Major League Baseball

Phils to unveil statue of Harry Kalas

Published Aug. 4, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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The Philadelphia Phillies announced Thursday they will unveil a statue honoring legendary play-by-play announcer Harry Kalas.

Kalas served as the indomitable voice of the Phillies from 1971 to his death in April 2009 at age 73.

The team said the seven-and-a-half-foot bronze statue will be unveiled during a pregame ceremony at Citizens Bank Park Aug. 14. Members of Kalas' family and several Phillies alumni are expected to attend the event.

"Harry gave all he had to the fans here in Philadelphia," said sculptor Lawrence J. Nowlan, according to a statement from the team. "For 38 years he treated us with nothing but love and respect. Being able to play a small part in cementing his legacy in our city and beyond has been a dream come true."

The push to have a Kalas statue built started on Facebook and eventually grew into a fan-based organization responsible for raising money for the project.

Kalas' voice reached well beyond the homes of Phillies fans. The Illinois native, who made his major-league debut with the Houston Astros in 1965, became known outside baseball circles when he joined NFL Films in 1975, serving as the primary narrator for the football entity following the death of John Facenda in 1984.

But it was Kalas' trademark calls from the baseball park that endeared him to countless Philadelphia fans, and his call for the final pitch of the 2008 World Series, Philadelphia's first sports title in 25 years, will long be remembered by the Phillies faithful.

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