Kirby Puckett
R.I.P. - Ex Minnesota Twins Centerfielder
Kirby Puckett was/still is every youngsters idol in Minnesota. Seriously, he could have given Jesse Ventura a run for his money should he have had the desire. Puckett had a personality as big as the Metrodome and a fan following like none other. He had 12 solid seasons for the Twins before glaucoma brought his career to an early end.
Puckett passed away on March 6, 2006 at the age of 45. He suffered a stroke and never recovered. His passing touched the lives of many baseball fans across the globe, but the real effects were highly visible in Minnesota, where the Metrodome packed to show their respects in a memorial service.
Some of Puckett's Hall of Fame career highlights include:
-10 time All Star
-1991 ALCS MVP
-1993 All-Star Game MVP
-5 Time Gold Glove Award Winner
-2 Time World Series Winner
-6 Silver Sluggers
-.318 Career Batting Average
Puckett not only robbed a would-be game winning home run in game six of the 1991 World Series, but the very next inning he hit a walk-off home run that sent the series to a game seven. Puckett is said to have called his shot in the dugout before that at-bat.
He also went 6 for 6 in Milwaukee AND robbed Robin Yount of a home run, giving him a standing ovation while on the road.
2007 GridironTalk.com -