Remembering Harry Kalas: Notable quotes

Mayor Nutter: "The one absolute constant with the Philadelphia Phillies was Harry Kalas ... My expectation is for a long, long time we will continue to hear the voice of Harry Kalas in a number of different ways."

Joe Paterno: "Harry did a wonderful job for Philadelphia in everything he did. He was fair in his reporting and enthusiastic about the games he covered. He was a class act, one of the greats in his profession, and will be missed."

'Action News' anchor Jim Gardner: "For me, he was the voice that meant the Phillies. For me, baseball always brought you back to your youth. He spoke the language of your youth. Whether the Phillies were winning or losing you could hear the love of baseball and the love of the Phillies in Harry's voice. It is a very sad day."

Andy Musser: "Harry was as good a colleague as any sportscaster could hope to have. He was easy to get along with and I certainly enjoyed my 26 years sharing the booth with Harry ... Harry showed me the ropes like only he could.

I am more than grateful and will miss him every day I am fortunate enough to remain on this earth."

Greg Luzinski: "We came up together. In my mind he was the Philadelphia Phillies. I've never heard a voice like his and I never will again. He was not only a great person, but a great friend."

San Francisco Giants announcer Jon Miller: "He was Phillies baseball. He was to Philadelphia what Vin Scully is to Southern California. There are generations of Phillies fans that have passed on to their kids what they learned from Harry, and I suppose that will be his legacy in Philadelphia."

Mike Schmidt: "I was saddened today to hear of the sudden passing of my longtime close friend Harry Kalas. I know I can speak for the Phillies when I say Harry Kalas was loved by everyone. All of us could relate to our daily confrontations with his smile, his charm, and his warmth. He spread his passion for people, and baseball, all over the country for almost 50 years. His voice will resonate in my mind the rest of my life. I will never be called 'Michael Jack' again without seeing his smile. I and my wife Donna pray for the entire Kalas family that they might find peace during this trying time."

Merrill Reese: "When you think of Harry, you think of the great, resonant voice, the great home run calls. When you think of Harry Kalas, you think of the legends - Vin Scully, Harry Caray, Jack Brickhouse. He belongs right in that group, announcers as big as or bigger than the players they cover."

Mitch Williams: "It was an honor to have Harry call ANY play I ever made. The fact that he called me Mitchy-poo on air. . . I didn't want anyone to know about that nickname, but somehow with Harry it was OK. He is probably one of two announcers that you didn't have to see to know who it was. He was the best!"

Former Phillies pitcher Geoff Geary: "He was kind of like a grandpa to us. He was a guy you could go to no matter the situation, he never judged, he always had kind words to say. I got traded last year in the offseason and he was the first one who called me. He treated you with respect and never acted like he was above anyone else ... the life he lived, his voice, everyone knew who he was. You hear about radio announcers, but Harry Kalas you could hear his voice miles away. He had one of those voices that everyone knew who he was."

Orioles announcer Gary Thorne: "How many generations grew up with Harry? You're talking about five or six generations. That's the voice they know. That won't go away. He did it with such class; completely professional, completely Philly. He was Philadelphia and Philadelphia became him."

Padres announcer Jerry Coleman: "The thing about Harry is that you always knew it was his voice. Didn't matter if it was those Chunky ads or the NFL or baseball. If you came into a room and heard his voice, you knew it was him."

Gov. Rendell: "Harry was a part of our lives in this region for amost four decades, an incredible period fo longevity for a sports announcer. He was a great announcer ... but more than that, he became your friend."

Jimmy Rollins: "He was more popular than the players. But once you first start learning the history, it's not surprising. I can remember thinking when I first got here, 'How is that?' But then you understand the history, and the times when he was working upstairs with Whitey, and the comedy show they had going on. You watch the old films and you can see why they love him so much."

Jamie Moyer: "I guess if it had to happen, if he had a choice, this is the place where it would have happened, at the ballpark. I think we'll look through a lot of great memories of Harry. I'm sure everybody has their own special story or their memories of him singing 'High Hopes.' A great ambassador for the game, and a great voice."

