Hope Builds for Fans' Kalas Tribute

Grassroots effort to build statue for Harry the K

Calling all Phillies fans -- you can help memorialize Harry Kalas in bronze forever.

The grassroots effort of HarryKalasStatue.com is asking Phillies fans to give whatever they can so that a statue to the Phillies voice of 38 years could be erected.

The movement was started by a group of friends who wanted to pay tribute to Kalas. They started Dear Harry, Inc. in the hopes that one day a statue would stand to Harry the K like the monument to longtime Cubs announcer Harry Caray stands out front of Wrigley Field.

A Facebook petition page was started for fans to voice their support. As of the New Year, nearly 23,000 fans had thrown their support behind the project.

And, the HK statue organizers found a sculptor willing to put his hands to work to design the Kalas tribute. Lawrence Nowlan, a Merion-native and Archbishop Carroll grad, is on board for the effort.

A big move should come this week when Nowlan heads to the foundry -- just another step towards installing the statue.

But, a beautiful Kalas statue -- in the spirit of the Caray statue at Wrigley and heck even the Rocky statue at the Art Museum -- won’t come free. The effort estimates that they need about $80,000 to erect a 7-foot bronze to the longtime announcer. As of the Jan. 5 the group had only raised about $15,000 towards their goal.

Fans have given as little as $2 up to thousands, said Harry Inc.'s Suzanne Downs Norris.

One of Kalas’ favorite players is doing his part to raise cash for the effort. Michael Jack Schmidt (can you hear Harry the K’s voice right now?) signed bats and balls for sale on the Kalas Statue Web site. Each item goes for $1,000 a pop but what’s a grand when it helps to honor someone as beloved as Kalas?

Schmidt would speak at the unveiling once all the money is raised, said organizers.

Organizers hope to give the statue as a gift from the fans to the Phightins. It would be up to the team as to where HK would stand forever.

Even after HK stands in memoriam, the void left by Kalas would continue to be felt every time a Phillies game crackles across the airwaves without his smoothing voice calling the hits and misses.

Donations are accepted over PayPal or by check. Information is available at HarryKalasStatue.com.

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