By Jonathan Atwood on April 13th, 2009 10:57 PM

As many of you know by now, Harry Kalas, the Hall of Fame Voice of the Philadelphia Phillies, died Monday. He was 73.

Kalas collapsed just before 12:30 PM in the place that he felt most comfortable, and the place in which he provided all of us with comfort, the press box. It’s a fitting end to an amazing story. It’s cliched, yes, but it’s a storybook ending.

Harry was finally able to do in 2008 what he had been waiting to do for 43 years. He was unable to call the final out of the 1980 World Series because local radio broadcasters were blocked out from the playoffs and the World Series. As a result of an overwhelming outcry from Phillies’ fans about not being able to listen to Kalas call the game, that rule was changed three years later.

There was no triumphant final out of the 1993 World Series for Kalas to call, so it wasn’t until 28 years later that Harry the K was able to say, with clear jubilation,

“Brad Lidge stretches. The 0-2 pitch – swing and a miss, struck him out! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of Baseball!”

It was fitting that Kalas lived long enough to see the Phillies win just their second World Series, and make that call. Sadly, Kalas will not be around for the third.

As team President David Montgomery said when he announced that Kalas had passed away,

“We have lost our voice.”

The passing of Kalas is particularly emotional for Montgomery, who came to the Phillies in 1971, the same year as HK.

Kalas began his major league broadcasting career in 1965 with the Houston Astros. Phillies Chairman, Bill Giles, was the Promotions Director with the Astros when Kalas came on board. Giles became the Vice President of Business Operations with the Phillies in 1969 and when the team was preparing to move into it’s then new ballpark, Veteran’s Stadium, he decided he wanted Kalas to come to the east coast.

Giles brought Kalas in to replace Bill Campbell, the then very popular Phillies broadcaster, and to be the Master of Ceremonies for the opening of the new stadium. He was initially paired with Byrum Saam and Richie “Whitey” Ashburn. Saam retired in 1975 and was replaced by Andy Musser.

Kalas and Ashburn broadcasted Phillies games together for 27 years and quickly became best friends. They were together until September 9, 1997, when Whitey passed away in his sleep of a heart attack in a New York City hotel after calling a Phillies-Mets game at Shea Stadium.

Kalas often said that he was still grieving the loss of his great friend, even 11 plus years later. One of HK’s most memorable speeches came when he gave the eulogy at Ashburn’s funeral.

While Kalas’ eulogy was a memorable speech, as was his speech at his Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Kalas was most well known for his distinctive in-game calls, most notably home runs.

His signature line, “That balls’ outta here!” originated in the 1970’s. Kalas was standing around the batting cage one day with several of the Phillies players when Greg Luzinski hit a ball into the upper deck. Then shortstop Larry Bowa remarked by saying, “Wow. That’s way outta here.” Kalas decided that had a unique ring to it and has been using it ever since.

Kalas called hundreds of home runs in his 40 plus year career, but none are more famous than his call of Mike Schmidt’s 500 homerun.

“Swing and a long drive, there it is, number 500! The career 500th home run for Michael Jack Schmidt!”

Kalas was there for the Phillies Pennant victory in 1993, when “Wild Thing” Mitch Williams struck out the Braves’Bill Pecota.

“Swing and a miss!!! Struck him out! The Phillies…are the ‘93…National League Champions!!!”

However, Phillies’ fans favorite Harry Kalas call is the one that HK waited so long to make.

“One strike away; nothing-and-two, the count to Hinske. Fans on the their feet; rally towels are being waved. Brad Lidge stretches. The 0-2 pitch — swing and a miss, struck him out! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball! Brad Lidge does it again, and stays perfect for the 2008 season! 48-for-48 in save opportunities, and watch the city celebrate! Don’t let the 48-hour wait diminish the euphoria of this moment, and the celebration. And it has been 28 years since the Phillies have enjoyed a World Championship; 25 years in this city with a team that has enjoyed a World Championship, and the fans are ready to celebrate. What a night!”

The final homerun that Kalas called was the game winning pinch hit homerun by Matt Stairs in the top of the ninth on Easter Sunday against the Colorado Rockies. It was vintage Harry.

“Long drive into deep center field, this ball is outta here! Matt Stairs with a two-run pinch hit homerun. And the Phillies have taken a 7-5 lead here in the ninth inning and battled all the way back.”

It is fitting that Kalas’ final homerun call was hit by Stairs, who hit one of the most famous Phillies’ homeruns in Game 4 of last year’s NLCS, another shot to win the game.

The final call of Kalas’ career, while not as exciting as the final homerun call or the World Series call, memorable as the final call of an illustrious career. With a one ball, two strike count to Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitsky

“Bouncing ball to Chase Utley, should be the game. Chase throws him out and that will be it as the Phils win two out of three here at Coors Field, coming back to take this one by a score of 7-5.”

Utley is the subject of one of Kalas’ most famous calls. During a game in 2007, on a routine ground out to first base by one of his Phillies’ teammates, Utley caught everyone off guard by charging to homeplate, scoring a run. The move so impressed Kalas, he yelled,

“Chase Utley, you are the man!”

After hearing the sad news of his death early Monday afternoon, many of the Phillies’ players remarked at how happy they were that they could give Harry that one final gift. Unfortunately, we will never be able to give to Harry enough to make up for what he gave to us. Harry loved to sing the song High Hopes, and that is just what he gave to every fan who listened to him. Even though he called games for a lot of bad Phillies teams, his style and his demeanor always gave you the impression that something great was about to happen.

What made Kalas so endearing to the fans, and the players, was that it was so apparent that he was just as big a fan as those in the stands. Harry loved the game of baseball, loved the Philadelphia Phillies, loved the Philadelphia fans. He often remaarked that waht kept him coming back year after year was that every single day he came to the ballpark he saw something brand new.

In 2002, when Kalas was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, he ended his beautiful speech with this poem to the fans:

This is to the Philadelphia fan.
To laud your passion as best I can. Your loyalty is unsurpassed.
Be the Fightins in first or last.

We come to the park each day,
looking forward to another fray.

Because we know you’ll be there,
we know you really care.

You give the opposing pitcher fits
because as one loyalist shouts, everybody hits.

To be sure in Philly, there might be some boos.
Because you passionate fans, like the manager, hate to lose.

Your reaction to the action on the field that you impart,
spurs as broadcasters to call the game with enthusiasm and heart.

We feel your passion through and through.
Philadelphia fans, I love you.

Harry, we love you. Thank you, and tell Whitey we said hi.

The Voice is now silent.