Kirby Puckett 1960-2006

Kirby Puckett passed away tonight. He was one of the most beloved sports figures ever to grace the Twin Cities sports scene. Puckett was generous, joyous, and blue-collar. He always had time to stop and autograph a kid’s baseball, or pose for a picture with a fan. And no one ever questioned his work ethic or heart. Puckett gave it his all, all the time. You could not ask for more as a team-owner, a coach, a teammate, or a fan.

After retirement, Kirby’s marriage fell-apart after his mistress publicly disclosed their relationship and he was later accused of sexual assault by two women. When I first heard about each of these negative situations, I was repulsed by the idea that my childhood idol could do such things. But in hindsight, these mistakes illuminated Puck’s human-side. In no way do I excuse what he did, but like everyone else, he proved to be less than perfect.

One of my fondest memories was sitting in left-field with my dad for game 6 of the 1991 World Series. Kirby was perfect that day. He single handedly saved the Twins from elimination, making a spectacular catch against the plexi-glass and hitting a walk-off homerun. That game, and Kirby’s heroics, will be forever burned into my memory.

While I am saddened by Puckett’s passing, at least Bob Casey will be able to give him a proper introduction at the pearly-gates…

“And now, the center fielder, number 34, Kirrrrrrrrbeeeeeee-PUCKett.”