In 1987, I was college student attending my first Spring Training games in Florida when I first met Harmon Killebrew.
Today, the Minnesota Twins legend, Hall of Fame baseball player passed away. As I listened to fans calling into local Twin Cities Sports station KFAN all day to share their stories about the Killer, I reflected on my encounter 24 years ago.
The Twins were playing a Spring Training game at Kissimee, Florida against the Houston Astros. On our way to the stadium I jotted a note to Harmon to let him know that me and my buddies would be in attendance. On my way up to the Press Box with the note in hand, I saw Harmon.
I walked up to him and said hello and introduced myself. We shook hands and chatted for a few brief minutes. As I handed him the note, I asked if he would mention me during the TV broadcast,
“Can you say hello to my friends and family and tell my parents back in South Dakota that I am here, watching the game and having fun?”
“Of course I will,” Harmon promised with a smile. I shook his hand and wished him well and to my surprise he responded,
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Anderson.”
Simple enough, but the story gets better. My parents video taped the game and gave me the tape which I recently converted for You Tube:
Later during our trip to Spring Training, I was on the field in Orlando, Florida before the Twins vs. Mets game. I met Steve Lombardozzi, the Twins 2nd baseman, by the batting cages and told him that I thought it was a really nice gesture of him to pay for a surgery of small kid from my hometown. Lombo was shocked when I mentioned this, stopping mid-swing to respond,
“How did you know about that?”
I told him that the story appeared in the Watertown local newspaper a few weeks prior. A short conversation ensued and Lombo asked if I could get him a copy of that news story. I mentioned that I would be at the home opener a week later vs Oakland, and that I would be happy to stop by and drop it off.
A man of my word, on Opening Day that year I showed up to the Metrodome with a copy of the Watertown Public Opinion, including the story about Lombardozzi. I walked into the Twins front office checked in at the front desk. I turned to sit down in the lobby and was greeted with a friendly, familar voice,
“Well hello there Mr. Anderson,” said the man known as the Killer, standing up to shake my hand like I was an old friend, “Did you have a good time at Spring Training?”
That was Harmon Killebrew, baseball legend, class act and Hall of Fame person. I still cannot believe that a major league legend would not only have the recall to remember the name a young college senior, but would also have the class to stand up and shake his hand a week later.
I am proud to have met this man, and more proud to say that I will be wearing my Harmon Killebrew jersey all year long this season at Target Field. God Bless #3!
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