His Last Hammer

Harmon Killebrew in 1963.

Harmon Killebrew died today. The Killer, Hammerin' Harmon, one of the most well-known Minnesota Twins players, drew his final breath and succumbed to a case of esophageal cancer that the doctors told him was no longer treatable. He announced last Friday that he was to enter hospice care, stating that "it is with profound sadness that I share with you that my continued battle with esophageal cancer is coming to an end."

For a guy known for gritty, hard-nosed play, these could not have been easy words to say. He never won a championship, but left a legacy of play that earned him a Hall of Fame induction in 1984 with a staggering eighty-three percent of the vote. Upon his retirement in 1975, his 573 home runs were fifth all-time, and thirty-six years later, he has dropped only to eleventh. He retired with a .256 average and an .885 OPS, along with 1,584 RBI and 2,086 hits. He was voted to an amazing thirteen All-Star teams, won the American League Most Valuable Player award in 1969, and had his #3 retired by the Minnesota Twins in 1975.

Perhaps his most admirable honor, however, was earning the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in 1971, an honor given to those who best portray Gehrig's exemplary integrity and character, both on and off the field. Since its creation in 1955, it has been awarded to such legends as Lou Brock, Hank Aaron, and Cal Ripken, Jr. See, if anyone remembers Killebrew for anything, it's being an all-around great guy. Playing in an era of hard-partiers like Mickey Mantle, Killebrew responded to a 1963 Sports Illustrated interview question of what he likes to do for fun with, "Well, I like to wash dishes, I guess."

Killebrew hit the longest measured home runs at Minnesota's Metropolitan Stadium (520 feet) and Baltimore's Memorial Stadium (471 feet), and was one of only four players to hit a home run over the left field roof of Tiger Stadium. His legacy is one of power, unassuming nature, and approachability. "Hammerin'" Harmon Killebrew was 74 years old.