The snapshot is from the Mayor's Box at McKechnie Field a few years ago when the Phillies were in town.
The visiting team's radio booth is next door and when he came out between innings I introduced myself and asked if he'd mind having a picture taken with me.
It was Harry Kalas.
"The Voice of Summer," I said, giving the longtime Phillies announcer an appreciative hug.
His passing Monday at 73 saddened millions in baseball and spurred so many memories.
Mine are of summer vacations in South Jersey where the family's lived for 40 years.
Going to Phillies games at the Vet. July 4th fireworks. The whole brood getting in for cheap. Soft pretzels a buck a bag.
Harry Kalas's sweet-sounding voice conjured up all of that.
Especially summers at the beach house my brothers, Jimmy and Joey, have rented forever in Surf City, N.J. Evenings on the deck listening to the ocean waves and the Phillies at twilight.
I was thinking of that when Jimmy called Monday.
You hear about Harry Kalas? he asked.
Yes, I said. Where are you?
His answer made me smile.
They were on the deck at the beach house.
Jimmy and Joey had driven to Surf City Monday to put a deposit on the place for mid-July and swung by the beach house when someone texted them about Kalas's death.
So they were feeling it, too.
Our "Voice of Summer" is silent.
The visiting team's radio booth is next door and when he came out between innings I introduced myself and asked if he'd mind having a picture taken with me.
It was Harry Kalas.
"The Voice of Summer," I said, giving the longtime Phillies announcer an appreciative hug.
His passing Monday at 73 saddened millions in baseball and spurred so many memories.
Mine are of summer vacations in South Jersey where the family's lived for 40 years.
Going to Phillies games at the Vet. July 4th fireworks. The whole brood getting in for cheap. Soft pretzels a buck a bag.
Harry Kalas's sweet-sounding voice conjured up all of that.
Especially summers at the beach house my brothers, Jimmy and Joey, have rented forever in Surf City, N.J. Evenings on the deck listening to the ocean waves and the Phillies at twilight.
I was thinking of that when Jimmy called Monday.
You hear about Harry Kalas? he asked.
Yes, I said. Where are you?
His answer made me smile.
They were on the deck at the beach house.
Jimmy and Joey had driven to Surf City Monday to put a deposit on the place for mid-July and swung by the beach house when someone texted them about Kalas's death.
So they were feeling it, too.
Our "Voice of Summer" is silent.
Here in South Jersey, tributes and flowers are popping up everywhere and Local News shows are devouting hours of broadcasts to the great Harry Kalas. Neighbors and fans alike, colleagues and players all sharing your sentiment....God speed to him.
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