Ed Kranepool, a Mets legend who spent his entire career in Queens, died on Sunday after suffering cardiac arrest, the team announced. He was 79 years old.
Kranepool made his debut with the 1962 Mets, which was the start of an 18-year career in orange and blue that included an All-Star selection in 1964 and ended with his retirement after the 1979 season.
Kranepool is the Mets’ all-time leader in games played, with 1,853. David Wright, with 1,585 career games played, is second.
A member of the Miracle Mets of 1969 who beat the Baltimore Orioles to win the first World Series in franchise history and the 1973 club that won the National League pennant before losing to the Oakland Athletics in the World Series, Kranepool was a stalwart at first base for New York in the 1960s and '70s.
"We are incredibly heartbroken to learn of Ed Kranepool’s passing," Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. "He was an original Met, who debuted at age 17 in 1962. After starring at James Monroe High School in the Bronx, he would go on to play for his hometown team for the next 18 years, the longest tenured player in franchise history, appearing in 1,853 games with the Mets. Ed hit a home run in Game 3 of the 1969 World Series to help the Miracle Mets capture the title. He was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1990. Ed continued to work tirelessly in the community on behalf of the organization after his playing career ended. We cherished the time we spent with Ed during Old Timers’ Day and in the years since. Hearing Mets stories and history from Ed was an absolute joy. We extend our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends."
