Beloved Hall of Fame Slugger RALPH KINER has died at the age of 91.
The last of the original NY Mets broadcasters has passed away at his home in Rancho Mirage, California of natural causes, surrounded by his family.
As a Pittsburgh Pirate in the 40's and 50's, Ralph won the NL homer title with 23 his rookie season and would go on to lead or tie for the lead in homers for six seasons under the tutelage of legend Hank Greenberg. A six-time NL All-Star, he had had six seasons of 100 or more RBI, including an NL-leading 127 and a career-high 54 homers in 1949.
Ralph's playing career lasted 10 years before he hung up his cleats, chalking up 369 homers, 1,015 RBI and a .279 career average. One of the most beloved New York sports figures, he served as Mets broadcaster since the teams' inception in 1962 until his retirement in 2006.