Posted on 03/18/2018 9:36:36 AM PDT by Impala64ssa
Ed Charles, a beloved Met, poet and key component on the ’69 Miracle team, died Thursday at his home in Elmhurst, Queens, at the age of 84 after a long illness.
Charles, nicknamed “the Glider” for his smooth play at third base, only played three seasons with the Mets, 1967-69, yet achieved a kind of iconic status with the fans because of his spirited play at third base and his leadership qualities that endeared him to his teammates. All the years after his career ended in 1969, he made frequent appearances around the city, representing the team, and after passing a civil service exam, he worked with troubled youth in the Bronx.
“How sad,” said Tom Seaver by phone from Calistoga, Calif., Thursday night. “Ed was just a terrific person. He was a pro’s pro and just what we needed to complete that (’69 world championship) team.”
Inspired by Jackie Robinson’s breaking of the color barrier in 1947, Charles signed with the old Boston Braves in 1952, where he spent eight seasons in the minors waiting behind Braves Hall of Fame third baseman Eddie Mathews. Charles, though, finally made it to the big leagues with the Kansas City Athletics, where he spent the prime of his career from 1962-67 before being traded to the Mets on May 10, 1967 for a reserve outfielder, Larry Elliot. He was 29 by the time he made his major league debut in 1962 and had a standout rookie season with the A’s, hitting .288 with 17 homers and 74 RBI in 147 games.
Charles penned several poems over his 84 years, earning him the moniker of Mets poet laureate. He even slipped them into return letters of fans who’d requested a signed photo. One such poem about Jackie Robinson, titled Jackie Robinson — Super Star, opened as follows:
He accepted the challenge and played the game
With a passion that few men possessed.
He stood tall in the face of society’s shame
With a talent that God had blessed.
In another titled “An Athlete's Prayer,” Charles pens the thoughtful tome of the hopes and aspirations of a sports star in the field of play.
So guide me dear author for the competition is ke
And I too might fall like others I’ve seen.
For many are the performers, yet few reach the top.
But with you leading the way, I cannot be stopped.
“Amen”
“Ed was a pro’s pro,” Seaver said. “(Mets manager) Gil Hodges was the one instrumental in getting him over to us. Gil knew what he was. Everybody loved him.”
For the first six years of their existence, third base had been a revolving door dark hole for the Mets, but when Charles joined the team, he solidified that weak spot, hitting .276 with 15 homers and 53 RBI in 1968.
The Mets released a statement on the Glider’s passing.
“Ed Charles, our beloved Glider and Poet Laureate of the 1969 Mets, was one of the kindest and warmest people ever to be a Met. His essays and poems inspired his teammates to the improbable World Series championship. With Jackie Robinson as his role model, Ed perpetuated a legacy of making a positive impact on other people’s lives. Everyone at the Mets are sending condolences, thoughts and prayers to Ed’s longtime companion Lavonnie Brinkley, his two sons Edwin and Eric, sister Virginia Charles and brother Elder.”
Although he hit only .207 in 61 games in 1969, Charles set the example for the younger Mets players by accepting his role as a platoon player, and delivered a number of clutch hits during their drive for the NL East title, including a homer off Steve Carlton in their pennant-clinching victory on September 24. After the ’69 season, he was released by the Mets, but hardly forgotten.
“Ed was such a sweet person and decent man who moved around this world with the same grace he showed at third base,” said ’69 Mets outfielder Ron Swoboda Thursday.
Love the picture! That was back in the days that fans could run onto the field. So a quick hug, really quick, and then they had to escape into the dugout, and then the locker room!
He lived near Citifield and he made some appearances at the ballpark over the years. More than once I recall seeing a picture on the scoreboard of him sitting at the game. RIP.
I still think back to that season. Ed had the glove to stop the other team and the heart to lead the Mets.
Mets up 3-1 against Baltimore, American League powerhouse. The Today Show back when it was watchable had on the Mets’ pitchers’s wives. Seaver and Gentry’s wives were two whom I remember. The interviewer asked if the Mets were going back to Baltimore for game 6 & 7? Tom Seaver’s wife immediately said, “no they weren’ going back to Baltimore, they were going to win it today in front of their fans,”. I knew right then Baltimore was road kill.
Ed Charles part of a wonderful time of my life. Thank you Ed.
I’ve been told that several Mets are in poor health, including Seaver, Ed Kranepool and Rusty Staub. I guess it’s about that time - these men played 50 years ago when I was a child.
And their shortstop from that era, Bud Harrelson, has Alzheimer's. The march of time.
RIP.
Lot of obits lately. Where’s Soros’?
I remember a game where he was off and running with two out in bottom 9, and scored the winning run on a single.
From my upper third base seat, I will never forget those huge strides as he hit third while his coach waved him home
The article just couldn’t resist citing the PC poem in full, could it?
Another likely asskissing white boi “journ-o-list”
Nolan Ryan.
Ed also played for the A’s when they were in KC and I was in Lawrence. He was one of the few good players the A’s had in those days, so of course they traded him.
RIP Glider we loved you in old Brooklyn.
“some film footage of the NY Mets miracle post season run here:
(Ed Charles HR seen @ 0:22 seconds in)”
6:00 into your clip Ed Charles also appears in a quick interview with Ralph Kiner.
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