Harry Kalas, the voice of the Philadelphia Phillies, was found unconscious earlier today in the Washington Nationals' broadcast booth, where he was preparing to work the Nats-Phillies game. He was taken to the hospital, where he later passed away. Cause of death is as yet unknown.
The death of Mr. Kalas yet another step closer to the end of the broadcasting age, it seems. Of the great old broadcasters, only a couple are left. Vin Scully, out in Los Angeles, is the grand old man of them all now. (Confession time: I've never really liked Scully. I like a little more energy. There. I just had to get that off my chest.) Milo Hamilton still does a very limited schedule of games in Houston, and Dave Niehaus is still the voice of the Seattle Mariners after all these years, and that's pretty much it.
Harry Caray is gone. Mel Allen is gone. Jack Buck, still the greatest of them all in my ever so humble opinion, is gone. The days of tuning the radio to the ballgame and knowing instantly who you were listening to seem to be numbered.
You know the voice of Harry Kalas, even if you don't realize it. In addition to broadcasting for the Phillies, Kalas was also the narrator for all the NFL Films productions. Here, try this: just imagine the words, "Doomsday Defense." Okay, that voice you hear saying it? That's Harry Kalas.
