Kirby Puckett had a stroke at his Arizona home and died yesterday, at the age of only 45.

Puckett was a Hall of Famer and leader of the Twins two World Series Champions. His greatest moment came in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series against Atlanta. With the Twins down 3 games to 2, he made a leaping catch to rob the Braves of a home run, then hit a home run in the 11th to force game 7.

Most important about Puckett was his love of the game. He ran out every ground ball and played every game like it was his last. The exuberance and joy he showed on the field made him a pleasure to watch.

His career ended prematurely because of glaucoma, and now he died way too young. It's a sad end to a storybook life that had him pulling himself out of the South Side Chicago projects to become one of baseball's great superstars.

Good bye, Puck. We'll miss you.