ot: kirby puckett 1960-2006

[yeehawfactor]

:(
http://espn.go.com/

[Argos]

:(

[yeehawfactor]

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"If we had to lose and if one person basically was the reason -- you never want to lose -- but you didn't mind it being Kirby Puckett. When he made the catch and when he hit the home run you could tell the whole thing had turned," Smoltz said.

"His name just seemed to be synonymous with being a superstar," the Braves' pitcher said. "It's not supposed to happen like this."

Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk echoed Smoltz's sentiment.

"There was no player I enjoyed playing against more than Kirby. He brought such joy to the game. He elevated the play of everyone around him," Fisk said in a statement to the Hall

[Tony Edwards]

:( I am a Minneapolis native, and was able to go to Game 1 of the '91 Series at the Metrodome. Kirby was a true superstar, and this is a sad, sad day.

[Dr. Doofus]

man...memories of seeing that guy...first time doof saw him was at an illinois state-bradley baseball game...doof looked at him at thought "no way," then saw him run and swing...he was the most unlikely great player of his generation...speed, arm, power, average, fundamentals...and watching him, it made hack wilson all make sense -- little squat guy who could fly and do it all...forget about his off-field problems...along with sandberg and murphy, that guy was baseball for about ten years....

[Sandy]

My brother-in-law, David, who lived with my wife and me, was a gifted athlete. He loved baseball (at which he excelled) and Kirby Puckett was one of his favorites. Most unfortunately, David had terminal cancer, at a very young age, and was under heavy medication, at the time, at my home. There was an important game on TV in which Kirby was playing. At the beginning of the game, I looked at David and told him that Kirby was going to hit a homerun for him. I fell asleep on a small sofa and happened to awake just as Kirby was coming to bat. He hit a homerun that I will always remember. I think that David knew what happened, but I am not sure. It was only a few days later when David passed away at the age of 44.

David was a very special person. He was very intelligent, humble, remarkably giving, caring, and genuine. He lived in a very modest manner and had a heart of gold.


Sandy

[ergott]

He was a great man to watch play the game.

[JohnS]

man...memories of seeing that guy...first time doof saw him was at an illinois state-bradley baseball game...doof looked at him at thought "no way," then saw him run and swing...he was the most unlikely great player of his generation...speed, arm, power, average, fundamentals...and watching him, it made hack wilson all make sense -- little squat guy who could fly and do it all...forget about his off-field problems...along with sandberg and murphy, that guy was baseball for about ten years....
Geez, that's pretty good. You could figure all that out when you were only 14yrs old!

[Dr. Doofus]

illinois state university was 400m away from doof's high school...it helped that oodf was sitting next to his HS coach, who pointed Kirby out and said "now he's a prospect"...the wee doof just saw a short pudgy guy until he got out to center field...and doof didn't start thinking Hack Wilson until after Kirby had his 1987 power surge...looked Wilson back up in the Big Mac, saw the guys were the same size, and then it made sense how some pudgy drunk in the 1930s could play a mean center field....

[Jeff N.]

I can hear Chris Berman doing Sportscenter Highlights: "Kirby Puckett and the Union Gap". Only 45. What a loss. Jeff N.