|
Message Board
|
NHL
|
ESPN
| Hockey Alliance
| Wild
| NHLPA
| THN |
Hockey's
Future | AHL
| McKeen's Hockey
| College
On Ice
|
||
|
|
||
 |
     |
|
Kirby Puckett, perhaps the most popular player in the history of the Minnesota Twins, passed away Monday night at a hospital in Arizona. The man known for his sweet, smooth swing and bubblie personality dies very quickly after suffering a massive stroke Sunday morning at his Arizona home.
He underwent emergency brain surgery that day to relieve blood pressure in the brain, but the damage from the stroke was too much. Kirby was removed from life support Monday afternoon and passed away early Monday night.
Puckett's sudden, unexpected stroke had Twins fans all around the world glued to news reports, waiting for word of his condition. It was a similar unexpected ailment that abruptly ended Puckett's playing career after the 1995 season. Puckett reported to spring training in 1996 ready to begin another season, when he suddenly lost vision in his right eye due to glaucoma.
We all have our memories of Puckett's career. His heroics in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series. His batting crown. His 10 All-Star games. His 6 Gold Gloves and 6 Silver Slugger awards. His career was filled with accomplishments, which were recognized with his 2001 induction into baseball's Hall of Fame. But what made him truly special were his accomplishments off the field. He gave people a reason to smile. When you saw his smile, you couldn't help yourself, you had to smile too. He gave kids a hero, someone to try to be like. Especially in the inner city neighborhoods both here in the Twin Cities, and in Chicago....he gave kids who otherwise would have been out on the streets a goal in life....to be like Puck. Instead of being out causing trouble, they were on the fields learning the meaning of teamwork, sportsmanship, dedication, focus, integrity. All the text books in the world can't teach these values to kids. They may learn about them, but only by being on that field can they truly appreciate them.
The papers and newscasts are full of facts and figures about all that Kirby accomplished in his life. I won't recap them. But I have posted a story about how he touched my life on the message board. I encourage everyone to share their own story. It truly is amazing the impact he had on people. That pudgy little kid from Chicago with the heart and smile that we'll never forget. We will miss you Puck!
Support WildOnIce.net Here!
rnum=Math.round(Math.random() * 100000);
ts=String.fromCharCode(60);
if (window.self != window.top) {nf=''} else {nf='NF/'};
document.write(ts+'script src="http://www.burstnet.com/cgi-bin/ads/ad9431a.cgi/v=2.3S/sz=300X250A|300x600A/'+rnum+'/'+nf+'RETURN-CODE/JS/">'+ts+'/script>');