What:

Ceremony celebrating the Payette, ID, Post Office building being named in honor of hometown hero and Baseball Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, who was born and raised in Payette. The public is invited to the free event.

Who:

Harmon Killebrew Family
Idaho Governor Brad Little
Retired U.S. Representative Raul Labrador
President and Chief Executive Officer, Minnesota Twins, Dave St. Peter,
Vice President, Special Projects, Major League Baseball, Laurel Prieb
Program Director, The Miracle League, Stephanie Davis
USPS District Manager Michael Mirides
Payette High School Band and Baseball Team

When:

Friday, April 12, 2019 at 1 p.m.

Where:

Payette Post Office
915 Center Ave.
Payette ID 83661

Background:

Former U.S. Representative Raul Labrador first introduced the legislation to name the Payette Post Office building after Killebrew, which was signed into law in December 2018.The current Payette Post Office building was completed in 1937 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. A plaque dedicating the building to the late Harmon Killebrew will be unveiled at the ceremony.

Harmon Killebrew Jr. was born in Payette, ID on June 29, 1936 to Harmon Clayton Killebrew, Sr and Katherine May Killebrew. He excelled in several sports at Payette High School, including baseball, basketball and football where he earned All-American honors as a quarterback. He received a scholarship offer from the University of Oregon and intended to play for the Ducks. However, after watching Killebrew hit a 435-foot home run for the semi-pro Payette Packers, a scout for the Washington Senators offered Killebrew a contract, which his mother signed, as Killebrew had yet to turn 18. The scout was at the game at the advice of Idaho Sen. Herman Welker.

Killebrew was considered one of the top power hitters of his era. Nicknamed "Killer," he led the American League in home runs for six seasons and was named an All-Star 11 times. After coming into the major leagues as an infielder, Killebrew played a number of positions during his career, including first base, left field and designated hitter. Killebrew hit more home runs than any other major leaguer during the 1960s, ending that decade as the AL MVP for the 1969 season, when he helped lead the Twins to a first-place finish in the newly-formed AL West division. At the time of his retirement in 1975, Killebrew had amassed 573 home runs, then the most ever by a right-handed hitter in AL history. In 1984 he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Harmon Killebrew passed away May 17, 2011 in his home in Scottsdale, AZ.  He left behind a huge legacy of compassion, supporting those less fortunate; especially special needs children and hospice.

Biography sources: ESPN, Baseball Hall of Fame, Britannica and an Idaho Press article from March 14, 2008: https://www.idahopress.com/harmon-killebrew-baseball-s-killer/article_9002f0a0-cf97-56e4-b32d-1782c5ad34bc.html

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