beloved Phillies pass in the broadcast booth hours before the game. Another good guy of the game died as well, Mark “the Bird” Fidrych was found dead around 2:30 in the afternoon.

The Bird was a National sensation in the mid seventies. His 18 starts attendance in Detroit, 1976 equaled half the Tigers home games combined when he was not the starter. His fans were called “Bird Watchers” for wishing to see this one of a kind character in person. The Bird would thank his teammates for their effort and thank them after any good play.

Aside from his odd side, Fidrych was a very humble man in a era of egomaniacs and two faced personas. The Bird’s nest was a small apartment, admitted without baseball he would have been a gas attendant. And worried his then league minimum of $16,000, would not cover the cost to send a letter back to all his fans who wrote him. Might explain why he checked every pay phone for change someone may have forgot. He was to 1970’s baseball, what Andy Kauffman was to 1970’s comedy.

Just a hour before in the Washington D.C. area a sports legend passed. Harry Kalas who recently turned 73, died hours before the Phillies afternoon game against the Nationals. Kalas a longtime Washington Senators fan died in the broadcast booth prepping for the game. Much like Tim Russert who passed prepping for Meet the Press, Harry died doing what he loved for a living.

Much like Dale Earnhardt, there was no place he would rather be to the end. Passing at the place you love, the sport you are a part of. But Harry was more than just Phillies baseball, and way more than soup!

Harry for many years was THE VOICE of NFL films, Westwood One NFL radio broadcast play by play, narrator to many film projects from Leatherheads to the Bethlehem, PA PBS documentary about NCAA’s longest football rivalry Lehigh vs Lafayette.

Harry was a guy well known for being truly, down to earth. Many people who dealt with him behind the scenes said how easy HE was to contact. You didn’t call “Harry’s people”, you called the man himself. Harry even gave a beer vendor from Philly his cell number, after she had a loss in her family.

In a odd twist Harry passed on the road during the season, like his best friend Richie Ashburn (better known as “Whitey” to Phillies fans.) It is as if Philly and the fans kept their spirits up, their hearts will always remain in South Philly. And ours will always be with them.

On assignment last Thursday I was at the Iron Pigs (Phillies AAA) home opener. I was planning to write in detail of the night. Larry Holmes tossed the first pitch. Kyle Kendrick was the Iron Pigs starter, and only lasted 4 innings with a 80 plus pitch count. I did get a picture of a Harry and Whitey bobble-head in the Iron Pigs radio booth.

Also I was going to write about Harry Kalas, and a snub from the Phillies recently. Harry was not given a World Series Ring. The equipment manager, and guy who booked the teams hotels on the road got rings. But the teams voice and icon did not. It may be moot now, but this guy spent nearly four decades traveling on the back of the plane with the players.

It was a tradition started by Richie Ashburn who became a Phillies announcer, the season after his last as a player. Ashburn was tight with the players of sixties and seventies. So was Harry in the seventies and beyond to 2009. Harry would sit and drink with the guys. His tightest bunch was the 1993 Phillies.(The ‘Wild Bunch’)

Most outside Philadelphia don’t know, but Harry was a very close to many from that team. Look at TV today ESPN has John Kruck, MLB Network gets Mitch Williams, and Phillies radio has Larry Anderson.

And no one in the Philadelphia Phillies team took it harder on camera than Larry Anderson. Another down to earth free spirit, like Ashburn. The last years at Veterans Stadium “LA” as he is called by Kalas, was by his side in the booth. A few years into Citizens Bank Park “LA” was moved to Radio only. I never missed the 4th to hear him and Harry.

And nothing beat Harry calling a Daily News home run payoff on radio. Nothing ever beat a Harry Kalas long ball call. His last game had two, one from Chase Utley, and a 9th inning pinch hit bomb by Matt Stairs. We will miss you Harry! But in heaven PLAY BALL!

Spike Rogan is a Correspondent for Sports Overnight America, Weekend Edition. He can be e-mailed at spikerogan@earthlink.net , is on Twitter with the user name spikerogan.
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