PAYETTE, Idaho — To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, Idaho News 6 is spotlighting the Gem State's contributions to the national story, including America's favorite pastime— baseball.
At Payette High School, Harmon Killebrew Field pays homage to the hometown baseball legend who was a 13-time All-Star over the course of a lengthy career in Major League Baseball.
AMERICA 250: Exploring Harmon Killebrew's impact on the Payette community
We talked to Payette High School Coach Tracy Bratcher, who says it's not uncommon for people driving by the school to stop by and ask if baseball legend Harmon Killebrew really had his baseball career start in this Idaho community.
The answer is: Yes, he did.
Coach Bratcher has been with the Payette High School baseball program for 23 years, and there's not a day he doesn’t think of what #3 and baseball Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew has meant to the community.
“I definitely try to teach our kids who it is. I want them to know it’s more than just a field or a drive in town, Killebrew Drive, I want them to know the man behind the name,” said Bratcher.
One of those players who appreciates Killebrew's impact is first baseman Darrien Pecunia.
“I do take a little pride, especially on our jerseys, we've got HK on our sleeve, so we’re always kind of paying attention to him and playing for him a little bit,” said Pecunia.
You can learn about Harmon Killebrew’s connection to Payette by attending a baseball game at the high school, where his life story is featured on the main scoreboard before most games.
Harmon Clayton Killebrew Jr., AKA "The Killer," was born in Payette, Idaho, on June 29, 1936.
The famous hometown baseball player hit 573 home runs in his 22 seasons in Major League Baseball. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame on August 12, 1984.
Killebrew's name can be seen all over Payette, and in 2018, with an act of Congress, the Payette Post Office was named after him.
WATCH: Payette dedicates post office to Harmon Killebrew
However, Killebrew wasn't one to simply sit on the bench post retirement and receive accolades. Always the contributor, Killebrew strove to bring a Miracle League Field to Payette for years. The Miracle League offers adaptive baseball players a chance to play the game safely with rubberized surfaces that can accommodate wheelchairs, strollers, and other adaptive devices. With help from the community, the field was completed in 2015.
Harmon Killebrew passed away on May 17, 2011.
One piece of local lore surrounding Killebrew's legacy is that his silhouette serves as the logo for Major League Baseball, something Bratcher said is true.
“Harmon said he was in the commissioner’s office, so he walked out, and they had a guy who was tracing his image, and he didn’t know what it was for, then the logo came out," stated Bratcher. "That was the story I got from him.”
WATCH: The Miracle League of Payette ensures everyone has a chance to "play ball!"
ALSO READ | Idaho National Laboratory unveils DOME facility ahead of America’s 250th birthday
