Harmon Clayton Killebrew Jr. (; June 29, 1936May 17, 2011), nicknamed "the Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball player as a first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. He spent most of his 22-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Minnesota Twins. A prolific power hitter, Killebrew had the fifth-most home runs in major league history at the time of his retirement. He was second only to Babe Ruth in American League (AL) home runs, and was the AL career leader in home runs by a right-handed batter. Killebrew was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.
Killebrew was and 213 pounds (97 kg). His compact swing generated tremendous power and made him one of the most feared power hitters of the 1960s, when he hit at least 40 home runs per season eight times. In total Killebrew led the league six times in home runs and three times in RBIs, and was named to 13 All-Star teams. In 1965, he played in the World Series with the Twins, who lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. His finest season was 1969, when he hit 49 home runs, recorded 140 RBIs and won the AL Most Valuable Player Award while helping lead the Twins to the AL West pennant.
With quick hands and exceptional upper body strength, Killebrew was known for both the frequency and distance of his homers. He hit the longest home runs ever recorded at Minnesota's Metropolitan Stadium (), and Baltimore's Memorial Stadium (), and was the first of four players to hit a ball over the left field roof at Detroit's Tiger Stadium. Despite his nicknames and his powerful style of play, Killebrew was regarded as a quiet, kind man.
After retiring from baseball, Killebrew became a television broadcaster for several baseball teams from 1976 to 1988. He also served as a hitting instructor for the Oakland Athletics.
Early life Killebrew was born and raised in Payette, Idaho, the youngest of four children born to Harmon Clayton Sr. and Katherine Pearl (May) Killebrew. His father, a painter and sheriff, was a member of an undefeated football team at Millikin College, and was later named an All-American while playing for eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Greasy Neale.Porter, p. 807.Thielman, p. 132. According to family legend, Harmon Killebrew's grandfather was the strongest man in the Union Army, winning every available heavyweight wrestling championship. Clayton encouraged Harmon and his brothers to stay active in various sports before his sudden death in 1953 at age 59.
As a child, Killebrew played baseball at Walter Johnson Memorial Field, named after the Hall of Fame pitcher who spent part of his childhood in Idaho.Thielman, p. 131. He worked as a farmhand in his youth, lifting ten-gallon milk cans, each weighing about . Killebrew earned 12 letters in various sports and was named an All-American quarterback at Payette High School; the school retired his uniform number.Thielman, p. 134. He was offered an athletic scholarship by the University of Oregon, but declined the offer.Porter, pp. 807–808.
In the early 1950s, Senator Herman Welker of Idaho told Washington Senators owner Clark Griffith about Killebrew, who was hitting for an .847 batting average for a semi-professional baseball team at the time.Porter, p. 808. Griffith told his farm director Ossie Bluege about the tip and Bluege flew to Idaho to watch Killebrew play.Thielman, p. 133. The Boston Red Sox also expressed interest but Bluege succeeded in signing him to a $50,000 ($ today) contract on June 19, 1954.
Professional career Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins (1954–1974) Killebrew signed his contract under the bonus rule in effect at the time. Since he received a bonus of over $4,000 ($ today), Major League Baseball rules required that he spend two full seasons on the major league roster. He made his major league debut four days after signing and six days from his 18th birthday (becoming the youngest active player in the majors at the time), running for pinch-hitter Clyde Vollmer, who had been hit by a pitch with the bases loaded by Chicago White Sox starter Jack Harshman. On August 23, 1954, Killebrew made his first start in the second game of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics, hitting two singles and a double as the Senators won, 10–3. A year and one day after making his major league debut, Killebrew hit his first major league home run on June 24, 1955, in the fifth inning off Detroit Tigers starter Billy Hoeft, five days shy of his 19th birthday. In his first two seasons, Killebrew struck out 34 times in only 93 at bats, recording a .215 batting average with four home runs. Killebrew also had defensive difficulties at third base, where he played behind veteran Eddie Yost.
When Killebrew's bonus period expired in 1956, he was sent to the Senators' minor league affiliate in Charlotte of the South Atlantic League. He returned to the majors in early May. On May 29, after being forced into action when regular second baseman Pete Runnels was injured early in a game against the Orioles, Killebrew hit two home runs, including only the second ball ever hit over a wire barrier in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium's center field.Thielman, p. 136. Killebrew had a .115 average through June 16, and as a result was sent back to Charlotte; he finished the season there with a .325 batting average and 15 home runs in 70 games. Killebrew spent most of the 1957 season with the Southern Association's Chattanooga Lookouts, where he hit a league-high 29 home runs with 101 RBIs and was named to the All-Star Game.Thielman, p. 137. While in Chattanooga, Killebrew became the only player to hit a home run over the center field wall at Engel Stadium, from home plate. In 1958, he was briefly promoted to Indianapolis of the American Association but struggled and was sent back to Chattanooga for most of the season. Killebrew finished the season with 38 games played in Indianapolis and 86 in Chattanooga, where he hit .308 with 17 home runs. He also played a combined 22 games for the Senators in 1957 and 1958.
