Ralph Kiner

Ralph Kiner
Kiner with the Pittsburgh Pirates, c. 1948
Left fielder
Born: (1922-10-27)October 27, 1922
Santa Rita, New Mexico, U.S.
Died: February 6, 2014(2014-02-06) (aged 91)
Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 12, 1946, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last MLB appearance
September 25, 1955, for the Cleveland Indians
MLB statistics
Batting average.279
Home runs369
Runs batted in1,015
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction1975
Vote75.4% (13th ballot)

Ralph McPherran Kiner (October 27, 1922 – February 6, 2014) was an American Major League Baseball player and broadcaster. An outfielder, Kiner played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, and Cleveland Indians from 1946 through 1955.

Following his retirement, Kiner served from 1956 through 1960 as general manager of the Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres.[1] He also served as an announcer for the New York Mets from the team's inception until his death. Though injuries forced his retirement from active play after 10 seasons, Kiner led all of his National League contemporaries in home runs between 1946 and 1952. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.

After Kiner's death, baseball writer Marty Noble called him "one of baseball's genuine and most charming gentlemen."[2]

  1. ^ Weber, Bruce. "Ralph Kiner, Slugger Who Became a Voice of the Mets, Dies at 91". The New York Times. February 6, 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  2. ^ Noble, Marty (February 6, 2014). "Kiner, Hall of Fame slugger, broadcaster, dies at 91". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 6, 2014.