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Harmon Killebrew: Ultimate Slugger
When Hall of Famer Harmon "Killer" Killebrew died in May 2011, the baseball world lost one of its best hitters and one of the finest ambassadors the game has ever known. Killebrew was second only to Babe Ruth in home runs by an American League slugger, and finished his career with 573 home runs and in 11th place for all-time Major League Baseball history. This book takes a look at the 22-year career of a perennial Most Valuable Player candidate and baseball powerhouse, reviewing his life in and out of baseball and peeling back the mystery surrounding this intensely private athlete. This biography is a look not only at Killebrew's long career as a player, but his life as an announcer and businessman after his retirement from baseball.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
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April 4, 2020
HARMON KILLEBREW: ULTIMATE SLUGGER
By Steve Aschburner
Baseball Biography
256 pages
Published by Triumph Books
ISBN: 9781600787027
I came of age just as the Minnesota Twins came into being – 1961. One of the first names I ever learned in baseball was Harmon Killebrew. He was our hero, our slugger, or epitome of how a baseball player uses his skills and how his demeanor, on and off the field, matter. We had his baseball cards, we wanted bats and gloves with his signature on them. He was a role model for the young boys of the summers of the 60s.
Steve Aschburner brings a precise and clean story to the reader in his book HARMON KILLEBREW: ULTIMATE SLUGGER, even to the point of explaining how he selected the title. We meet Harmon as he grew up in Idaho, where he was a star in many sports. We see him advance through his early years in baseball (the 1950s) as a bonus baby for the Washington Senators – which served as on-the-job training for him, picking up skills that would serve him very well through his more than twenty years in the majors. We see him off the field as well; his wife, their children, a divorce, some financial problems, his charitable work, his post-playing career as a broadcaster.
And centered in all of this, the author Aschburner makes sure we see Harmon’s character; that of an inestimably warm gentleman, hardly one who would carry the nickname “Killer”. Harmon’s career exemplified what we want sportsmanship to be – accepting the umpire’s calls, honor in defeat, humility in victory, joy in a job well done. Aschburner brings this to the forefront at all times, even from Harmon’s high school years and right on through to his last years where he is feted as a Hall of Fame inductee and at many other functions designed to pay tribute to this wonderful baseball player and gentleman.
This one is for every baseball fan who prefers his heroes with honor and class.
By Steve Aschburner
Baseball Biography
256 pages
Published by Triumph Books
ISBN: 9781600787027
I came of age just as the Minnesota Twins came into being – 1961. One of the first names I ever learned in baseball was Harmon Killebrew. He was our hero, our slugger, or epitome of how a baseball player uses his skills and how his demeanor, on and off the field, matter. We had his baseball cards, we wanted bats and gloves with his signature on them. He was a role model for the young boys of the summers of the 60s.
Steve Aschburner brings a precise and clean story to the reader in his book HARMON KILLEBREW: ULTIMATE SLUGGER, even to the point of explaining how he selected the title. We meet Harmon as he grew up in Idaho, where he was a star in many sports. We see him advance through his early years in baseball (the 1950s) as a bonus baby for the Washington Senators – which served as on-the-job training for him, picking up skills that would serve him very well through his more than twenty years in the majors. We see him off the field as well; his wife, their children, a divorce, some financial problems, his charitable work, his post-playing career as a broadcaster.
And centered in all of this, the author Aschburner makes sure we see Harmon’s character; that of an inestimably warm gentleman, hardly one who would carry the nickname “Killer”. Harmon’s career exemplified what we want sportsmanship to be – accepting the umpire’s calls, honor in defeat, humility in victory, joy in a job well done. Aschburner brings this to the forefront at all times, even from Harmon’s high school years and right on through to his last years where he is feted as a Hall of Fame inductee and at many other functions designed to pay tribute to this wonderful baseball player and gentleman.
This one is for every baseball fan who prefers his heroes with honor and class.
May 5, 2020
As one of baseball’s greatest sluggers of all time, Harmon Killebrew and his 573 moonshot home runs - fifth all-time at the moment of his retirement - will live forever in the record books and in the memories of those who were privileged to witness his career. Sports journalist Steve Aschburner does an adequate job of putting Killebrew’s baseball accomplishments in perspective, and, of course, details Harmon’s greatest and most noteworthy quality, that of his incredible kindness, humbleness, and friendliness towards all. This biography may not have been a told-to book or extended to 400 small print, highly-researched pages, but it has earned a space on my favorites shelf nonetheless, and all simply due to the man featured at the center of the story. (No other words are needed - as the first and only full-length Killebrew biography, this is simply a must-read).
