A Tribute to Harmon Killebrew by Dennis J

A Tribute to Harmon Killebrew by Dennis J. Merley - Thursday, May 19, 2011

Harmon Killebrew, perhaps Minnesota’s most mythic sports figure, passed away earlier this week at the age of 74. Reading the multitude of tributes to his greatness both on the field and off, I began thinking of just how fortunate any employer would be to have an employee who embodied his qualities. Here are five examples:

1. Team Player

“When he hit his 500th homerun, he didn’t celebrate afterward because we lost the game. He was more interested in the team than in individual achievements.” — Former Twins teammate Jim “Mudcat” Grant (Interview on KFAN Radio, May 17).

2. Ethical

“The Twins will remember Harmon for his many on-field contributions but importantly for the impeccable quality of his character, his great integrity and his compassion for everyone he encountered.” — Twins Chief Executive Officer Jim Pohlad (Mpls.Star Tribune, May 17).

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3. Respected Mentor

“As a young player, he helped me a lot just in conversations on the bench talking about the game. That was a time when a lot of veterans wouldn’t talk to young guys. But you could ask him about hitting. You could ask him about being a professional, things like that. He was an MVP, a guy who went to, what, 13 All-Star Games? But he never acted like he was better than you were.” — Former Royals teammate Frank White (Mpls.Star Tribune, May 17).

4. Good Company Representative

“He’s what you hope all your players, retired or active, should be. He represented the sport brilliantly.” — Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig (Mpls.Star Tribune, May 17).

5. Great Co-worker

“When I first came here to Minnesota, I didn’t speak one word of English. He called me rookie . . . [h]e was a superstar. He treated me the same way as if I was one of the big guys on the ballclub. I never saw Killebrew put nobody down.” — Former Twins teammate Tony Oliva (Mpls.Star Tribune, May 17).

What do you think you can do to increase your chances of hiring your own Harmon Killebrew?

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