Depending on who you ask, Twins' legend Harmon Killebrew will truly be a part of Major League Baseball forever. Not just because of his abilities on the field or his candor and charity off of it, but because he was, from most accounts, literally the symbol of Major League Baseball.
Yes, according to an Arizona Republic interview, the iconic logo of Major League Baseball was, indeed, based on Harmon Killebrew, much the same as the NBA logo was based on Lakers' legend Jerry West. Even though the powers that be in baseball would never actually come out and say as much, Killebrew knew that it was him.
"You know, I was in the commissioner's office when the mock-up for that logo was being done," Killebrew once told me. "But for some reason, they won't admit it's me. It's an interesting thing, and I don't know why."
But in typical, graceful Killebrew fashion, he never raised a stink or made a big deal about it.
Another interesting story from the Arizona Republic piece. He was the first player ever to hit a home run over the left field roof at old Tiger Stadium in Detroit. . .no small feat, considering that the roof was 94 feet high and three decks off of the ground. When he got back to the team hotel after the game, there were messages from six different people claiming that they had the ball and wanted to sell it to Killebrew.
Of course, none of them knew that the Tiger Stadium groundskeeper had gone out behind Tiger Stadium, found the ball next to a drain pipe, and simply gave the ball to Killebrew free of charge.
We'll have more stories of Harmon Killebrew's legend for you as the day goes on. We hope that you enjoy them.