Ed Kranepool

Edward Emil Kranepool
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 215 lbs.
Born: November 8, 1944 in New York, NY
Signed: 1962 by the Mets
Departed: as a free agent, November 1979

 

Do you remember how Charlie Brown loved a fictional baseball hero named Joe Shlabotnik? Who got sent down to the minors and hit something like .032 in the Green Grass League? Well, Ed Kranepool was my Joe Shlabotnik when I was a child. I even forged his signature on my Little League first baseman's mitt. And my faith in him was rewarded, too, because I heard the cheers for him later in his career, when he was a premier pinch-hitter: "Ed-die! Ed-die!" Pictured here when he was a National League All-Star early in his career, along with should-be Hall of Famer Ron Santo, on a 1966 Topps Rub-Offs sheet. There are several more of his cards pictured below.

      

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BATTING RECORD (team-leading totals in red)

YEAR CLUB      G   AB   R    H  2B 3B  HR RBI   TB SB CS  SO  BB HBP SAC SF  OBP  SLG  AVG
1962 *METS*    3    6   0    1   1  0   0   0    2  0  0   1   0   0   0  0 .167 .333 .167
1963 *METS*   86  273  22   57  12  2   2  14   79  4  2  50  18   0   1  2 .256 .289 .209
1964 *METS*  119  420  47  108  19  4  10  45  165  0  1  50  32   2   3  4 .310 .393 .257
1965 *METS*  153  525  44  133  24  4  10  53  195  1  4  71  39   2   1  8 .303 .371 .253
1966 *METS*  146  464  51  118  15  2  16  57  185  1  1  66  41   3   0  4 .316 .399 .254
1967 *METS*  141  469  37  126  17  1  10  54  175  0  4  51  37   1   5  4 .321 .373 .269
1968 *METS*  127  373  29   86  13  1   3  20  110  0  3  39  19   2  10  1 .271 .295 .231
1969 *METS*  112  353  36   84   9  2  11  49  130  3  2  32  37   0   2  4 .307 .368 .238
1970 *METS*   43   47   2    8   0  0   0   3    8  0  0   2   5   0   0  0 .250 .170 .170
1971 *METS*  122  421  61  118  20  4  14  58  188  0  4  33  38   1   5  2 .340 .447 .280
1972 *METS*  122  327  28   88  15  1   8  34  129  1  0  35  34   1   2  4 .336 .394 .269
1973 *METS*  100  284  28   68  12  2   1  35   87  1  0  28  30   0   4  2 .310 .306 .239
1974 *METS*   94  217  20   65  11  1   4  24   90  1  0  14  18   0   0  2 .350 .415 .300
1975 *METS*  106  325  42  105  16  0   4  43  133  1  1  21  27   0   0  5 .370 .409 .323
1976 *METS*  123  415  47  121  17  1  10  49  170  1  0  38  35   0   2  3 .344 .410 .292
1977 *METS*  108  281  28   79  17  0  10  40  126  1  4  20  23   0   0  5 .330 .448 .281
1978 *METS*   66   81   7   17   2  0   3  19   28  0  0  12   8   1   0  3 .280 .346 .210
1979 *METS*   82  155   7   36   5  0   2  17   47  0  1  18  13   1   0  5 .287 .303 .232
CAREER TOTS 1853 5436 536 1418 225 25 118 614 2047 15 27 581 454  14  35 58 .316 .377 .261

season highlighted in blue denotes he was selected Rounding Third's Mets Hitter of the Year

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This is a list of the Ed Kranepool cards that I already have in my collection. If you have any cards that are not listed here, and you are willing to donate or trade them, contact me at Rounding Third.

