KIRBY PUCKETT #34 - FAREWELL

Now batting, for the Twins, wearing number thirty-four, KIRBY PUCKETT!

It’s been a long time since Twins fans heard that announcement resonating through the Metrodome’s loudspeakers. But the player who was being announced, affectionately known as “The Puck” will live forever in the memories of the those fans of the Minnesota Twins who were fortunate enough to have seen him play.

Kirby Puckett passed away on Monday, March 6th, unable to recover after suffering a massive stroke.

A makeshift Memorial to the man who would have to be considered one the most popular, if not the most popular of Minnesota’s professional athletes, was set up in front of the Metrodome with many fans memorializing his passing with signs, flowers and candles. Throughout the Internet hundreds of blogs are being written about his career, many of them written by fans of opposing teams who could not help but be captivated by his seemingly unending smile, his love for the game he played so well, and his friendship with the fans that had watched him play.

The record book will show…

PUCKETT, KIRBY

AL

MINESOTA TWINS 1984-1995

Average 318

414 Doubles

207 Home Runs

Scored- 1071 runs drove in- 1085 in 1783 career games.

He won two World Series with the Twins in 1987 and 1991, their only World Series Championships.

He appeared in ten straight All Star Games.

Puckett was a six time Golden Glover.

What the record book will not show is how many times Kirby Puckett autographed baseballs or other memorabilia for charities in the Twin Cities. It also won’t contain information on how often Kirby Puckett took the time to pause and chat with young fans as he signed their glove or their program or pennant after a game. He not only chatted with the kids, he charmed them with his captivating smile. Only those that were there could really tell you how this man’s personality shined through. He loved being around people and particularly he loved kids. His smile will be engraved in the memories of those kids, grown up now, but forever fans of the Twin who had his career cut short far too soon due to Glaucoma. In 1993 Puckett was awarded the Branch Rickey Award for community service.

Kirby Puckett had had his own personal issues; he had difficult family problems ending in a divorce and also had to defend sexual harassment charges from which he was acquitted. After his baseball career ended he worked for a while in the Twins front office that didn’t pan out for him. He left Minnesota to live in Arizona in 2003, some say to escape the ensuing controversy from his court case and from unsavoury comments made by an ex girl friend which made Puckett to appear far less than the icon that fans felt him to be.

Sure he may have had problems in his personal life, but in the current era of Baseball’s egoists such as Barry Bonds, it’s refreshing to think back and remember one who loved the game and it’s young fans as much as Kirby Puckett did.  Minnesota fans are not so much mourning the loss of Kirby Puckett as they are fondly reliving in their minds, his unforgettable and wonderful career and all of his great accomplishments as a Minnesota Twin. 

Kirby Puckett made us realize that baseball after all is just a game and it’s really a lot of fun to play.