New York Mets' Ralph Kiner: NY's Most Knowledgeable Baseball Broadcaster?

The New York Yankees have so many announcers that are former players it makes a fan's head spin. All are knowledgeable and most can verbalize their expertise quite well, but none is as good as New York Mets' 50-year veteran, the great Ralph Kiner.

In 1962, the New York Mets joined baseball, and Kiner joined Lindsey Nelson and Bob Murphy in the broadcast booth. The trio worked both the television and radio sides with Kiner announcing two innings on both to go along with his postgame television show.

Murphy was one of the best play-by-play announcers ever and Nelson wasn't far behind. When they were on the radio, listeners knew what had happened, what might happen, but of greatest importance, fans knew what was happening as it unfolded.

Hey, John Sterling, do you hear that?

Ralph Kiner was merely adequate describing the game, but he was the greatest with respect to, as Gary Cohen said, his "no-holds-barred analysis."

It was Kiner that supported Gil Hodges when he walked out to left fielder Cleon Jones in the second game of a doubleheader on July 30, 1969 against the Houston Astros to pull Jones.

Hodges would not put up with nonsense, if one can call not hustling nonsense. In front of everyone, Hodges embarrassed Jones, but he made his point. Ralph Kiner explained why Hodges had done it.

A few days later, the 1969 New York Mets started their miracle run to the pennant.

When Gil Hodges and pitching coach Rube Walker gave Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Gary Gentry, Don Cardwell and Jim McAndrew four days off between starts, it was Kiner who explained their reasons for doing it.

During their first season, the New York Mets lost 120 games. It remains the record for the most losses by a team in a season. It wasn't a new experience for Kiner to be associated with such a poor team.

"I'd lost 112 games one year with the Pirates," he told writer Michael Malone. "I was used to it."

Kiner has been part of the Mets' worst seasons and their best. He roots for the Mets but he gives credit to the opposition.

He is a New York treasure.