The Speckled Mind

Monday, March 06, 2006

Sad Passing of a Hero

Well, I'm really bummed. Kirby Puckett was a hero...a childhood idol, really. If there is one baseball player I wanted to be like when I was a kid, it was Puck.

There are certain moments that you never forget. Our generation will never forget where they were when the news of 9/11 hit. My parents generation will never forget when and how the news of JFK's assassination hit them. First man on the moon, first round the world flight...

Me? Game 6 of the '91 series. Kirby robbed Ron Gant and hit a homerun in the 11th to send it to game 7. "We'll see ya tomorrow night." And we did. We saw the Twins triumph over the (still) evil Braves, snagging their second series in four years' time. And Puck was our hero. **Sigh**

A few days ago, Jessica looked at me with great concern in her eyes and pondered the possible retirement of her childhood hero (Brett Favre). Enjoy his heroics while you can, my dear. Life moves too quick.

Rest in peace, Kirby. You brought me joy.

5 Comments:

  • *sigh*

    He was a great player, that's for sure. And he was a Twin from beginning to end, which is rare and special.

    My favorite player as a kid was Wade Boggs. But he turned out to be a bit of a freak. And worse than that — a Yankee.

    It's a sad day in the Twin Cities, but maybe they're handing out Homer Hankeys in heaven.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:04 AM  

  • I guess you don't hear about these things in "evil Braves" country. I was sad to see he passed, but I do have to defend the Braves... they are not evil. As a small child watching the World Series in Atlanta, that game 6 was quite sad. But I can say that Kirby was a great ball player. RIP.

    By Blogger Jess(ica), at 1:53 PM  

  • Timmer, people who know me today probably do not imagine me as a six year old boy fighting over "who got to be Kirby" in a game of kickball or backyard baseball. But I'll let you in on a secret, I have always been a baseball guy. Football is fine for sunday afternoons, but baseball... thats an every day thing. Growing up in a small town in Minnesota, almost every summer day involved watching, listening to, or playing a baseball game of some sort. Kids in my town didn't "want to be like Mike", the good guy in our game was always that short guy with the big smile. Its odd how much of an emotional attachment one can develop to a person without ever actually meeting them. Elementary school, junior high and highschool, 1987,1991, fishing trips, hunting trips, picnics, camping, learning to ride a bike or drive a car, warm summer nights with my friends or family, baseball was a thread that wove it all together, and Kirby was always there. No other public figure captured my heart like Kirby.

    By Blogger Post_Fidelitas, at 10:47 PM  

  • Thanks for those words, PF--it was a glimpse into my own childhood. I actually didn't know you were a baseball guy--I would love to catch a game with you this summer.

    Oh, and Jess--defend the Braves as much as you like. Braves fan-dom is just another one of those things I don't understand about the deep south.

    Zalm--I was also a big Boggs fan. He was almost as hard a worker as Puckett on the field. I can forgive some for joining the Yanks--but not Jonny Damon. That was just despicable.

    By Blogger timmer k., at 9:06 AM  

  • Johnny Damon joined the Yanks? He's dead to me now.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:03 PM  

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