Rest In Paradise

After what's been an emotional first week of Baseball due to the Adenhart tragedy, more sorrow was felt throughout the Baseball world this weekend. This time with the death of 2 of Baseball's most interesting and one of a kind characters. Harry Kalas was most famous for calling Phillies games for 39 long years, and was also known as "The Voice of Philadelphia." On April 13, 2009, prior to the Washington Nationals' home opener against the Phillies, Kalas collapsed in the press box, and was discovered around 12:30 PM. Doctors later confirmed that Kalas suffered a massive heart attack due to heart disease. Many said he went out the best way he could, at the ballpark. After the devastating news was heard throughout the rest of Philly, one broadcaster went on to say, "Philadelphia has lost its voice." Kalas was 73 years old.



Also to leave us was former Detroit Tiger Mark "The Bird" Fidrych. Fidrych was found dead on April 13, 2009, according to the Worcester District Attorney's office. The D.A.'s office said Fidrych was found by a family friend beneath his 10 Wheeler dump truck at his Northborough home around 2:30 p.m. He appeared to have been working on the truck at the time of the accident. Fidrych (A 2-Time All-Star & Former Rookie of the Year) was a fan favorite and better known on the Baseball Diamond for his weird on the field antics. He would do such oddity's as crouch down on the pitcher's mound and fix cleat marks, what became known as "manicuring the mound", and would talk to the ball. He was given the nickname "The Bird" due to his resemblance of The Sesame Street character "Big Bird." No pitcher showed the type of emotion Fidrych had while playing the game. Fidrych was only 54 years old.