Those of you were fortunate enough to catch this afternoon’s Met game on SNY were treated with the presence of Mets treasure and Hall of Famer, Ralph Kiner in the broadcast booth.
Mr. Kiner joined Ron Darling and Kevin Burkhardt (who was sitting in for Gary Cohen) for an interesting few innings of baseball talk.
Early on during the visit, Darling was talking about the importance of Johan Santana keeping his leg stiff in order to get “drop” on the baseball. Mr. Kiner was quick to point out that when hitting a baseball (and a golf ball), it important for a batter to keep his leg stiff too. To conversation was much more interesting than I’ve written, but by that early exchange it was clear Mr. Kiner had brought his “A” game today.
A little bit later Mr. Kiner was talking about Cardinal legend Stan Musial’s approach to hitting. According to Mr. Kiner, Musial’s approach was: for a ground ball, hit the top of the baseball, for a line drive hit the ball on the seams, for a fly ball hit the bottom of the ball. Ah, if only it was that easy. Mr, Kiner then went on to say the Musial was a single and doubles hitter until he found out he’d get paid better if he home runs!
SNY showed some class today too when, airing the Mets Memory segment they cued in on Kiner’s Korner, showing some clips of the great players Mr. Kiner had on his show. For fans in my age group, Kiner’s Korner was a staple of NY Mets broadcasts. Ron Darling said it was always great to be on Kiner’s Korner because if you were on you had a great game and you were able to brag about yourself. You also got a $100 bill. Mr. Kiner then told the story about how Casey Stengel pulled to set down on the first ever Kiner’s Korner. It has to be one of Mr. Kiner’s most often told stories, and still a pretty funny one.
Another interesting point made by Mr. Kiner during today’s game. With Cardinals pitcher Rob Carpenter tossing a no hitter through three innings, Mr. Kiner was asked about the “no hitter jinx.” Basically if a broadcaster mentions a pitcher has a no-no going, the broadcaster jinxes the game. Mr. Kiner said that when he was working games with Lindsey Nelson and Bob Murphy, they would mention a pitcher had a no hitter going, especially in the late innings. The reason was simple and refreshing: the fan needed to know what was going on. If someone just tuned in they needed to know too. Imagine that a broadcaster wanting the fan to know whats happening, instead of doing shtick.
Ralph Kiner is 86 years old. He’s been a part of our Mets since day one. Sure he’s slowed down a bit. Sometimes he may even mis-speak. But when Mr. Kiner is in the broadcast booth, he’s always worth listening to. Whether he’s talking about hitting or telling funny stories he truly is one a kind.
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Kiner’s Korner Forever.
Similar to Mets Classics, SNY should have a Kiner’s Korner Klassics that they can play during rain delays. I’m always annoyed when they show a classic Mets game during a rain delay when you know it’s going to get interrupted when the game resumes. Showing old Kiner’s Korner episodes guarantees that the whole episode can be aired.
On another note, does anyone know if Ricky Horton finally made it onto the show? I remember hearing the story of how he practiced as a youth in the dreams that he would get on the show.
what an excellent idea!
I heard Ralph was in town for the game today. During one of the inning breaks, they showed some highlites of him on the DiamondVision and then a live shot of him in the booth. He looks a bit frail, but waved to the crowd to a great ovation.
It’s great that Ralph Kiner wound up as a Mets announcer after all his years in Pittsburg. Their loss and our gain. They finally put up a statue of him a few years ago after his 80th birthday. I remember him saying during a Mets broadcast that he figured in Pittsburg there must be a rule you have to hit 80 to have a statue in your honor. Obviously, he deserved it long before then. Ralph still exhibits his great sense of humour to this day with all his oldtime stories. Every Met fan must know by now that Ralph thinks the greatest pitcher he ever faced was Ewell Blackwell, a pitcher that very few of us ever saw. For all his years in Pittsburg, Ralph is one of the Mets elite fans.
I think the Mets should name a section of Citifield for Ralph Kiner and what he has done for this organization in the broadcast booth. Have a section called ” Kiners Korner” where they honor not only Kiner but Bob Murphy as well.
If they can honor a guy who never put on a Mets uniform, they can honor the guys who brought the Mets game to the masses
The Mets have named the SNY broadcast booth at Citi after Ralph. But how many Mets fans know that? That provides recognition within the broadcast community, but it is a rather limited form of recognition. With all the space available at Citi in the amenities areas, there should be room someone for Kiner’s Korner as you suggest.
Somewhere, not someone. Sorry for the typo.
Agree 100% because I want the Mets to name a section for Ralph Kiner. I was suggesting Kiner’s Korner Bridge but someone says it should belong to Gil Hodges bridge in which I agree with it. I don’t like Utley’s corner in Right Field that Gary Cohen said the other day. Kiner’s Korner in Right Field will be good.
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I grew up with the Mets and Kiners corner. Nothing better than having the Mets win and then waiting for the Kiners corner show, right after the game. Good old channel 9.The show was so informative and it also kept the glow of the victory going. I would watch whether the Mets won or loss. There is nothing close to it, in todays world. Thanks Ralph and Go Mets!!!!!!
You are so correct. The game wasn’t over until you had seen Kiner’s Korner. The players were honored to be there, even the opposing team heroes when we lost. Ralph was always gracious and had good to say. He had a way of emphasizing the positive and showing the deficiencies without providing negative criticism. There was a special talent within him to be positive and it brought in the cooperation of the players and the love of the fans. The SNY post-game is ok, but nothing like the show Ralph provided. The amazing thing is that Ralph was a ballplayer professionally and not a communication or broadcasting person. All his broadcasting skills came from his own inner talent.
I totally agree. It humanized the players. The players all enjoyed being on the show. Ralph had their total respect as he was a baseball star in his own playing days. It also allowed you to appreciate the opposition. They were people not the enemy that seems to be the message of today.I still hear the the opening music of the show in my head. I was a kid back in those days, part of the magic of summer, for me. Would not trade it for anything. Go Mets!!!!!!
CAPSLOCK=DISABILITY ACCOMODATION WITH TONGUE FIRMLY PLANTED IN CHEEK I MUST SAY:
F I N A L L Y AN EXPLAINATION AS TO WHY, WITH ALL THE TOP PEDIGREE PITCHERS WHO’VE PERFORMED IN FLUSHING, I’M STILL WAITING 47 YEaRS FOR A MET NO-NO. WHO KNEW? IT WAS OUR BROADCASTING TRIUMVIRATE’S FAULT. SEAVER,KOOSMAN,RYAN,MATLOCK,SWAN,VIOLA,SABERHAGEN,GOODEN,DARLING,CONE, FERNANDEZ, ‘SAINT’ANA, ETC,ETC, AND SO FORTH…
DUROCHER & THAT F***ING PHSYCOPANT QUALLS COSTS ME 40 YRS OF BACKPAIN AS I WAS ON TOP OF A LADDER, SCRAPING A PEELING CEILING WHEN THAT LITTLE SOB DID THE UNSPEAKABLE W/2 OUTS IN 9th, CAUSING ME TO SEVERELY TWIST MY BACK, IMMEDIATLY BEING BEDRIDDEN FOR WEEKS & HAVE AS A CONSTANT REMINDER EVER SINCE. OH! DA PAIN! PRESCRIBEDE DARVON AT THE TIME ONLY ALLEVIATED THER BACK, NOT THE PSYCHE.