MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Twins, their fans and the baseball community came together Sunday night to celebrate Kirby Puckett one last time, gathering at the Metrodome for a moving ceremony marked by just as many cheers as tears.
"Make sure you smile and laugh tonight because that's what Kirby would want, and that's why we loved him," said Twins radio announcer John Gordon, the emcee, in his introductory remarks.
Manager Ron Gardenhire left Minnesota's spring training site in Fort Myers, Fla., for a day to attend the ceremony along with Torii Hunter, Brad Radke, Shannon Stewart, Rondell White and Joe Mauer. Scores of former Twins, some who played with Puckett and some who never got the chance, were there, too.
Kent Hrbek, Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva and Dan Gladden were among the former Twins who took seats around the infield as a local gospel choir began the program by singing the old hymn "I'll Fly Away" and thousands of fans -- many toting Homer Hankies and Puckett memorabilia -- clapped rhythmically from the seats.
A recording of late public address announcer Bob Casey's famous introduction -- "the center fielder, Kir-beeeee Puck-ett!" -- followed before a video of Puckett's career highlights began playing on the video screen above left field.
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Cal Ripken and Dave Winfield led the list of Puckett's contemporaries who showed up for the emotional event for the Hall of Famer, who died Monday following a stroke in his Arizona home.
"It will never be about closure. It will always be about remembering Puck," said Gardenhire, who coached third base for Minnesota during the last half of Puckett's career.
A private memorial service was held in the Minneapolis suburb of Wayzata earlier in the afternoon for Puckett's family and friends before the gates opened at the Metrodome -- the place where Puckett roamed center field on two World Series winners, in 1987 and 1991.
Fans were lining up outside the stadium several hours before the public service began.
With Ripken, Winfield, Killebrew, Hrbek, former teammate Al Newman and former manager Tom Kelly among the expected speakers -- plus musical tributes and video of Puckett's life and career planned -- the Twins were anticipating a two-hour program with the potential to run longer.
There was no charge for attendance, water or soda. Several ramps and lots around the stadium provided free parking. The team was prepared to host a capacity crowd, though only about 15,000 were there for the locally televised event on an evening with snow in the forecast.
Kevin Grubb, of Blaine, brought his 7-year-old daughter, Paige, who of course never saw Puckett play.
"I wanted her to see what it was like," Grubb said. "See the people and the fans, just to let her know how important he was to the community."
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Grubb wore a blue Puckett jersey and had no trouble explaining what he remembered.
"The way he made everybody smile," Grubb said, "how he just meant so much to so many."
Doug Bergey, from Spring Valley, was here more than four hours early.
"It was just like losing a family member," Bergey said. "I didn't know him personally, but it felt like I did."
Spring training hasn't been the same since Puckett died at age 45, casting a pall over the Twins and saddening scores of players, coaches and managers who competed against him or with him during his 12-year career from 1984-95.
"He represented the Twins, but I think everyone in baseball felt like they were a teammate of Kirby Puckett," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said this weekend.
When Puckett died, Leyland told his players to follow the example he set.
"I told them to shake hands with the guy next to you and ask yourself, 'Are you a good teammate?"' Leyland said. "Kirby Puckett exemplified what he loved to do. Kirby Puckett, to me, played every game like it was a Little League game. It was never a chore. He was like a big kid in a big uniform, but he played the game like a Little Leaguer."
