Sad day. Part of my childhood just passed away. He was very knowledgeable about bseball, was a great listen, wonderful story teller, and made malaprops cool for the masses. Kiner's Korner was a must watch. The Mets were so bad, but Kiner and Bob Murphy were the best.
"And on this Father's Day, we wish all you fathers out there a happy birthday."
My God, I feel incredibly sad. As long as I've been a baseball fan, Ralph Kiner was there. Even in recent years, after the stroke, just hearing his voice and wonderful stories and insights, brought comfort. When he spoke, it wasn't grandfatherly type of respect Darling and Hernandez gave Kiner - it was genuine respect for his knowledge and contribution to the game. There is now not a single figure associated with the team from it's founding, and that is profoundly sad.
Lindsay Nelson departed the booth a long time ago, so that wasn't as bad since both Kiner and Murphy remained. This is a rite of passage - the last of your grandparents or aunts & uncles passing away.
My love of baseball is infinitely more pronounced because of guys like Kiner and Murphy, who could make listening on radio (a lost art) in the days where few of us had multiple TVs in our homes almost as enjoyable as watching on TV. Kiner could spin a story about a teammate in the 40s and make it as alive as if it happened last year. He could break down a batter's swing, and even at an advanced age, tell you what was wrong with it.
Sad, sad, day. RIP Ralph - I can see Casey Stengel, the impish Mets manager and not the serious grizzled Yankee, waving his arms like a conductor and welcoming you to your reward singing "Metsies, Metsies, Metsies", God bless him always.