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Ed Kranepool: New York Mets Team Hall of Famer- Part One (The Sixties)

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Edward Emil Kranepool was born in the Castle Hill / Soundview section of the Bronx, New York on November 8, 1944. Ed lived on Castle Hill Ave between Hermany Ave &Turnbull Ave. Family: His father was killed in France during World War II leaving behind his wife Ethel Kranepool who was six months pregnant with Ed. Ethel raised Ed & his older sister working odd jobs & making ends meet on a military widow's pension.  A neighbor Jim Schiaffo, who was a little league coach became the closest thing he had to a father. He would practice & teach baseball to the young Eddie.  Quotes- Ed Kranepool: " I played every day of my life some kind of sport, preferably baseball or basketball. We played stickball in those days in the street, I used to beat the big kids. In little league I led the league in hitting three years in a row. I hit .700 every year." Ed started out as a pitcher but turned outfielder & first baseman after he broke his arm when...
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Glendon Rusch: 2000 N.L. Champion Mets Pitcher (1999-2001)

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Glendon James Rusch was born on November 7, 1974, in Seattle, Washington. The six foot two, left hander was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 17th round of the 1993 draft. After his first two seasons pitching in pro ball, Rusch had a great season in 1995 at A ball Wilmington going 14-6 with 1.74 ERA. He then was pushed right up to AAA Omaha, the next year winning 11 games (11-9) posting a 3.98 ERA with 117 strike outs in 169 innings. MLB Career: He was brought up to the Royals staff in 1997 & won his first start, pitching eight shutout innings in Milwaukee against the Brewers. He went on to win six games in each of his first two seasons but posted losing records.  In 1998 he lost 15 games which were fourth most in the league. He spent most of 1999 at AAA Omaha going 4-7 with a 4.74 ERA.  Traded: In mid-September of 1999 he was traded to the New York Mets for Dan Murray who had pitched just two innings allowing three runs that month as a Met. Met...
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Ron Hodges: 1973 N.L. Champion Mets Reserve Catcher (1973 - 1983)

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Ronald Wray Hodges was born on June 22, 1949, in the rural town of Rocky Mount, Virginia. He was one of nine children to Daisy & Anthony Hodges. Although he shared the same name, he was not related to Gil Hodges in any way. The six-foot one catcher attended Appalachian State University where he was drafted three different times. First by the Baltimore Orioles (1970) then the Kansas City Royals & Atlanta Braves, (1971) but didn’t sign with any of those teams.  In 1972 the Mets offered him a bonus & he did sign, as a second-round draft pick.  Hodges spent the season at A Ball Pompano Beach bashing 15 HRs with 15 doubles & 48 RBIs in 112 games. In 1973 Hodges was playing at AA Memphis, hitting only .173 but all of a sudden, things changed very quickly.  In June he was called up to the Mets big league squad when catchers' Jerry Grote & Jerry May went down with injuries. Hodges was needed to help back up Duffy Dyer, who had t...
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