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R.I.P. Ralph Kiner

riter
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R.I.P. Ralph Kiner 

Post#1 » by riter » Sat Feb 8, 2014 7:56 pm

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/ ... -1.6971413
Ralph Kiner, Hall of Famer and beloved Mets announcer, dies at 91
"Ralph McPherran Kiner was born Oct. 27, 1922, in the copper mining town of Santa Rita, N.M. His father died when Ralph was 4 and his mother, a nurse, moved to Alhambra, Calif., for a better job. There he took up baseball with the help of friendly neighborhood kids whose father had been a semipro pitcher.

He signed with the lowly Pirates in 1940, then interrupted his career by enlisting in the Navy the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Strengthened by military service and tutored by mentor and Pirates teammate Hank Greenberg, Kiner led the National League in home runs in his first seven seasons. He hit 51 homers in 1947 and 54 in 1949."

http://baseballhall.org/hof/kiner-ralph
"Biography:

In a relatively brief 10-year career, which was shortened by a back ailment, Ralph Kiner hit 369 home runs, winning or sharing the National League home-run title in each of his first seven seasons in Pittsburgh. He topped 50 twice, with 51 in 1947 and 54 in '49. His ratio of 7.1 home runs per 100 at-bats trails only Mark McGwire, Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds among retired players. Kiner averaged better than 100 RBIs a season as he led the National League in slugging percentage three times."

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/bas ... y=news_mlb
"Ralph dominated at the plate for a decade, but his contributions to our national pastime spanned generations," Commissioner Bud Selig said. "For 52 years, Ralph was a one-of-a-kind voice of the Mets, linking baseball's unparalleled history to New York's new National League franchise since its very inception.

"I am grateful that I recently had the opportunity to visit with Ralph, whose lifetime of service to baseball will always be treasured by the fans of Pittsburgh, New York and beyond. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to his five children, his 12 grandchildren, his friends throughout our game and his admirers everywhere."


http://www.baseball-reference.com/playe ... ra01.shtml

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