Ralph Kiner...RIP

[yanksfan09]

Just heard, lost a great man and player today...

[DerekMichael]

I just saw this. Every once in a while he would come into the broadcast booth at the Mets games with Gary, Ron and Keith. He seemed like such a sweet guy. He will be missed.

Derek

[pclpads]

I always liked his comment when he was with the Pirates: "Singles hitters drive Chevs, home run hitters drive Cadillacs."

[geor952]

Just read it to... Another loss to our hobby and sport. One of my father's favorite players.

[Jim65]

RIP Ralph

[ethicsprof]

one of the greats.
my condolences to family,friends,fans.

barry

[Exhibitman]

Another great of the game gone. RIP

[greenmonster66]

Very sad to hear this. I had the opportunity to meet him a few times and a true gentleman for sure. RIP Mr Kiner. My sincere condolences to his family! God Bless!

[barrysloate]

He's been doing Mets games since their first one in 1962. Very sad.

[westsidecubs]

Another one gone from the golden years of baseball. Played lots more for the Pirates but I think of him as a Cub most R.I.P Ralph.

[Brian Van Horn]

.

[slipk1068]

Just learned this through this thread. It's like I lost part of my childhood. Great man he will be missed.

[gregr2]

One of the greats, RIP.
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[MattyC]

I always tell anyone who will listen (not many), that Kiner is one of the most underappreciated HOFers, whose cards seem tragically undervalued. If any kid came up today and led his league that many years consecutively in HRs, they'd be worshipped as a god. I grew up watching Kiner's Korner. Great player.

[EvilKing00]

as a huge met fan I can say he will be greatly missed and fondly remembered.

[DerekMichael]

He had a killer sense of humor. Does anyone remember a couple of seasons ago he was in the booth during a Mets game and was telling the story of when he was negotiating a contract with Branch Rickey after Kiner had put up just absurdly great power numbers, and Branch Rickey told him: "If we can finish in last place with you, we can finish in last place without you"?

The memory is vague but still there. He was just so humble about it. It was a rare treat when he would pop in the booth. It would just be once in a while during a weekend home game.

He always smiled and looked happy the entire time. What an awesome 91 years this guy had!

Derek

[tedzan]

A great BB player and a fine gentleman.

GOD BLESS his soul and comfort his family and friends.





TED Z

[z28jd]

Originally Posted by MattyC

I always tell anyone who will listen (not many), that Kiner is one of the most underappreciated HOFers, whose cards seem tragically undervalued. If any kid came up today and led his league that many years consecutively in HRs, they'd be worshipped as a god. I grew up watching Kiner's Korner. Great player.

His cards aren't undervalued for the next few days at least. Never understood why people have to have cards of players the day they pass away and they're willing to pay high prices for them, but it happens for any player that was even semi-famous.

I almost got his autograph at the Philly show a few years back, but the line was too long and they were telling people well in front of me that he probably wouldn't get to them. Would have been nice to meet him.

[geor952]

1952 Bowman

[gregr2]

53 Bowman
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[toppcat]

A sad day for this lifelong Mets fan-he was a classy guy. RIP Ralph

[FrankWakefield]

Years ago I wrote him, asking for an autograph. He signed an index card I'd sent, and mailed it back. I know that a time came when he'd ask for $ to sign, but I don't doubt folks like us wore him out asking for autographs. He sent a not along when he returned my index card. The man could put wood on a ball hard, and he played for a few teams that made it possible for pitchers to pitch around him. I wish his family well.

[slipk1068]

Originally Posted by FrankWakefield

Years ago I wrote him, asking for an autograph. He signed an index card I'd sent, and mailed it back. I know that a time came when he'd ask for $ to sign, but I don't doubt folks like us wore him out asking for autographs. He sent a not along when he returned my index card. The man could put wood on a ball hard, and he played for a few teams that made it possible for pitchers to pitch around him. I wish his family well.

