A sad day for all Twins Fans. Kirby Pucket 1960-2006.

The Goon's Tribute to the Puck
I learned early this week the one of my favorite ball players off all time passed away after a short illness. For most middle age guys like me this hits home because Kirby was only 46 years old. Kirby gave Twins fans a lot of to cheer in his 12 short years he was with the twins. I remember when he and Hrbek broke into the league in the early 1980's back in the days when the Twins were a disgrace to the Twin Cities and MLB. The Twins started winning back the hearts and minds of Minnesota Twins Fans. Winning the 1987 world series didn't hurt but the win 1991 was even sweeter.

I remember during the spring of 1996 discussing the retirement of Kirby Pucket with my good friend Scott and I can remember him telling me Goon, "you just can't replace a Kirby Pucket, their a type of player that only comes around once in a life time.” Scott was right and since he left the twins in 1996 they twins have failed to have a player that even comes close to controlling a game like Kirby could. To take a word from my sports days, know one on the current Twins is worthy of holding Kirby’s jock.

Kirby Pucket took the team on his back and carried the twins to game seven:

Before the game he said, `Get on board, I'm going to carry the load,' " Twins manager Tom Kelly said after Puckett recorded his name boldly in World Series history. "My gosh, that's carrying the load and pulling the truck and everything."

Kirby was clutch at the right moment:

Kirby Puckett's home run in the 11th inning gave the Twins a 4-3 victory over Atlanta in Game 6, setting off a raucous 10-minute ovation that didn't quiet until a post game interview was shown on the Metrodome scoreboard.

In my humble opinion: one of the most significant moments of Twins Baseball was when Kirby hit his most famous Dinger and the TV announcer said “We will see you tomorrow night:”

But that wasn't all. He tripled in the first inning, knocking in the first Twins run and scoring the second. He made the catch of the game in the top of the third. He drove in the Twins third - and, at that point, go ahead - run in the fifth with a sacrifice fly. He singled in the eighth, stole a base, and was in position to score the winning run then.

But, he saved the historical histrionics for that extra inning dinger, a 2-1 Liebrandt high changeup that Puckett rocketed over the left centerfield fence, almost at the same spot where eight innings earlier he robbed Ron Gant of a similar homer with a patented leaping, stretching, home run-nabbing catch.
Reliever Carl Willis was also heroic with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless work. Starter Scott Erickson, who entered the game as a major question mark, survived six innings of adequate pitching.

The final career numbers
Career totals (1984-1995)
G AB H HR RBI SB AVG
1783 7244 2304 207 1085 134 .318

In Closing
Some will bring up the fact that Kirby did some questionable thing at the end of his life after his playing days were over. I heard a co-worker at work the other day talk about what a punk he was. This man even suggested we take his hall of fame award away. I think a wise man once said he who lives with out sin cast the first stone. I think the saying he who lives in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
I don’t agree about taking his hall of fame award away nor in my opinion do I care. Kirby Pucket was acquitted of the charges filed against him and found to be not guilty/innocent. Also, Kirby’s accomplishments speak volumes and I will not let his after baseball life of taint my fond memory of him. May God grant him peace and take care of Kirby Pucket RIP. Below a former team mate reflect on the passing of Kirby.