Posted on 03/06/2006 6:00:54 PM PST by Fedupwithit
MINNEAPOLIS -- Kirby Puckett died Monday, a day after the Hall of Fame outfielder had a stroke at his Arizona home, a hospital spokeswoman said. He was 44.
Puckett died at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Kimberly Lodge said. He had been in intensive care since having surgery at another hospital following his stroke Sunday morning.
Puckett carried the Twins to World Series titles in 1987 and 1991 before his career was cut short by glaucoma. His family, friends and former teammates gathered at the hospital throughout Monday.
The hospital said Puckett was given last rites and died in the afternoon.
"On behalf of Major League Baseball, I am terribly saddened by the sudden passing of Kirby Puckett," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said. "He was a Hall of Famer in every sense of the term.
"He played his entire career with the Twins and was an icon in Minnesota. But he was revered throughout the country and will be remembered wherever the game is played. Kirby was taken from us much too soon -- and too quickly," he said.
The buoyant, barrel-shaped Puckett broke into the majors in 1984 and had a career batting average of .318. Glaucoma forced the six-time Gold Glove center fielder and 10-time All-Star to retire when he went blind in his right eye.
"This is a sad day for the Minnesota Twins, Major League Baseball and baseball fans everywhere," Twins owner Carl Pohlad said.
The guy had some skeletons.
This is absolutely tragic.
TOO YOUNG.
Just damn.
RIP, Kirby...Bob Casey is now calling you to that great ballfield in the sky.
so true. my father passed away when he was 44 now i'm at the same age.
44 is way too young. What a shame.
Was he Catholic?
well he's in a better place tonight...
the Heaven Baseball League is AWESOME! :-]
He, alas from the vantage point of my television, played hard.
What a wonderful thought, Kelly. Thanks.
I like the Angels in the Outfield movies and stories.
Nice to think they welcome one another.
You're a sweetie, but I won't tell anybody.
Wow, this is terrible news. RIP Kirby. Everytime I think of the Minnesota Twins, Kirby Puckett comes to mind. I'm not a Twins fan, but he was fun to watch.
Same age, same thoughts for me too.
Charlie Liebrant wipes his face with his sleeve and watches Puckett round the bases while pumping his fist.Jack Buck is saying: " We'll See ya Tomorrow Night!" The whole Twins team is waiting for Kirby at the plate and when he touches they Shuffle him over to Tom Kelly and he can't hold back his managerial Stoicism any longer. Puckett was a Charismatic player that will not be equaled for a long time to come.
Who knows? I do know that most if not all Protestants and some Anglicans administer Last Rites, but all Christian faiths do come to an agreement that Last Rites are a sacramental.
Is he Mr. Twin? I know Killebrew and Carew were big Twin names, but Kirby played his entire career in Minnesota.
I'm a huge Twins fan and a huge fan of Kirby Puckett. He is my all-time favorit player and I will always remember him with that big smile and that energy that made you feel good to watch him. God bless you Kirby and thanks.
I believe he was called Mr. Twin. As you say, and the article states, he played his entire career in Minnesota, and even as I stated, he's still seen as a iconic symbol more-or-less of Twins baseball even to this day.
Nice.
RIP
Kirby was a fun baseball player to watch.
Yes he was. He had a distinctive run...kind of like a bowling ball with legs. You'd never have guessed he could be competitive with that body.
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