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Hall of Fame Slugger: Harmon Killebrew

Baseball Digest, Dec, 2004 by Adam Schefter

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AS: Did steroids exist when you played baseball?

HK: I know there were steroids they used for physical problems. If you had a bad knee or something, they would inject you with a cortisone steroid or something like that. That was the first time I ever heard the name "steroid." But as far as other steroids, I never heard of that.

AS: Should intentional walks be banned from the game?

HK: No, it's part of the game. You can pitch around a hitter, and it's an unintentional intentional walk. That's the same thing. It just speeds up the game by intentionally putting the guy on base.

AS: What does Harmon Killebrew do for fun?

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HK: Play golf, when I get the chance. But I'm not very good. I don't get to play as much as I'd like to, so I go in streaks. If I were any good, I'd be on the Tour.

AS: Your message during the motivational talks you give?

HK: In order to succeed in life, you have to be able to fail. All the great ballplayers have struck out a lot of times. Certainly I was one of those that struck out a lot.

AS: Your one baseball memory that stands above the others?

HK: I think it's every ballplayer's dream to play in the World Series. It certainly was mine, playing (for the Twins) in the '65 World Series (against the Los Angeles Dodgers). In the seventh game, there was the greatest pitching performance I ever saw: Sandy Koufax shutting us out 2-0, throwing mostly fastballs. I got the last hit off him. I was on first base when Bob Allison struck out to end the game, and he took his bat and hit the ground with it and broke it. I told Bob after the game, "If you had swung at the ball as hard as you swung at the ground, we might have won the game."

AS: Best gift you've recently received?

HK: My mother used to say the most important thing is to be healthy. Being healthy is the most important gift I've got right now.

Hall of Fame Slugger: Harmon Killebrew

Baseball Digest, Dec, 2004 by Adam Schefter

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