July 14th - Ralph Kiner Night

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Have you seen this on the promotional schedule? There will be a tribute to Kiner on Saturday night, July 14th.

I'm going to buy tickets for this game as soon as they go on sale. I predict that it's going to be a very emotional evening for most of us.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Well deserved, and long overdue.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Hope he survives his tribute longer than Murph did.

[soupcan]

Kiner bobbleheads perhaps?

[Gwreck]

(Serious question)
Maybe it's that for so many years I listened to games on WFAN far more than I watched them on TV -- but I never "got" why Ralph Kiner was great.

I know he's been a Mets broadcaster since '62. I never found anything about his broadcasting to be remarkable or outstanding.

I know he has many fans here. Can someone explain to me what I'm (apparently) missing?

[Frayed Knot]

Great announcer? ... No, and really never was.
He's always been more an ex-jock in the booth rather than a polished voice of information.
But he was decent at it and was a whole lot more coherant back when he was younger prior to his illnesses (perhaps you're too young to remember?). For the most part he's really more beloved for his knowledge of the game, his story-telling (even the repetitive ones), and his NYM longevity than for any great communicative skills.

In short, there's a reason why Ralph is in the HoF as a hitter and Murph as an announcer.

[Gwreck]

Frayed Knot wrote: But he was decent at it and was a whole lot more coherant back when he was younger prior to his illnesses (perhaps you're too young to remember?).

Well, I don't remember '62 or anything but I do remember Kiner's Korner on WOR Channel 9 and watching it for many years.

Your answer was about what I expected -- he's being honored for doing it for a crapload of years more than for being great. (Or do we have dissenters? I'm genuinely curious).

[Guest Edgy DC]

Ralph opposite McCarver was some fine broadcast years (and some fine Met years, youbetcha). Somehow, they were excellent complements. McCarver brought a culture of true analysis to the booth. (Someday it'll be documented just how much he changed the game.) Ralph was still young enough to respond energetically to the new level they were digging at, but still enough of a cigar-chomping cynic to playfully call McCarver out when he got more clever than concrete.

Since being parted from Kiner, nobody has had the authority to play that role with McCarver, and it's been to his detriment.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I always loved Kiner's Korner as a kid. It was just a chance to see a player in a different way. Not that any information there was a great revelation.

My favorite Kiner's Korner story: Ralph had Choo Choo Coleman on, and he was having trouble getting anything more than a one-word answer. So Ralph tried to loosen him up by asking, "So Choo Choo, what's your wife's name, and what's she like?"

And the reply: "Her name's Mrs. Coleman, and she likes me, Bub."

Classic!

[Guest iramets]

"Bub."

Romantic!

[Theoldmole]

He was a great announcer. Kiner knew more about baseball than any other half a dozen guys in the booth put together.