~ A North Forker's Reminders re: the METS' ED KRANEPOOL ~

BY DANNY McCARTHY

The METS won the 1969 World Series while at SHEA STADIUM. There has been documents ABout the METS lately in 2023 as their season begins.

I'd like to focus on METS' player ED KRANEPOOL {Positions: First Baseman and Outfielder}. ~ YES I won a WNEW radio contest to throw-out the first ball to then METS CATCHER JOHN STEARNS - BUT DAN'S PAPERS' Friday, March 17 {2023} issue shared TODD SHAPIRO's "take" having the title "Ed Kranepool's Life Will Make Many Believe in Miracles."

TODD SHAPIRO's post along with the entire edition of DAN'S PAPERS is online and the article is on page 78. I am going to do my own "take" referring to TODD SHAPIRO's once in a while w/ quotes, all write -{?}-

The number seven like the number 11 make for lucky numbers one can say like the 7-Eleven stores. ED KRANEPOOL's METS uniform number was SEVEN.

In 1962, ED KRANEPOOL "joined" the METS. He had "1,800-plus games." "In 1969, we went from outhouse to the penthouse. It was a fairy tale. It still is. I believe the 1969 World Series is one of the most memorable in the history of baseball {as (t)}he country was in turmoil {with the Vietnam War}... People really get excited about the 1969 Mets. It was a great story, and it will always be a great story."

Born in the Bronx yet "For more than two decades, he and his wife were fixtures on the East End, living on their 68-foot boat in Three Mile Harbor." {Three Mile Harbor is in the town of East Hampton on the South Fork of Long Island.}

"The boat was named 'Meema' after my wife because our grandchildren couldn't say 'grandma' [ED] Kranepool said."

He "now calls Boca Raton his full-time home." ED KRANEPOOL "said he will be back on Long Island this year."

ED KRANEPOOL's presence for METS' team members PLUS METS' fans "provides the team {and his fans} public relations that money cannot buy." He "visits Spring Training in Florida and still supports his team {by} attending games at CitiField and other stadiums throughout the season."

{A miracle} for ED KRANEPOOL also includes the fact that he received a kidney from "Glenwood Landing resident Deborah Barbieri..."

Here's to you... METS Number 7.