Phillies smoke cigarette in dugout as pre-game tribute to Harry Kalas
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Phillies smoke cigarette in dugout as pre-game tribute to Harry Kalas
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
This just in. . .
One of the coolest tributes I have heard of thus far took place in the Phillies dugout prior to their 9-8 win over the Washington Nationals today. Several Phillies, including center fielder Shane Victorino, first baseman Ryan Howard and reliever Scott Eyre, lit up a cigarette and passed it around in honor of Kalas, whose smoking habit was almost as legendary as his play-by-play calls.
Victorino said the tribute, which was captured by television cameras, was a fitting one.
"I asked for it and a couple of other guys thought it would be cool to do," he said. "It was like, why not? So we called who we could -- I forget who had 'em, but we got 'em.
"I just thought, what did you always see him doing, other than broadcasting or being with his family? It's an HK thing, you know? It's so sad. Just sad."
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I really don't think smoking in front of the cameras, and kids seeing it, is a good thing. Bad choice of expression, to honor a great man. First Utley cursing and now this. Arb, you are wrong.— FJG JR- This is such a sad situation and I do understand the players wanting to do something in tribute to him. I just think celebrating his unhealthy habit is not the best way to go. I'm not saying the players smoking one cigarette is going to cause all the kids out there to smoke. I just would have like to seen them do something else. If they really wanted to do a tribute using his smoking I agree with Mike that it could have been done in the clubhouse or maybe light a cigarette in honor of him and let it burn instead of the players smoking it.— tysephie
- And I agree with everyone who said it looks more like they are smoking pot then a cigarette.— tysephie
- Heres the deal, you always will always have idiots who haven't got a clue and will never get it and then you'll have what the Philles did yesterday as real mans tribute to one of there own just a like vet who will lay a pack of smokes and lighter down beside a freind on the wall or monument.. its that simple..— onetimer
- Whitey and you Harry........perfect together forever. Your memory will be with Phillie fans for generations to come, God bless you and thanx for ALL he memories.— gogetem
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- You said it all onetimer...it IS that simple. Yet these people keep trying to twist it into an anti-smoking crusade.— mem
- Take it for what is was, TheWire, a phreak'n Phillies-style tribute. RIP Harry - you will be missed. Raise a glass with Whitey today...— sarnell
- Lighten up TheWire, others - it was a sincere and fitting tribute.— lentonc
- smoking may have contributed to his death, or maybe set a bad example to the children, but it also made his voice sound like it did. that silky smooth sound combined with the dark richness was because of smoking...the tribute was great, quite franky i wish it was a cigar, but i am sure it made Harry smile.— | scuba |
- What a pitiful bunch of whiners, I urge everyone to light one up in Harrys memory at the Phils next home game when he'll surely be honored by the team.— TomM
- Nosmoke, the wire: Would you have told Harry to his face that he should not smoke cigarettes? The man lived the way he wanted to, and that is to be respected no matter what your opinions on smoking. How trivial and small minded can you get? Smoking in the dugout was as fitting a tribute as there could have been.— sla6yer
- WOW,I can;t belive, i did the exact same thing.smoking a cigarette was a true feeling of tribute to the Man,of course the non smokers will bg to differ,we all handle death in our own ways.— JOHN/UNITED
- oh please, are all you people without a vice? If Harry enjoyed a smoke to celebrate a win, who are you to question the phillies honoring him this way? Grow up. You're probably still upset about Utley's speech.— HeatherP
