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Kalas wake to be held at Citizens Bank Park

The casket containing the remains of Harry Kalas will be on display at Citizens Bank Park for four hours on Saturday. Afterwards, a memorial service to honor the distinctive Phillies broadcaster.
The casket containing the remains of Harry Kalas will be on display at Citizens Bank Park for four hours on Saturday. Afterwards, a memorial service to honor the distinctive Phillies broadcaster.

Visitation begins at 8:00 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans will have the opportunity to pay their respects on the field as they pass by Kalas’s casket, which will be located behind home plate. The starting time of the memorial tribute program is now 1:30 p.m.

Fans will pass by the casket until approximately 12:45 p.m. at which time all persons in attendance will be directed to seats. Beginning at approximately 1 p.m., current and former players, broadcasters, front office employees, and friends and family members will pay their final respects before the on-field tribute begins at 1:30 p.m.

It will be the first wake for a baseball figure in a ballpark since 2002, when Jack Buck was memorialized at Busch Stadium. Previous to that, only Babe Ruth had received such an honor.

Fans will be directed to enter Citizens Bank Park through the Third Base Gate at Pattison Avenue and Citizens Bank Way and will be asked to leave the ballpark through the First Base Gate. Although fans are not being asked to bring flowers or other mementos, if they choose to do so such items should be left in the area of the Mike Schmidt statue prior to entry at the Third Base Gate.

Parking will be free. Fans are encouraged to park in the lots on the west side of the ballpark, located on the site of the former Veterans Stadium. Limited concession stands will be open.

All fans in attendance will receive a commemorative program, an 8"x10" photograph of Harry and a poem written by him in 2002 as a fan tribute.

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