April 22, 2022
A straightforward, and highly interesting story of an old-school baseball hero. He let his actions on the field speak for themselves and did it all modestly. He was quite an admirable person off the field, willing to help out newcomers and rookies to his team, and being a leader in a quiet way, inspiring people by what he did. He didn't need to talk the talk; he walked the walk, and that says it all. I also liked reading about his family, and how he would stay for a long time giving his autograph for anyone who wanted one. I had to smile to myself reading about his wanting a raise from $70,000 to $80,ooo a year, Even adjusting for inflation, his salaries were puny compared to the several hundred million dollars today's players get--and will be complaining about in a few years. Harmon Killebrew was a genuinely good guy, and it was a pleasure reading about his life.
July 30, 2022
Ultimate Slugger is a nice title, but Ultimate Gentleman is more accurate, as this book displays very well. But there is a sentimentality to baseball, its parks, its greats, and especially its fans, young and now old. I began playing baseball in 1961, same year the Twins came to Minnesota, and Harmon was my idol, always has been. Reading his history as player and after, my admiration has only grown. Not something many readers could say these days about other sports figures better known.
February 25, 2023
It's not bad, but it kind of feels rushed. I was hoping for a little more detail on Killebrew's playing career, especially the 1965,67 and 69-70 seasons. I almost felt like nearly a third of the book was his post career playing. Still, I did learn a little about the slugger of the Twins so I'm glad I read.
May 28, 2019
This book is a great account of the personal and professional life of Harmon.
June 17, 2020
It was a decent biography. Felt a little stilted, but I enjoyed the subject manner enough to power though it.
July 17, 2013
Title/Author:
“Harmon Killebrew: Ultimate Slugger” by Steve Aschburner
Tags:
Baseball, biography, historical, Twins, Royals, Hall of Fame
Published:
May 2012
Length:
238 pages
Rating:
3 of 5 stars (good)
Review
It isn’t too often that a person will be able to read a biography of a childhood hero, but I got to do just that when this biography on Harmon Killebrew was written shortly after his death in May 2011. Growing up in Minnesota during Killebrew’s playing days, I would often make sure I was near a radio or television whenever he came to the plate as there was always a good chance that another majestic blast would leave the ball park during that at-bat. I was hoping to relive those days while reading this book. While there were a few moments, they were few and far between.
That doesn’t mean the book was a bad one. The author has been a writer covering many teams on the Minnesota sports scene for many years, and his knowledge came across in the book. He told Killebrew’s story from his time on the Idaho farm to his early days of languishing on the Washington Senators’ bench as a “bonus baby” of that time to his heyday of home run hitting in the Twin Cities, through his last season in Kansas City and his post-baseball life. It was written in a manner that was easy to read and comprehend. The style will appeal to all levels of baseball fans, from hardcore to casual, as it is neither too complicated nor too easy.
My major disappointment could stem from being a lifetime Twins fan, as I didn’t glean much new information on Killebrew’s life – even his post-baseball life, as it was all the highlights told from a different point of view. There wasn’t a lot of depth to these stories – that kept the reading easy, but the level of knowledge gained by a reader also suffers because of this style. That didn’t keep me from enjoying this good, quick read.
Did I skim?
No
Did I learn something new?
Not a lot of the material was new or a surprise to me. Even most of his life after baseball was familiar to me and this book didn’t share anything new. Again, keep in mind I have followed the Twins and Killebrew since I first knew what a baseball was, so others may learn new information about Killebrew.
Pace of the book:
Excellent – moved along very quickly. I finished this in less than three hours of total reading time.
Positives:
The timeline of the story went well – it stayed on track and didn’t stray too far off course. That is a preference I have because if there is constant back and forth, I find the book hard to follow. There are also some more advanced statistics cited for Killebrew that were not used during the time he played, such as on-base percentage. Seeing those statistics and how they measure against other players in the Hall of Fame was interesting.
Negatives:
Even though the book is 238 pages (in a smaller size than most hard covers), I thought the entire book skimmed through Killebrew’s career and the teams he played for a little too much. Not enough that I thought I was reading a Cliff Notes version of his life story, but it still seemed that it could have been a little more detailed.
Do I recommend?
Yes, for baseball fans that don’t follow the Twins or Killebrew regularly, it is full of good information that a casual fan will like and understand.