When Ralph was a teenager, Babe Ruth was in California for some reason. Might have been barnstorming, I can't remember. Well Babe being Babe was signing autographs for EVERYONE. Ralph waited his turn to get the Babe's autograph and right when Ralph was about to get his turn, Babe left. That stayed with him throughout his life. Ralph always felt like he had to be sure to sign for everyone so that no kid ever felt the way he did. What a great human being.

Ralph was a student of the game's history. He could talk about guys like Pud Galvin or Timothy Keefe just as easily as he could talk about his contemporaries. Most broadcasters today know about the guys they played with and the current modern players only (see Keith Hernandez).

Lost some of what could have been his most productive years to WWII. I never met the man but being a Met fan in NY, he was in my home on television and radio every summer. I feel like I lost a friend RIP Ralph.

[t206blogcom]

[HRBAKER]

[leaflover]

R.i.p

[chris6net]

Originally Posted by pclpads

I always liked his comment when he was with the Pirates: "Singles hitters drive Chevs, home run hitters drive Cadillacs."

I always think of this comment when thinking of Kiner. I grew up with Ralph,Lindsey Nelson and Bob Murphy. Now they are back together
RIP Ralph

[Kenny Cole]

Funny guy and great hitter. RIP

[almostdone]

Ralph Kiner was the only famous person I met outside of where they would normally be seen (ie, ballpark). I had gone to a day game at Shae stadium with a friend and his family. After the game we went to out to eat at some steakhouse in New York and Kiner was sitting at the table next to us. With some encouragement from my friends father I asked for an autograph on my Mets magazine I still had in hand. He was more than willing. I still have it to this day.
Last year I got into TTMs and sent Mr. Kiner a ball. I received it back with a Hall Of Fame inscription on it. Signature was a bit shaky but still a great addition to my collection.
He will be missed in all of baseball.
Drew

[margoaepi]

A great loss to Mets fans and baseball fans alike. True class act. I'm sure he is hosting Kiner's Korner now with some of the greats.

[the 'stache]

Sigh. I knew this day would come, but it still sucks. The Pirates have long been my second favorite team, with Kiner and Roberto Clemente my favorite two Bucs. I'm just heartbroken. Ralph Kiner was one of the true gentlemen of the game. He was the 50's Christy Mathewson.

Kiner played only 10 seasons, but hit a whopping 369 home runs, while driving in 1,015 on a lot of bad Pirate teams (the Bucs won 492 games and lost 739 while he wore a Pirate uniform). He also walked 1,011 times. When he retired, he was sixth all-time in round trippers. He still holds the Major League record for most home runs in a player's first 5 seasons with 215 (he hit 23 as a rookie, then 192 the next four seasons!) He led the NL in home runs his first seven seasons in the Majors. No other player has ever led their league in home runs seven consecutive seasons. Not even Babe Ruth. He had four 3-home run games, astonishing when you consider the brevity of his career. Mr. Kiner served his country as a Navy pilot in WW II, and after his playing career was forced to a premature end due to back problems, Ralph became part of the New York Mets television broadcasting team, serving in that capacity for over 50 years.

How big was Ralph back in the day? DiMaggio had Marilyn. Ralph Kiner dated Elizabeth Taylor and Janet Leigh.



This is the first vintage card I bought. I was looking at it just last night. Now he's gone, and I'm so sad.



RIP, Mr. Kiner. Thank you for your service to our country, and for being one of the truly great players, and gentlemen, to ever step on the field.

[ls7plus]

Ralph was one of my four favorite players, a hero of mine since my childhood days, when I first read about him in Arthur Daley's book, "Kings of the Home Run," so please pardon me if this post is a bit long. As noted above, he only played 10 years in what was truly a spectacular slugging career, cut short by back problems. But what a career it was! 51 HR, 127 RBI, .313 BA with 98 walks in 1947; 54 HR, 127 RBI, .310 BA, with 117 walks in 1949; 47 HR, 118 RBI, .272 BA with 122 walks in 1950; and 42 HR, 108 RBI, .309 BA with 137 walks in 1951 (a year in which he also led the NL in OBP at .452 and slugging percentage at .627). It should be superfluous to state that had he played on the Dodgers, or another contender each of those years, he would have had a significant chance for 4 MVP awards. Also, as many of you know, he is the only man to lead the league in home runs seven straight seasons (in six of those, he led the major leagues in home runs). Named to six straight all-star teams, six seasons of more than 100 runs scored, six 100 RBI seasons. A career .946 OBPS, which is virtually unheard of for a career .279 hitter. Interestingly, if you go to www.baseballreference.com and use that site's neutralization factor, plugging his stats into the 1930 NL, which was the most favorable era in history for hitters, he would have had several 150+ RBI seasons; his 54 homer season in that context would have converted to a record-shattering 61, and his career OBPS would (going by recollection) have been elevated to something like 1.063!

Bill James said the following regarding Ralph in the 1988 edition of his Historical Baseball Abstract: "Ralph Kiner was, in terms of an established ability at a given moment, the second greatest home run hitter of all time. Only Ruth dominated the home run hitting business the way Kiner did in his best seasons..."

Prior to the steroid era, Kiner had the second best career HR frequency of all time, second only to the Babe. He was just the third man in baseball history to hit 50 or more HR in two different seasons (following Ruth and Foxx). As Arthur Daley concluded in his chapter on Kiner in "Kings of the Home Run," "For Kiner, it was a remarkable decade." A short career indeed, but one overflowing with quality, if not absolute quantity. Truly a tremendous slugger!

As a side note, I got his autograph once at a card show in the late '90's or early 2000's. The line was moving very, very slowly; so slowly that I left my place in line to see just what in the world was going on. I got closer to the stage area where Ralph was seated and signing, and saw him take the greatest of care to ensure that each and every autograph seeker got one of his best, most legible signatures. He was proud of his belated HOF status, and added "HOF 1975" to each autograph request without anyone even asking. And deservedly so--quality counts, and sometimes we overlook it in the grand scheme of overall total numbers. May this hero of mine RIP with all of God's grace beside him!

Highest regards to all,

Larry

[the 'stache]

Great post, Larry. It blows my mind that it took the BBWAA 15 years to vote him in (and by 1 vote). You lead your league in home runs your first seven seasons (and as you mentioned, all the Major Leagues for six of the seven), yet that's not impressive enough?

He just missed making it to the playoffs in '55, his last year with the Indians. They won 93 games, and the Yankees won 96. So close.

This should be the top story on ESPN's home page, not some dumb basketball score. He deserves that respect.

[MattyC]

Imagine if someone came up and led in HR even three times. Let alone seven. This man needs far more respect. No one will do that again. Plus served in a war. They don't make men like that these days.

His 48 Bowman was one of the first "old" cards I saw as a kid. The write up on that card is great, btw.

[kmac32]

Just found out that he lived and died right here in Rancho Mirage

[tjb1952tjb]

Another great one gone............RIP

[MattyC]

[Koufax32fan]

Underrated player; underrated set. My latest Kiner, bought off the Bay in January.

[dougscats]

I've been a Mets fan since '62, and Ralph was great to listen to: Not many knew more about hitting, and he had so many great stories, all of which he retold countless times, and some of which got better with the retelling.
He was a generous, good-natured man, and a colorful character--there was a robustness to him--you got the sense that he enjoyed life, and he certainly led a full one.

He and McCarver once autographed cards for my son and his friend from the TV booth at Shea--You can guess who was the most thrilled of the three of us!--My wife said I was smiling like a kid from ear to ear.

He was legendary at mangling a player's name, and fans suffered with him as went through his bout with Bell's palsy towards the end of his career --I mean, what other announcer could slur through game after game and keep his job for years?--It was painful to hear, but Mets fans loved him. I cherished his guest appearances over the last ten years, hearing him retell his wonderful old stories one more time.

Thank you Ralph Kiner.

[yanksfan09]

Originally Posted by dougscats

I've been a Mets fan since '62, and Ralph was great to listen to: Not many knew more about hitting, and he had so many great stories, all of which he retold countless times, and many of which got better with the retelling.
He was a generous, good-natured man with a colorful character--there was a robustness to him--you got the sense that he enjoyed life, and he certainly led a full one.

He and McCarver once autographed cards for my son and his friend from the TV booth at Shea--You can guess who was the most thrilled of the three of us!--My wife said I was smiling like a kid from ear to ear.

He was legendary at mangling a player's name, and fans suffered with him as went through his bout with Bell's palsy towards the end of his career --I mean, what other announcer could slur through game after game and keep his job for years?--It was painful to hear, but Mets fans loved him. I cherished his guest appearances over the last ten years, hearing him retell his wonderful old stories one more time.

Thank you Ralph Kiner.

Great stuff....

I'm a Yankees fan but do tune in to my fair share of Mets games over the course of the year. I always left the game on when I heard Kiner doing a game. I loved hearing any of the old time players do games. I used to love hearing Rizzuto do Yankee games as a kid. You're able to learn so much and hear firsthand accounts of baseball history by listening to guys like that. I had the pleasure of meeting Kiner and getting a signed ball at a Hofstra card show on L.I. and he was very friendly with everyone.

[Brian Van Horn]

.

[Bob Lemke]

It's strange how few Topps cards Kiner had. I worked this up over the weekend and am nearly done with a '54T Cubs.

55T Kiner f.jpg

55T Kiner back.jpg

[Phil Arem]

I met Ralph about ten years ago in the Shea Stadium parking lot with my kids. He signed autographs for both and answered all their questions politely and patiently. He was a real mensch! He will be missed.

[ls7plus]

Great posts, Doug, Bill, Bob and all of the rest of you guys contributing to this thread (what a beautiful card that would have been, Bob--'55 Topps were always my favorites). I never had the chance to tune in to any of his Mets broadcasts (I heard that he once said that he fit in perfectly with the Mets at the beginning, as he had so much experience with losing), but I'm sure he must have been a real treat. I'll miss him, but at least have a couple of his '47 Tip-Top rookies and a nice '53 Bowman, as well as the autographed ball to remember him by. What a credit to the game his life was!

Thanks to all,

Larry

[chris6net]

Listening to the radio and reading the papers in New York this week I was amazed at the life Kiner lived. He dated Hollywood Starlets and got to broadcast a team in the biggest market for 51 years. Oh don't forget he was one of the greatest home run hitters ever.
You will be missed Ralph!

[Bob Lemke]

. . . and here's my '54T-style.

54T Kiner front.jpg

54T Kiner back.jpg

[geor952]

Fantastic work Bob! It has been awhile since I have seen any of your new creations. The write ups are outstanding. Great tribute to Kiner!

[Bob Lemke]

Thanks, George. These days I generally only present my new customs on my blog. It's linked below.

[brian1961]

Thanks for sharing, Bob. Your tribute to Mr. Kiner leaves me shaking my head in wonder. Your work is outstanding on your site.

Totally agree with the gentleman who expressed that Mr. Kiner is a very under-appreciated HOFer. He must have listened well to Hank Greenberg, and had the skill to pull it off. Hard to imagine--7 years in a row leading the NL in HRs. Love the photo that that great photographer, Ozzie Sweet, did with all the pretty ladies swooning around Ralph.

Typical Branch Rickey stinginess. Did Ralph convey what he had to say to Branch after that butthead (in this instance) remark?

--Brian

[Gary Dunaier]

Apparently Ralph's final game was September 15, 2013, Mets v. Miami. I was at that game and took a couple of photos that might be of interest.

First, a zoom-lens look into the Mets' TV booth with Ralph behind the mike..


(Photo taken September 15, 2013. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here.)


Later, while walking around the ballpark (as I'm wont to do during a game), I was in the team store when I noticed the TV broadcast was showing Ralph with broadcasters Ron Darling and Gary Cohen, so I got a shot of the flat-screen TV...


(Photo taken September 15, 2013. © Gary Dunaier. Link to upload on Flickr.com: here.)