Harmon Killebrew died Tuesday, the Minnesota Twins announced, ending the MLB Hall of Famer's long and courageous battle with esophageal cancer after entering hospice care over the weekend.
Considering the man was one of the original Minnesota Twins and a person that was said to be even better off the field than his play was on it, it comes as no surprise that there are already tributes up celebrating the life of Hammerin' Harmon.
Over at Twinkie Town, Jesse points out Killebrew's great quote -- "Life is precious and time is a key element. Let's make every moment count and help those who have a greater need than our own" -- and adds a few other words in memory of the former slugger.
For nearly an entire generation of baseball fans, Killebrew was the face of the franchise. Not just during his tenure with the Twins, but even after. As a new generation grew to love Rod Carew and eventually Kirby Puckett, Killebrew was always going to be the original. He dwarfed Carew in stature and Puckett in production. Dave St. Peter made a statement earlier, saying: "No individual has ever meant more to the Minnesota organization and millions of fans across Twins Territory."
The Minnesota Twins website has also set up a tribute page dedicated to 11-time All Star whose No. 3 was retired by the team.