Six years ago today...

[Parker Hageman]

we lost one of the greatest legends in Minnesota sports history. Try to watch Game Six's walk-off home run without getting the chills, I dare you. Outside of that memorable one, what's your favorite Kirby Puckett moment?

[lecroy24fan]

August 29th-30th, 1987 vs the Brewers. Saturday goes 4 for 5 with two HR's, then Sunday 6 for 6 with 2 2B's and 2 HR's. He also robbed Robin Yount of a grand slam in one of the games. I've never seen a better two games put together.

[Seth Stohs]

That was one of the saddest days I can remember. I printed out Puckett pictures and hung them up around my desk. I kept getting asked how I was doing, which annoyed me. I just finally had to leave work and be by myself. I was a grown man, and I was acting like a kid, like I had lost a family member. Puckett was really my first sports hero. I really haven't had one since then, and I'm OK with that.

[Parker Hageman]

As a young kid, my sister, who is a couple years younger than me, used to proclaim that Kirby Puckett was her boyfriend. I remember watching the games with my Dad and having to call my sister into the room so she could watch her "boyfriend" - as she referred to him at the time - Kirby Puckett bat. Once the at-bat was over, she's go back to whatever it is first grade girls did.

[puck34]

The 6-6 game at County Stadium in late '87 always stands out to me. Just the year before as a 13-year old, Puckett signed a ball for me at County Stadium. It was also signed by Ron Washington that same day. Because of those moments spent with my parents, County Stadium and Puck's 6-6 game will always have a special place for me.

[glanzer]

His HR in the '93 All-Star Game stands out as a favorite memory. I was growing up in South Dakota when Puck was playing, and never went to a game or was rarely even able to see on TV as we didn't have MSC at the time, so my memories are mostly what I heard on the radio through John Gordon, or the rare locally televised games like that AS Game. I later met him at a Twins Caravan in Huron, SD and took a photo together.

[MsSota]

In 1984 the Twins played their last 6 or 7 games in Chicago and Cleveland with a chance to win the division, so me and a friend hit the road to cheer them on. It was the first time I saw him up close and got to talk to him, and I have very fond memories of those games, (even though I remember it being really cold, and they lost every game). I go to FL most years for spring training games, and he would always come over and say hi. He was a hell of a baseball player, and always cheerful and good-humored! I miss him to this day.

[woolhouse]

The season opener in 1987 had that feeling that it was going to be a special year. Puckett went deep in the early innings, and then in extras he pulled back a homerun to keep the game tied. He had so many great moments in 1987. One that hasn't been mentioned was towards the end of the regular season. Listening to the last home game of the year- Fan Appreciation Day- in 1987 on the radio in the garage with my dad (he was working on something, I was shootin' hoops.) Twins needed a win to insure a tie in the AL West, and- with 6 away games to finish the season- they were going to need this win. After Blyleven got out of a jam- thanks to a rare 5-4-2 double-play by Gaetti/Newman/Laudner- Puckett/Gaetti/and Hrbek all went long in the bottom of the first. Those were my three guys from '87 to '90, and it was awesome.

[Nick Nelson]

I was six when the Twins won the '91 World Series, so most of Puckett's greatest moments came before I was able to really appreciate them. Really, my most vivid memories of Kirby came in the mid-90s, when the Twins were lousy and the Dome was mostly empty and he was the guy you'd go to see. Those were my formative years as a baseball fan, and Puck's greatness, his mystique and his exuberance played a huge role in making me the diehard I am today. He is missed.

[BigSkyTwinsFan]

My favorite is a Kirby-inspired moment. Sometime in '92 - can't be specific on the date. I had three young sons 6,4 and 1. The oldest two were crazy for Kirby and always talking about him, especially to the youngest. Imagine our surprise when our youngest's first words were "kirby". That was a cool moment for us all.

[TwinsTakes-RD]

Just watching Kirby be Kirby was always fun. His compete level was always at 100% and you could see it when he played the game.

 

One of my favorite moments was when he did the top 10 on the David Letterman show -

[Cody Christie]

One of my favorite memories of Puckett is the first game I got to see him play in person. He was only the DH and he went 0-4 on the day against Randy Johnson but he was still my baseball idol (Link to Baseball Reference Box Score). The day he passed away I made a button on my computer and wore it to my classes at college. That button still hangs in my car and I look at it every day.

[Neinstein]

Will never forget the way he could float up the wall making highlight catches.

 

[John Bonnes]

I met him at his Billiard tournament, but the moment I'll remember is Game 6. We were on fire just because his catch had proved so critical. When he went yard, we were going crazy. Best $65 I ever spent were for those nosebleeds.

[Dilligaf69]

Hard to believe it's been 6 yrs..No reason this man should be dead....unreal!

[Dilligaf69]

August 29th-30th, 1987 vs the Brewers. Saturday goes 4 for 5 with two HR's, then Sunday 6 for 6 with 2 2B's and 2 HR's. He also robbed Robin Yount of a grand slam in one of the games. I've never seen a better two games put together.

 

 

Great memory...besides game 6 that was probably the most memorable. I saw his live once in 88 I believe up in Boston. Nothing sticks out for me specifically in that game..just that I saw one of the greats! Miss ya Kirby!

[FranTheMan]

Mine came back-to-back ... being six-hours plus away, only get to a handful of Twins games each season. One of them was a 21-2 win over the Red Sox in May of 1994. Kirby had seven RBI.

 

I helped out with baseball play-by-play for local radio station and they got me a credential ... was able to get Kirby to do an approximately five-minute interview just before the next game. He probably was impressed by my Rockies inaugural year tee shirt from Target ... http://i41.tinypic.com/10d8awi.jpg

[Englepuck Kirbydink]

I believe it was 92 (93?), when Kirby was being heavily courted by Boston. I remember having my friend over that night for a sleepover (we were 10), and watching a clip of the news conference on TV when the Twins re-signed him. I remember running down the street with my friend chanting "KIR-BY'S STAAAAY-ING" at the top of our lungs like idiots.

[Seth Stohs]

It was 1992, but he signed the night that we had the first game of my senior season of basketball. i was in the bleachers during the B-team game when my parents got there, walked up to me and told me the news. I was thrilled!

[Puckmen]

Hard to top Game 6, but I attended the '93 All-Star game at Camden Yards and Kirby was the MVP of the game. So that is my personal favorite Kirby "moment."

[TwinsGuy55422]

Mine would have to be his two-game performance at Milwaukee in 1987.

[Sarah]

Well, I was at game 6 so duh. But the other memory I have is when I was at the post-game reception for the Twins all-time team (I think it was in 2000) and with all of the Twins greats there when he arrived people just mobbed him. It was obvious he was used to it because he just very calmly signed autographs and was gracious to every fan that came up to him (including me). That ended up being the only time I met him and got his autograph…