For anyone who has followed baseball knows, Kirby Puckett was one of the good guys. He always seemed to have a wide grin on his face but he was a gamer, winning six Gold Gloves and helping the Minnesota Twins win two World Series championships in 1987 and 1991. Were it not for glaucoma in his right eye that ended his career in what seemed like an instant, he might have played even longer and easily amass 3,000 hits. However, he was the caliber player that eventually made him a Hall of Fame inductee in 2001.
It is with a heavy heart that we learn of his passing at the tender age of 45 due to complications from a massive stroke that he suffered on Sunday. It doesn’t matter what team is your favorite – everyone should root for Kirby as he leaves this playing field and moves on to that diamond in the sky.
I would only hope that every team from Major League Baseball does something to reflect on his passing; he is due that honor.