Calvin Griffith took over the Senators after his uncle Clark Griffith died in 1955, and decided Killebrew was ready to become the Senators' regular third baseman. Griffith traded the 32-year-old Eddie Yost to the Detroit Tigers on December 6, 1958, and Killebrew became the starting third baseman. From May 1 to May 17, he had five multi-home run games and his first five-RBI game on May 12. With 28 home runs by mid-season, he started the first 1959 All-Star Game and was a reserve in the second. Killebrew attracted so much attention in Washington that he was visited by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who frequently attended games,Allen, p. 76. and Griffith turned down a $500,000 offer for Killebrew from the Cincinnati Reds. Killebrew finished the season with 42 home runs to tie for the American League lead; it also tied the Senators' single-season record set by his teammate Roy Sievers two years earlier. Although 1959 proved his breakout season, he was ineligible for the Rookie of the Year Award because of his previous sparse experience. Instead, the award went to teammate Bob Allison.Thielman, p. 143.
Killebrew was bothered by injury early in the 1960 season. In March, he had surgery for nasal irritation, and a recurring hamstring injury caused him to miss most of May. On his return, he remained in the lineup for the rest of the season, finishing the year with 31 home runs in 124 games. Killebrew's arrival and home runs did little to improve the Senators' record, as they finished in the second division of the American League every year he played for Washington, including four years in last place. After the 1960 season, the Senators moved to Minnesota and became the Minnesota Twins.
1961–1965 For the franchise's first year in Minnesota, Killebrew was named team captain by manager Cookie Lavagetto.Thielman, p. 16. He responded by hitting 46 home runs, breaking the franchise record he had tied two years earlier. Among his other production, Killebrew drove in a team-leading 122 RBIs, posted a career-best batting average of .288 and had a slugging percentage of over .600 for the only time in his career. In addition, he had a career-high seven triples, tying for the team lead, and led the Twins in runs, total bases and walks. On June 12, 1961, Killebrew had the only five-hit game of his career, though in a losing effort. Killebrew was named to both 1961 All-Star games. He did not play in the second, but in the first, he hit a pinch hit home run in the sixth inning. After the season ended, Killebrew took part in a home run hitting contest with Jim Gentile and Roger Maris, whose 61 home runs that year broke the single-season record; Killebrew hit 20 to win the contest.
After his seven-triple season, his speed began to decrease and he could no longer regularly score triples due to pulling his quadriceps during the 1962 season.Thielman, p. 146. Killebrew moved to left field, where he started off the season slowly. He hit under .200 in both April and June, and because of this Killebrew was not selected to play in either 1962 All-Star Game, the last season he was not named an All-Star before 1972. On July 18 in a game against the Cleveland Indians, Killebrew and Bob Allison became the first teammates since 1890 to hit grand slams in the same inning as the Twins scored 11 runs in the first. Over the course of the season, Killebrew hit 48 home runs, 126 RBIs, and had 107 walks, all career highs at the time. No one else in the AL managed even 40 home runs and he also led the league in RBIs. Killebrew's 48 home runs also broke the franchise record for the second year in a row. Not all his stats were positive; Killebrew's batting average dropped from .288 in 1961 to .243 and he struck out a career-worst 142 times, leading the AL.
Killebrew's efforts were rewarded in 1963 when he agreed to a contract for about $40,000 ($ today). He started the season off slowly, and he missed the second half of April and early May due to a right knee injury that was slow to heal. Killebrew continued his hitting prowess for the Twins upon his return, and at one point led them on a six-game winning streak. On September 21, Killebrew hit three home runs in a game for the only time in his career in the first game of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox. Killebrew finished the season with a .258 batting average, 45 home runs, and 96 RBI, and led the league in home runs and slugging percentage (.555). He had surgery on his troublesome right knee after the season ended.
Having played left field for the previous three years with a below-average throwing arm, the additional complication of Killebrew's knee surgery necessitated a move to the infield. For the remainder of his career, he played only 19 games in the outfield.Thielman, p. 145. He finished the 1964 season with a .270 batting average, 49 home runs, and 111 RBI; he led the AL in home runs for the third consecutive year.
The Twins finally won the American League pennant during the 1965 season. On July 11, the day before the All-Star break, the defending AL champion Yankees had a one-run lead over the Twins going into the bottom of the 9th inning, but Killebrew hit a two-run home run for the win.Thielman, pp. 128–130. Two days later, Killebrew started the All-Star Game at his home field, Metropolitan Stadium, and hit a game-tying two-run home run, erasing what had been a 5–0 National League lead.Allen, p. 79. Elected to play first base on his fifth All-Star team, Killebrew became the first player in All-Star game history to be elected at three different positions, having previously been selected to play third base (1959 and 1961) and left field (1963 and 1964).