Ralph Kiner

Hall of Fame Major League Baseball Player, Broadcaster. For ten seasons (1946 to 1955), he played at the outfielder and first-baseman positions with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians. From 1962 until 2013, he served as a broadcaster with the New York Mets. Born Ralph McPherran Kiner, he was raised in California where he attended Alhambra High School. Signed by Pittsburgh as an amateur free agent in 1941, his Minor League career was delayed due to his service as a pilot with the United States Naval Air Corps during World War II. Kiner marked his Major League debut with the Pirates on April 16, 1946 and produced the first of seven consecutive seasons in which he led the National League in home runs, as he established himself as one of the most prolific power hitters of his era. In 1947 and 1949, he surpassed the 50-round-tripper mark (51 in 1947 and 54 in 1949) and earned All-Star status six consecutive times (1948 to 1953). In 1,472 regular season games, he compiled 1,451 hits, including 369 home runs with 1,015 runs-batted-in and a .279 lifetime batting average. After retiring as a player, Kiner initiated his lengthy career as a broadcaster, starting with the Chicago White Sox in 1961, followed by his many years with the New York Mets. He became widely known for his home run call with the signature words "It is gone...goodbye." Kiner also achieved popularity for his post baseball show "Kiner's Korner." He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a player in 1975 and in 1987, his uniform number 4 was retired by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was formerly married to tennis star Nancy Chaffee. Kiner died from natural causes.