Book Format Read:
Hardcover
Buying Links:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600...
“Harmon Killebrew: Ultimate Slugger” by Steve Aschburner
Tags:
Baseball, biography, historical, Twins, Royals, Hall of Fame
Published:
May 2012
Length:
238 pages
Rating:
3 of 5 stars (good)
Review
It isn’t too often that a person will be able to read a biography of a childhood hero, but I got to do just that when this biography on Harmon Killebrew was written shortly after his death in May 2011. Growing up in Minnesota during Killebrew’s playing days, I would often make sure I was near a radio or television whenever he came to the plate as there was always a good chance that another majestic blast would leave the ball park during that at-bat. I was hoping to relive those days while reading this book. While there were a few moments, they were few and far between.
That doesn’t mean the book was a bad one. The author has been a writer covering many teams on the Minnesota sports scene for many years, and his knowledge came across in the book. He told Killebrew’s story from his time on the Idaho farm to his early days of languishing on the Washington Senators’ bench as a “bonus baby” of that time to his heyday of home run hitting in the Twin Cities, through his last season in Kansas City and his post-baseball life. It was written in a manner that was easy to read and comprehend. The style will appeal to all levels of baseball fans, from hardcore to casual, as it is neither too complicated nor too easy.
My major disappointment could stem from being a lifetime Twins fan, as I didn’t glean much new information on Killebrew’s life – even his post-baseball life, as it was all the highlights told from a different point of view. There wasn’t a lot of depth to these stories – that kept the reading easy, but the level of knowledge gained by a reader also suffers because of this style. That didn’t keep me from enjoying this good, quick read.
Did I skim?
No
Did I learn something new?
Not a lot of the material was new or a surprise to me. Even most of his life after baseball was familiar to me and this book didn’t share anything new. Again, keep in mind I have followed the Twins and Killebrew since I first knew what a baseball was, so others may learn new information about Killebrew.
Pace of the book:
Excellent – moved along very quickly. I finished this in less than three hours of total reading time.
Positives:
The timeline of the story went well – it stayed on track and didn’t stray too far off course. That is a preference I have because if there is constant back and forth, I find the book hard to follow. There are also some more advanced statistics cited for Killebrew that were not used during the time he played, such as on-base percentage. Seeing those statistics and how they measure against other players in the Hall of Fame was interesting.
Negatives:
Even though the book is 238 pages (in a smaller size than most hard covers), I thought the entire book skimmed through Killebrew’s career and the teams he played for a little too much. Not enough that I thought I was reading a Cliff Notes version of his life story, but it still seemed that it could have been a little more detailed.
Do I recommend?
Yes, for baseball fans that don’t follow the Twins or Killebrew regularly, it is full of good information that a casual fan will like and understand.
Book Format Read:
Hardcover
Buying Links:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600...
May 4, 2013
Harmon Killebrew should be remembered for his off the field feats as much as his on the field ones. I remember once as a young baseball fan being about to get into the Minnesota Twins press box through a friend of my dad's. During a pitching change or in between an inning, the great Harmon Killebrew came out of the broadcast booth. I am sure he was going to grab something to eat or to the bathroom, but when he saw a young fan, he made a beeline towards me. He spend the break chatting with me, my dad, and my dad's friend. Right before he had to return to the booth, he reached in his sport coat pocket and retrieved a baseball. All he had was his pencil he was using to score the game, but he signed his famous signature and gave me the ball. It would have been very easy for him to walk out of that booth and move on to what he was doing, after all it was a short break. Harmon though wanted to talk that time to think about other, and make a young fan's, as well as his adult chaperones', day. This book follows Harmon from his early days in Idaho thru his death from cancer. One well known funny story about Harmon growing up had to due with a conversation between his father and mother. His mother was worried because Harmon and his brothers were ruining the grass at the Killebrew homestead. His father's reply to this was "We're not raising grass, we're raising boys." It is a good thing their were too because Harmon was just being his fantastic athletic career. On the field it was interesting to learn that Harmon was once considered the guy with a shot of breaking Babe Ruth's all time home run record. Injuries and age kept Harmon from achieving that goal, but when he retired he still had a top five place in career home runs with 573. I knew Harmon played his final season with the Kansas City Royals, but I did not know it was because the Griffith family, despite all the money and fame Harmon had brought the Twins, did not want to pay their aging superstar. Looking back it is truly sad that Harmon was not able to finish his career with one franchise over money. I shouldn't be surprised, having grown up a Twins fan. Wether it was the Griffiths or the Pohlads as owners, they were always looking to save a buck versus doing what is right. I also found it interesting to find out about Harmon's financial issue during early retirement. I forget today with player making the money that they do, that it was not always the case. While Harmon made top salaries during his career, it was no where near enough to set up his children's children for life. I would say this was a very good book. Anyone who enjoy's baseball figures from the 1960's and 1970's would enjoy this book. Also anyone who enjoys reading about kind caring people would find this book interesting.
