"Ed Kranepool. Borrow Chico's Soap and never give it back!"
RIP.
Posted on 09/10/2024 2:41:23 PM PDT by Impala64ssa
Ed Kranepool, who jumped from a Bronx high school to the big leagues with the original Mets at the age of 17 and who spent all 18 of his major league seasons in Flushing, died Sunday in Boca Raton, Fla., after suffering cardiac arrest. He was 79.
Kranepool, a left-handed hitting first baseman who was a member of the Mets’ first two World Series teams, had received a kidney transplant in 2019. He also suffered from diabetes. “He battled for so long and never complained about anything,” teammate Ron Swoboda said of Kranepool. “I thought once he got his kidney transplant things would be great. He was a wonderful guy and even better teammate.
We went into the restaurant business together. I can’t believe he is gone.” Fellow 1969 champion Art Shamsky said he was “just devastated” by Kranepool’s passing.
“I knew Krane for 56 years. We did so many appearances together. We had lunch last week and I told him I would be there next week to see him again. I’m really at a loss for words,” Shamsky said. “I can’t believe he’s the fourth guy from our 1969 team to pass this year — [Jim] McAndrew, [Jerry] Grote, Buddy [Harrelson] and now Eddie.”
Days after graduating from James Monroe High School, where he broke Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg’s long-standing home run record, Kranepool signed with the Mets, pocketing an $80,000 bonus
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Yeah, I got a couple of Ed Kranepool baseball cards. RIP, Ed.
Enjoyed Ed as I’m a #LGM fan (season ticket holder actually) and he was part of the ‘73 team i loved. But truth be told he got a LOT of mileage out of being a slightly better than average player...
“I can’t believe he’s the fourth guy from our 1969 team to pass this year — [Jim] McAndrew, [Jerry] Grote, Buddy [Harrelson] and now Eddie.”
Very sad.
RIP Miracle Mets man/men.
I was surprised that he played 18 years in the majors. He was no Throneberry, but he was steady.
"Ed Kranepool. Borrow Chico's Soap and never give it back!"
RIP.
Rest In Peace, Ed.
I went to the same elementary school and when I was in the sixth grade, the Mets’ first season, Ed came to our class (we had the same teacher) and took 15 of us to the Polo Grounds for a game against I can’t remember who. It is a memory that I will cherish forever. It was P.S. 6 or 36, can’t remember that either. He was six years older than me. We got to draw our names out of a hat to get picked. I was considered a nerd and the losers all tried to buy my seat, but this started my career as a Mets fan and I got to watch them build Shea Stadium from my bedroom window in the projects.
Not too long ago, in Palm Springs, I had lunch with Scott Kiner, Ralph Kiner’s son, and reminisced about the amazing Mets.
I met Ed Kranepool about 7 or 8 years ago. He was sitting outside Citifield before the game for a meet and greet promotion. I was able to stike up a chat with him about my memories of the Mets in the 1970s and he was so pleased to have fans share recollections of him. Such a nice man he was.
He would sign a handful of cards through the mail. Superb man. Original Stengel Met who played for the 1969 Amazin’s. Rest in peace.
I got one packet of five baseball cards in 1962 or 1963. They included three of Marvelous Marv Throneberry (1962 and early 1964 Met). I should have kept them, as so many were thrown away that it was later a rare card. In 1967 I played first base as a late inning defensive replacement, because I knew I didn’t have the arm to play second. RIP Ed Kranepool. RIP Marv Throneberry.
By today’s stats, career WAR 4.2 and career OPS+ 98 is slightly below average. Some forget that anything near an ‘average’ MLB player is an extraordinary talent. A good personality and minimal injuries go a long way.
Loved those ‘69 Mets.
RIP
They included three of Marvelous Marv Throneberry (1962 and early 1964 Met). I should have kept them, as so many were thrown away that it was later a rare card.
LOL. I remember trying to trade away a lot of Marv Throneberry cards. They were in every pack I got.
“Marv Throneberry”
A blast from the past! :)
“Marv Throneberry”
A blast from the past! :)
I believe Marv was in a beer commercial saying “I don’t know why they wanted me to do this commercial...”
Ron Swoboda to a heckler: “How dare you criticize a professional athlete! You don’t even sweat when you jack off!”
Kranepool had his big league debut when he was 17! He was regular a couple of years after that and showed some serious potential. He never realized the potential stardom that his early years suggested were possible but he had a nice long career. A team does not hold on to a guy for 18 seasons unless he provides it value.
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