Harmon Killebrew - Early Life

Early Life

Born in Payette, Idaho, Harmon Killebrew was youngest of four children to Harmon Clayton, Sr. and Katherine Pearl (May) Killebrew. His father, a painter and sheriff, was a member of an undefeated Millikin College football team who was later named an All-American under eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Greasy Neale. According to family legend, Harmon Killebrew's grandfather was the strongest man in the Union Army, winning every available heavyweight wrestling championship. Clayton encouraged Harmon and his brothers to stay active in various sports before his sudden death in 1953 at age 59.

As a child, Harmon played baseball at Walter Johnson Memorial Field, named after the Hall of Fame pitcher who spent part of his childhood in Idaho. He worked as a farmworker in his youth, where he lifted 10-gallon milk cans, each can weighing about 95 lb (43 kg). Killebrew earned 12 letters in various sports and was named an All-American quarterback at Payette High School; his uniform number was later retired by the school. He was offered an athletic scholarship by the University of Oregon, but declined the offer.

In the early 1950s, Idaho Senator Herman Welker told Washington Senators owner Clark Griffith about Killebrew, who was hitting for an .847 batting average for a semi-professional baseball team at the time. Griffith told his farm director Ossie Bluege about the tip and Bluege flew to Idaho to watch Killebrew play. The Boston Red Sox also expressed interest but Bluege succeeded in signing him to a $50,000 ($432,714 today) contract on June 19, 1954.