RIP Kirby Puckett (1960-2006)

I just finished reading the ESPN story reporting that former Minnesota Twin and Hall-of-Fame baseball player Kirby Puckett has died. This is a sad, sad day. I tend to be bothered somewhat when baseball players, actors, whatever that I like have died, but this one is bothering me far more than most. (I am actually shedding some tears on this one, and I don't cry very often.) I think a lot of it has to do that this is somebody I watched during his entire career as opposed to just on the tail end of it (and maybe my own mortality has something to do with this). Maybe my current stress level is contributing a bit to my reaction and maybe the fact that Kirby was just 44 (but apparently morbidly obese) also contributes a bit.

I saw the reports last night about his stroke (and being in critical condition) and could see the writing on the wall. Writing this particular blog entry occurred to me, and I wish the journalist in me had shut up. (Why does that bloody thought inevitably come to my mind so quickly? I guess a lot of us have some morbid fascination with obituaries that doesn't seem entirely healthy. I remember once during my frosh year when the only on-campus murder in Caltech's history occurred. I was a Tech Editor, and I couldn't help the thought that we had a legitimate front page story that week.)

I have included a link to Puckett's Hall-of-Fame statistics so you can see just how good a player he was. His career was cut short by glaucoma (probably also related to his weight issues), but just look at the seasonal average (and individual seasons) rather than the counting stats.

I really ought to have been writing this 20 or more years from now rather than today. It's a shame.