Ralph Kiner 91 passes away

[rightwinger]

Ralph Kiner was one of the most feared hitters in the late 40s and early 50s. He won seven consecutive HR titles. His famous line.....Singles hitters drive Chevies, Home Run Hitters drive Cadilacs

As a Met fan, he was the voice of the Mets from their start in 1962 till last year. No Met fan would miss Kiners Corner

Baseball Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner Passes Away at 91 | Bleacher Report

 

[Trajan]

ahh those were the days, I wasn't a Met fan but he was a class act. I remember Kiners Corner well and home-run derby too. .... giving a player a wristwatch then actually meant something and, they were grateful ( and they weren't Rolex's either).

“Going, going, gone, goodbye!”RIP Ralph...

 

[rightwinger]

Ralph had a stroke a few years back. His speech was a little slurred but the Mets would bring him back to do a few innings on a Sunday Matinee. We knew he wouldnt be around much longer but it was still great to hear him

 

[LoneLaugher]

Ralph, Lindsay and Bob. Never a better broadcast team.

 

[DGS49]

It was a fact that when Kiner was playing for our local Bucco's the game was basically over when he completed his last turn at bat. The fans would visibly move to the aisles and leave after he batted in the 8th or 9th inning.

It is said that he demanded a big raise from Branch Rickey after hitting 50 or so home runs in one of his later years. Threatened to quit if he didn't get his money (in the days while the "reserve clause" was still mandatory in all player contracts).

Rickey responded that the team stunk with him and it could stink just as well without him. Kiner didn't get his raise.