FLUSHING, NY – With the passing of “Mr. Met,” Ed Kranepool, a flood of memories filled my head. I remembered one cool afternoon when I was sitting in the right field mezzanine section at Shea Stadium watching the Mets’ Tom Seaver pitch against the Chicago Cubs. Cubs infielder Steve Ontiveros was batting in the 4th inning when he hit a line drive right in front of Mets’ right fielder Kranepool. The ball dropped for a single and I cursed out him for not making a valiant effort to catch the ball.
It was the only hit for the Cubs that day, and I hated Kranepool for denying me a chance to witness the first no-hitter in Mets’ history. A few years later, the hatred for Kranepool grew even more when he held a tryout camp that I attended and gladly accepted my fifty dollar fee. He wasn’t impressed by my skills, as I felt like The Invisible Man, while he ignored my hitting and fielding display.
Decades later Kranepool met my brother George at an event and tried to sell him a gadget that accepted credit cards. He constantly called him until my brother told him to get lost.
As I got older I learned to appreciate number 7 and his Bronx roots. Kranepool signed with the Mets right after his senior year at James Monroe High School. He became a big leaguer at the age of 17, just a few months after he received his diploma. He got his first big league hit when he came into the game to replace first baseman, Gil Hodges.
Edward Emil Kranepool III gave all of the youngsters,who played stickball in the streets hope that we too, could play in the bigs.
It is so ironic that the day before his death I was at the Mets/Reds game when Southern Maryland catcher, 19-yearold Niklas Santiago, asked me whyKranepool’s number seven wasn’t retired. I gave Niklas the history of, “The Krane.” Less than 24hours later, Niklas informed me of Kranepool’s death.
R.I.P. Eddie, up in Mets, Heaven.