Charlie Manuel: "I think everybody knows how good Harry was. I'm sure everybody in Philadelphia is kind of sad right now. I loved listening to Harry. I was very fortunate to be around him quite a bit the last 5 years ... He's a treat ... I'll remember him as a guy who loved what he did."

Dodgers announcer Vin Scully: "He was a dear friend whom I've known, really, since 1971. We'd spend time in the booth, shooting the breeze before every Dodgers-Phillies game. He was not only a multitalented fellow with a wonderful voice. He was a lovely guy. I mean, everybody liked Harry. The city of Philadelphia will just be in mourning because they loved him so much."

Howard Deneroff, vice president/executive producer of Westwood One: "His imitable voice was familiar to so many, from his play-by-play of the Philadelphia Phillies to the drama of NFL Films and the excitement he brought to Westwood One's Sunday afternoon NFL broadcasts for more than two decades. We share in the loss of this one-of-a-kind hall of fame broadcaster with millions of sports fans around the world. We send our condolences to the Kalas family and those close to him. He will be missed."

Richard Ashburn, on behalf of the entire Ashburn family: "Our first thoughts go out to the entire Kalas family, we love you all and always will. We loved Harry in so many ways. He was like a father to me and my brother John. He was my father's best friend in life.

"My 4 sisters loved him dearly. I can honestly say he was a true friend to us, the Phillies and to the entire Delaware Valley. He will be missed but never forgotten. He kept my dad's spirit busy, I can tell you that. I want everyone to know how much time and energy he gave to the Richie Ashburn Baseball Foundation. His love for my father was endless. He made sure we got what was needed to make the foundation a success, and for that we will always be in debt to Harry.

"He was a gracious and kind man. He cared for all the people that were close to him and it showed.

"The Phillies have lost the greatest broadcaster of all time, but we will have some of the most spectacular memories to replay for years to come. Harry, we love you and all of Philadelphia loves you and always will."

Ron Reed: "He was one of my favorite people of all-time. We both loved to go to the dog track during spring training. Every day after the workout or game, we would sit by the pool and go over the track form for that night. If you didn't love Harry, something was wrong with you."

Glenn Wilson: "The greatest man I ever met, Harry Kalas. Kim and I named our youngest son after Harry Andrew Kalas Wilson. What a pleasure to have been able to be around him for four years."

Darren Daulton: "The Phillies organization took pride in making sure everyone felt like they were part of a family. All of the years I spent with Harry seemed to take it a step further. Harry was considered a teammate. Relationships and circumstances were certainly different back in the day ... we ate together, drank together, went on vacations together. There is a bond and level of respect that will remain always.

"As our loved ones pass on, it truly amazes me the impact they have made on so many lives. Harry obviously impacted us on a global scale. I have only been to Cooperstown once in my life ... the day Harry was inducted.

"Today the streets of Philadelphia mourn but the gates of Heaven are rejoicing ... 'For a wonderful man has fulfilled his obligation to society.' My heart and prayers go out to Eileen, Todd, Brad and Kane."

Comcast SportsNet Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Monihan: "Comcast SportsNet and the Philadelphia sports community lost a great man today. Harry Kalas was the voice of the Phillies and many of us grew up listening to his legendary calls. It was a pleasure to have him as part of our SportsNet family. We will miss him dearly. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Kalas family and the Phillies organization."

Comcast Sports Group President Jon Litner: "The passing of Harry Kalas leaves The Phillies, their fans, our viewers, and sports fans everywhere without a treasured voice and unique personality. Harry set the tone for the Phillies' successes, hopes and triumphs for 38 seasons and fittingly he died where he lived so large - in the broadcast booth at the ballpark. The sports broadcasting business has lost a legend and on behalf of our employees, our thoughts go out to his family."

Astros general manager Ed Wade, a former Phillies GM: "It's a very sad thing to have happen. You have over four decades of a guy being the voice of the Phillies. Everyone knew that Harry Kalas and Phillies baseball were intertwined ...

"On a personal level, I was a PR intern with the Phillies in 1977. He was nothing but kind to me then, and he treated me the same way when I was the general manager. It's the kind of person he was.

"He and Richie Ashburn were a team. To have both of them gone, that's a big hit to that organization."