Mets, Art Shamsky, keeps Ed Kranepool’s memory in the 1st season without him alive

April 22, 2019; New York City, NY, USA; The former Baseman of New York Mets, Ed Kranepool, appeals to the media at a press conference in which it was announced to have found a kidney game for his transplant before the game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies in Citi Field. Mandatory credit: Andy Marlin-USA Today Sports Sport

For the first time in their 64th year history, the New York Mets will exist without Ed Kranepool.

Her first big signing of the James Monroe High School in the Bronx, where he made Hank Greenberg’s long-time career home-run record, crane pool, as a 17-year-old during the opening season of the Mets. He then spent 18 years played with the club-like franchise record holder played in games, an all-star and a world champion from 1969.

In the 45 years after his game days, he was never far from the team. He was included in the Mets Hall of Fame in 1990 and was a regular appearance in the community, often with his former teammate and dear friend of 1969, Art Shamsky.

“The thing with Eddie, when I think about his career, when people talk about him, it’s not so much about statistics that he did a certain day,” said Shamsky on Friday, before he has 2025 Home Open on the Citi Field of the Mets 2025. “It is about two things: it is about being the first big name that was signed as a child, 17 years old. The second thing I was important was that he was native. The fact that he grew up in the Bronx was from New York.

Kranepool died on September 8 at the age of 79 in his house in Florida, of course and watched the Mets. The original face of the franchise is decorated its number 7 throughout the season on the sleeves of the squad in 2025 and on Friday 17 of its family members – commissioned by Shamsky – at hand during the celebrations before the game.

“I am so happy that the team honors him,” said Shamsky, who was friends with crane pool for 57 years. “It is well -deserved. Eddie’s legacy will always be the street child from the Bronx, which has spent 18 years with the same team. They will not see that often.”

Baseball in Queens without a crane pool, at least in physical form, is not entirely correct. He was the original Mr. Mak, the employee, the native guy, to whom the fan base adhered to, even if Tom Seaver, Tommy Agee or Cleon Jones later made his way to Queens in the decade. This persona never left him.

Unfortunately, this is the unstoppable march of time for all of us, although this generation of Mets has been particularly hard. Last year, four other members of the 1969 World Series winners passed: The determined catcher Jerry Grote, the Scrapping Shortstop Bud Harrelson and the Pitcher Jim Mcandrew and Jack Dilauro.

“It became clear to me that I (2009) (2009) (2009) (2009) was taken part of my youth when I was torn down (2009),” said Shamsky. “And when I heard the news about Eddie Kranepool, I was taken more by my youth … We lost five members from the 69er team. It was a very difficult year for me on a personal level.”

Shamsky, now 83, is one of the last true administrators of this team from 1969; A responsibility that he has due to a certain, relentless passion. He has written three books about this miraculous season and will rule anyone who is ready to hear about one of the most magical summer in baseball history.

“All of our lives changed on October day in 1969,” said Shamsky. “I think the true legacy of this team … is that the 69 Mets are still viable and people talk about it.

“In a way, it is magical because it is 56 years later and we still talk about it. Whenever I talk to people who are a little older, what happens to them is that they get young for an hour. They remember when they went to the ball park with their parents or grandparents, and that also feels young.”

More information about Ed Kranepool and the Mets can be found at Amny.com