Steve and I took the kids to a Phillies baseball game a few years back where the ball club was handing out free stuffed toys commemorating the retired Phillies announcer Harry Kalas, the voice of the Phillies for more than 5,000 games between 1971-1997 and a Baseball Hall of Famer. Kalas’s trademark saying “It’s Outta Here!” was recorded on a chip in the doll and if you banged it on a table you got the full flavor of Kalas’s enthusiasm. Of course nobody in my crew wanted this item except me, but I was instantly smitten by the eerie resemblance captured in felt and embroidery and by the memorialization as a giveaway that would wind up a throw-away for most. The Robin on the left, that’s me giving Harry a kiss in dream land.
[Ed. note: And this just in from Artblog reader, Howard who corrects some of my information about Kalas who is apparently NOT retired from the Phillies and in fact is their main broadcaster listed on the team’s website.]
Here’s what Howard wrote:
In your post entitled “2005 — It’s Outta Here!” you referred to “retired Phillies announcer Harry Kalas.” I wasn’t sure if you were aware, but Harry is still working full-time with the Phillies; he even does football games for the Westwood One network in the off season.
Your post actually startled me a bit, but Happy New Year anyway!
-Howard
