Author: David Shama

Thanks to the many readers who responded on Monday to the Sports Headliners tribute to Harmon Killebrew.  Among those who emailed was a fan who said his dad still watches Twins games wearing a Killebrew jersey, and another emailer who wrote: “I have never blogged, called in or sent fan mail but felt compelled to tell you today’s column re: Harmon was ABSOLUTE PERFECTION.”

Local author Dave Wright, who wrote a book about the greatest Twins wins, recalled via email watching Killebrew, a home run hitting legend who passed away yesterday.  “When I was a kid in Detroit, he was one of the ‘uh-oh’ guys.  Whenever he came to the plate, you would hear a lot of ‘uh-ohs’ in the stands.”

The Toronto team that swept the Twins in three consecutive games in Minneapolis last weekend is 5-1 against Minnesota this season.  The Blue Jays have outscored the Twins 44-14.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien told Sports Headliners that Orono senior guard Jordan Smith, who visited St. Louis University last week, has been offered a basketball scholarship by coach Rick Majerus.  Another source said via email that Smith will make a decision on the offer by today.

This past season’s St. Louis roster included Jordair Jett from St. Paul and Grant Gehlen from Edina.

Lien also said Bloomington Jefferson guard Marcus Alipate will play basketball for St. Thomas.

It’s worth a web search to find Bill Simmons’ recent espn.com column on North Dakota native and former Lakers’ coach Phil Jackson.  Simmons writes convincingly that Jackson’s physical miseries are such a problem that the 11-time NBA championship coach will never coach again.

Quoting Gophers’ athletic director Joel Maturi in the May 9 issue of Sporting News Magazine about whether college athletes should be compensated beyond tuition, room, board, books and fees:  “I believe that for those kids in need, I have no problems getting them aid to help with cost of attendance (at school).  They should be able to buy laundry detergent and go out if they want and have a good time.  And they all have access to the Pell Grants, where they can get more resources.

“I don’t think it’s necessary beyond that.  If they’re doing what they’re supposed to do and we help them with the costs of the education, that’s a pretty damn good payment.  Now, if they don’t get a degree and we only use them to win a championship, that’s not really a good thing for anybody.”

Gophers’ football coach Jerry Kill makes promotional stops in Hutchinson, Willmar and Mankato tomorrow.  “On the Road with Coach Kill” will continue on June 6 with visits to Red Wing, Rochester and Owatonna.  The tour ends July 7-8 in Brainerd.

Although the Vikings need wide receivers, incarcerated Plaxico Burress isn’t likely to come here next month when released from prison, but his name is being rumored with a few teams including the Jets and Rams.

Marian Gaborik told the Minnesota Wild Radio Network he was “shocked and devastated” by the death of former teammate Derek Boogaard.  “Really, we were pretty close,” Gaborik said.  “It’s just hard.”  The two played together with both the Wild and the Rangers.

In journalism school they taught us to be objective in our reporting.  Write the news with accuracy, balance and fairness.  No biases…keep your personal feelings out of the news.

With Harmon Killebrew it’s an impossible assignment.  He’s been a hero to Minnesotans for six decades and deservedly so.  The greatest slugger in Minnesota Twins history commanded our attention with his work on and off the field, but now he’s in the news because esophageal cancer will end his life.

Killebrew is in hospice and issued this statement late last week:  “It is with profound sadness that I share with you that my continued battle with esophageal cancer is coming to an end.  With the continued love and support of my wife, Nita, I have exhausted all options with respect to controlling this awful disease.  My illness has progressed beyond my doctors’ expectation of cure.

“I have spent the past decade of my life promoting hospice care and educating people on its benefits.  I am very comfortable taking this next step and experiencing the compassionate care that hospice provides.

“I am comforted by the fact that I am surrounded by my family and friends.  I thank you for the outpouring of concern, prayers and encouragement that you have shown me.  I look forward to spending my final days in comfort and peace with Nita by my side.”

The statement reflects the character of Killebrew.  The words are consistent with the grace and class with which he lived his life.  Unlike so many athletes, Killebrew was a man who thought not just of himself, but how he could acknowledge and serve others including through the nonprofit Harmon Killebrew Foundation.

During the last several years Killebrew, who lives in Arizona, came here to help the Twins Community Fund and the Miracle League of Minnesota, a charitable organization providing children with mental and/or physical challenges an opportunity to play baseball on a team in an organized league.  Miracle League rules stipulate that every child must bat and score a run in a game.  “You should see the smiles on their faces when they do that,” Killebrew told Sports Headliners in 2009.  “It’s just great. …”

Killebrew announced in December that he had esophageal cancer.  The five-year survival rate is less than 25 percent.  But Killebrew had been predictably upbeat about his chances and in March even visited the Twins in spring training.

Twins officials had hoped he could travel to Minneapolis to throw out the first pitch for the home opener on April 8.  Instead, Killebrew remained in Arizona to continue treatment.

Those who wanted to see Killebrew and applaud him hoped for that opportunity on June 29, his 75^th birthday.  He was scheduled to be in town for his charity golf event and the Twins are home that day against the Dodgers.  Twins marketing executive Patrick Klinger said in April the club planned to recognize Killebrew on his birthday.

Killebrew won’t stand on the Target Field grass on June 29 and receive a long standing ovation from the fans, but we can cheer for this remarkable man right now who has meant so much to the region and fans across America.  Whether through smiles or tears, his admirers should view his life not with sadness but celebration.

Killebrew came here with the Twins at age 24 after the franchise relocated from Washington, D.C. following the 1960 season.  The Washington Senators had signed him to a $50,000 bonus contract at 17 years old.  He grew up in Idaho as a legendary high school athlete who could have played quarterback in college football.

Baseball rules back then required players who received bonus contracts to play their first two seasons with the major league team.  During his first five years in the major leagues Killebrew played in a total of only 113 games, but in 1959 he had a breakthrough season hitting 42 home runs and driving in 105 runs for the Senators.

He hit over 40 home runs eight times during his major league career that ended in 1974.  His 573 career home runs ranked 11^th on baseball’s all-time list entering this season and he was third among American League players, trailing only Babe Ruth and Alex Rodriguez.

The “Killer” was known not only for his many home runs but the distance he hit them. A stocky 5-11 slugger, he had extraordinary strength, and the tale is he inherited his muscle from a grandfather who reportedly was the strongest man in the Union Army during the Civil War.