1963 Topps

1964 Topps

1967 Topps

1969 Topps

 

1963 Topps #228 (Rookie Stars)

1964 Topps #393 (Casey Teaches; with Casey Stengel)
1964 Topps #566

1965 Topps #144
1965 Topps Embossed #6

1966 Bazooka #9 (PSA graded EX 5)
1966 Topps #212
1966 Topps Rub-Offs (uncut panel with Ron Santo)

1967 Kahn's Weiners (yellow and white border; trimmed with pinking scissors)
1967 Topps #186 (Mets Maulers; with Ron Swoboda)
1967 Topps #452

1968 Topps #92

1969 Milton Bradley game card
1969 MLB Official Stamps ("Cut Along Dotted Line" on back)
1969 MLB Official Stamps (no notation on back)
1969 The News Portfolio of Stars by Stark reprint
1969 Topps #381
1969 Topps Stamps

1970 Topps

1973 Topps

1978 Topps

1979 Topps

 

1970 Kellogg's #1
1970 Topps #557

1971 Dell MLB Official Stamps
1971 Topps #573

1972 Topps #181
1972 Topps #182 (In Action)

1973 O-Pee-Chee #329
1973 Topps #329

1974 Topps #561

1975 Dairylea Picture Pak
1975 SSPC Mets #10
1975 Topps #324
1975 Topps Mini #324

1976 SSPC #533
1976 Topps #314

1977 Dairylea Mets Photo Album
1977 O-Pee-Chee #60
1977 Topps #201

1978 Topps #49
1978 Wiffle Ball Discs

1979 Topps #505

The Dugout
matchbook cover

 

1980 Topps #641

1987 TCMA Baseball's Greatest Teams 1969 Mets #1-1969

1989 Pacific Baseball Legends #114
1989 Susan Rini 1969 Mets Postcards #17
1989 Swell (CMC) Baseball Greats #28

1991 WIZ Mets #220

1994 Ron Lewis '69 Mets 25th Anniversary Postcards #22a (image reversed; autographed; no serial number)
1994 Ron Lewis '69 Mets 25th Anniversary Postcards #22a (image reversed; 02767 of 25,000)
1994 Spectrum Miracle of '69 #13, #36, #52

1999 Fleer Sports Illustrated Greats of the Game #55
1999 Fleer Sports Illustrated Greats of the Game Autograph Collection (autographed) 

2001 Upper Deck Legends of New York #67
2001 Upper Deck Legends of New York #LMB-EK (game-used bat)
2001 Upper Deck Vintage Timeless Teams #NYM-EK (game-used bat)

2002 Fleer Mets 40th Anniversary All-Amazin' Team #14
2002 Topps Super Teams #88
2002 Topps Super Teams #STR-EK (game-worn road jersey)
2002 Topps Super Teams #STR-EKU (game-worn home uniform; with pinstripe)
2002 Topps Super Teams Retrofractor #88 (0043/1969)

2004 Topps Finest Finest Moments #FMR-EK (autographed)
2004 Upper Deck Legends Timeless Teams #57 (autographed)

2005 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites #95
2005 Topps Pristine Legends Title Threads #TT-EK (game-worn uniform)
2005 Topps Retired Autographs #TA-EK (autographed)
2005 Topps Retired Gold #57 (133/500)
2005 Upper Deck MLB Artifacts Auto Facts #EK (autographed; 444/599)

2006 Hero Decks Mets Heroes (three of clubs)

Other Ed Kranepool memorabilia in my collection: 

1960s Hollander Ed Kranepool model left-handed first baseman's mitt
1966 Volpe tumbler
1967 Coca-Cola bottle cap #V21
matchbook cover from The Dugout restaurant (with Ron Swoboda)
autographed 8x10
1977 Burger Chef Fun Meal Discs (complete unfolded box)
autographed baseball
~1990 WIZ Mets Hall of Fame postcard
1992 Upper Deck Heroes of Baseball commemorative sheet (42663/47,000)
1994 GTS 1969 Mets 25th Anniversary phone card
1996 contract to appear in a United Way celebrity golf tournament (autographed)
pencil drawing by my son Andrew

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"You know I haven't seen him swing at a bad pitch yet. He has a good left-handed swing and he doesn't go chasing after those bad pitches. That's more than I can say for most of my other players."

— Casey Stengel 3

 

"I was doing some research on Ed Kranepool and came across your website.… I was happy to see you are such a fan and just wanted you to know that I had the delightful pleasure of meeting Ed this past week. He was at a blood drive being held for a little girl with brain cancer. I was the reporter covering the story and got to spend a few moments talking with him. To say he was gracious to all those who asked for autographs, does not do his generosity of spirit justice. He was a true gentleman, who was soft-spoken and engaging. Hope this brings a smile to your face as you remember your childhood hero!"

— Karenlyn Barone
Herald Newspapers
Long Island, NY
1/10/2004