Puckett’s Farewell Nearly Silent

For a few minutes Saturday night, Kirby Puckett’s farewell party threatened to end just like his career: Spoiled too soon by an unexpected complication.

Forced to retire July 12 because of glaucoma that has left him totally blind in his right eye, Puckett was forced into silence for several minutes when the Metrodome sound system failed.

“That’s a sign right there,” Puckett said when the sound came back. “I just want to say, ‘What happened?’ “

His premature departure this summer left all of baseball asking the same question.

Puckett was among the game’s brightest stars throughout his 12-year career, and is the most beloved sports figure in Minnesota history - maybe the state’s most cherished hero in any realm.

His retirement left a void for a team, a state and a game that adore him, but it cannot erase the memories he created, many of which were relived Saturday night.

There was far more celebration than sorrow during the ceremony, which preceded the Twins’ game against California and drew a sellout crowd of 51,011 fans, one of the largest regular-season crowds in Twins history. Puckett even reprised Lou Gehrig’s famous farewell speech.

“I think I thought I heard him say he was the luckiest man in the world,” Puckett said from a podium just in front of second base. “I’m here to tell Lou Gehrig, the Iron Horse, that tonight Kirby Puckett is the luckiest man in the world.”

The ceremony included laser lights and fireworks, two emotional videos - one shot three weeks ago in the Iowa cornfield where “Field of Dreams” was filmed - and owner Carl Pohlad’s official announcement that Puckett’s No. 34 will be retired next season.