April 7, 2016
Sports Journalist, former President of the Professional Basketball Writers Association, Senior Writer for NBA.com, Author Steve Aschburner gives any admiring baseball fan the ultimate salute to one of baseball's 500 home run club members; the late Harmon Killebrew. As of the date of his retirement in 2011 he ranked number 11 on the list. His home runs with his gracious swing were moments of power, distance and wonder. One of the most modest men to play the game; nicknamed Harm and Killer he was one of the best ambassadors for the game. Well-mannered, both on and off the field he played with some of the all-time greats who also loved and respected him. He ingrained in new players how to be a baseball player. Most of his playing career was spent with the Minnesota Twins. One of the more touching tributes to this great I did not know; a baseball field in Lakeville, MN my own son played on years ago was named after Killebrew. Complete with black and white photos, source and index references.
October 25, 2015
This book is a great book for any Minnesota Twins baseball fan. Harmon Killebrew Ultimate Slugger gives insight on how Killebrew's life was before, during, and after playing Major League Baseball. This book tells about all the struggles of being a "bonus baby" and all the great attention of being a renowned baseball player. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I got to see who Harmon Killebrew really was. Before reading this book, I saw him as any other famous baseball player. After reading Harmon Killebrew Ultimate Slugger, he has become my role model because he was such a good person off the field and that's what really counts. I thought this book was fantastic with the amount of anecdotes and facts it gives. I also loved all the insight this book gave into Killebrew's daily life during his Major League career. This is a wonderful book and I recommend it to any baseball fan.
July 14, 2012
Seems the the author got a few books on baseball and did a few interviews and came across a few anecdotes and from this simple effort he then whipped up this book.
As a result this is neither a quality bio or a quality baseball book.
There may be a need for a good book on Harmon Killebrew - it is certainly why I was excited to see this new book.. Unfortunately, this book filled few of those needs
The preface by Jim Thome is an example of how rediculous it could be at times when he seems to say... I didn't really know the guy but I passed him on home runs while I was with the twins. seemed nice enough of a fella.
Or the quotes by those mourning his passing:
"never saw him play but he was a great ballplayer and played it the old style way"
As a result this is neither a quality bio or a quality baseball book.
There may be a need for a good book on Harmon Killebrew - it is certainly why I was excited to see this new book.. Unfortunately, this book filled few of those needs
The preface by Jim Thome is an example of how rediculous it could be at times when he seems to say... I didn't really know the guy but I passed him on home runs while I was with the twins. seemed nice enough of a fella.
Or the quotes by those mourning his passing:
"never saw him play but he was a great ballplayer and played it the old style way"
September 22, 2012
Considering Harmon was my favorite baseball player for 10 years of my youth, it would be almost impossible to rate this book any lower. Aschburner also was a big fan and it shows in his portrayal of one of the most-liked superstars in baseball history. Anyone who saw any of his home runs can never forget how high and far they traveled, unlike most home run hitters. He touches only lightly on the difficult times Harmon had after baseball retirement, but really, does a diehard fan care about that? Not this one. Comparisons with steroid-aided sluggers of a later era only make his feats that much more impressive. A true gem of baseball history and nostalgia.
November 12, 2012
I enjoyed reading about Harmon Killebrew but felt the book could have been better. It felt like I was reading a newspaper article. I longed to get to know Killebrew better. I wanted to know more about his personal life but was disappointed to not find it in this book.
This is not a drag on Killebrew, just the book. I came away with an appreciation for the player and the person.
This is not a drag on Killebrew, just the book. I came away with an appreciation for the player and the person.
March 30, 2013
A little over-worshipful of Killebrew, but still a tidy enjoyable read.
August 6, 2012
An enjoyable tale about the "Killer".
October 6, 2012
It was very insipring and emotional. It showed how many people admired him not as a player, but as a person.
April 30, 2015
An excellent account of the life and career of the quintessential Minnesota Twin.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews