Ralph Kiner Dies at 91

He was a Navy pilot during WWII, he led the National League in home runs for 6 straight seasons, he is a member of baseball's Hall of Fame, he broadcast Mets' games for two generations and he dated Liz Taylor.

That's Ralph Kiner.

Ralph died today at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. I'm too young to remember Ralph as a player for the Pirates, but I remember him well as a broadcaster for the New York Mets. He was a member of the Mets' original broadcast crew in 1962. He teamed with Lindsay Nelson and Bob Murphy. The trio did all of the TV and radio announcing. Kiner remained in the Mets' broadcast booth for more than 40 years. Until today, I never knew that he dated Liz Taylor or Ava Gardner or Marilyn Monroe. I also never knew that he was a pilot during the war. Kiner knew the game of baseball and he knew how to play it well.  Broadcasting for the Mets during their early years must have been a challange.  When the Mets won the World Series in 1969, I felt as happy for Ralph Kiner as I did for the Mets.

The thing that we should remember most about Kiner is what his broadcast partner, Bob Murphy once said, "Ralph Kiner was impossible to dislike."

R.I.P. Mr. Kiner, #4

Bob Murphy, Lindsay Nelson and Ralph Kiner

Liz Taylor & Ralph Kiner