OUR MUSEUM IN ACTION

Harmon Killebrew Photos

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

With more than three million Library items, 250,000 images and 40,000 three-dimensional artifacts representing baseball’s illustrious history, the Museum preserves an immense physical collection that brings baseball history to life.


We need your help to continue our work to digitally preserve the Museum’s photo collection, through this project you can fund the digital preservation of one or more photographs, ensuring that the images will be preserved for future generations.



Harmon Killebrew was one of the most feared sluggers of the 1960s. When he retired in 1975, he had accumulated more home runs than any right-handed batter in American League history. Former Washington Senators player, manager, and coach Ossie Bluege said "He hit line drives that put the opposition in jeopardy. And I don't mean infielders, I mean outfielders."


The Senators discovered Hammerin’ Harmon in 1954, on the high school ball fields of Payette, Idaho. The 17-year-old slugger signed on with the club for a relatively large bonus. The rules of the day dictated that they had to keep the youngster on the Major League roster for two years or risk losing him to another team.


In 1959, at age 23, Killebrew had a breakout year at the hot corner hitting 42 home runs with 105 RBI. Orioles manager Paul Richards marveled at his immense power and prestigious blasts. “Killebrew can knock the ball out of any park, including Yellowstone," said Richards.


It was the nature of his tape-measure home runs combined with the first five letters of his last name that the nickname “Killer” was born. "He hit home runs like few people can in the category of height and distance… Harmon didn’t hit many line-drive home runs. He would hit the ball so blooming high in the sky, they were like a rocket ship going up in the air,” said Senators and Twins owner Calvin Griffith. Teammate Bob Allison explained, “Harmon has that graceful, fast swing, he swings up at the ball just a little bit and hits those high homers.” Over the course of his 22- year big league career, “Killer” put together eight 40 home run seasons and 44 multiple home run games.


Although known as “Killer” at the plate, Harmon Killebrew was a gentle and quiet man off the field. When asked what he liked to do for fun, he once replied: "Well, I like to wash dishes, I guess." Former Twins Public Relations Director Tom Mee once said of Harmon, “He is one of the finest individuals in the major leagues… to know Harmon Killebrew is to be a Killebrew fan.” His old Twins teammate Rich Reese called him “One of the classiest people I've ever met in my life.” He further stated, “he treated people with respect, even with the stature he had."


Learn more about Killebrew here.



Ways to give to this project:

 

FUND A PHOTO $5

A donation of $5 will fund the digital preservation of one standard-sized photograph from our collection of Harmon Killebrew.

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FUND (5) PHOTOS $25

A donation of $25 will fund the digital preservation of five standard-sized photographs from our collection of Harmon Killebrew.

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FUND (10) PHOTOS $50

A donation of $50 will fund the digital preservation of (10) standard sized photographs from our collection of Harmon Killebrew.

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FUND (20) PHOTOS $100

A donation of $100 will fund the digital preservation of (20) standard sized photographs from our collection of Harmon Killebrew.

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Donor List 

We extend our thanks to these donors who have made a gift to help preserve baseball history.

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