Courtesy Philadelphia Inquirer

(February 13, 2009) Legendary broadcaster Harry Kalas will miss most of spring training after undergoing surgery earlier this week, sources told the Daily News yesterday. Rob Brooks, the Phillies' director of broadcasting, declined to discuss specifics of the situation except to confirm that Kalas had undergone a "minor medical procedure" and that there was no reason for concern.

"There's nothing to worry about," Brooks said. "I talked to Harry this morning and he knew what my Drexel Dragons did last night [on the basketball court] . . . He's the same HK."

The surgery, unrelated to the detached retina that sidelined him for part of last season, is not expected to cause him to miss Opening Day.

Kalas could return to the broadcast booth late in spring training. In the meantime, television broadcaster Tom McCarthy will pitch in on radio.

The Phillies have not released any details of the broadcaster's procedure.

Kalas, who turns 73 on March 26, has broadcast Phillies games since 1971. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002 as the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award. He is entering the final season of a 3-year contract that he signed in December 2006.