EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY:
ED KRANEPOOL WORKS OVERTIME
SHEA STADIUM, QUEENS, NY (1996)
I’ve not attended any games or events at Shea Stadium, but I did walk on the field once during a visit in 1996. That was a really cool experience.
If you’re a sports fan of a certain age, Shea Stadium was a temple of memories in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Lots of amazing stuff happened on this field including all the NY Jets home games, the ’69 Miracle Mets, OJ Simpson breaking the NFL season rushing record in 1973, and Bill Buckner’s infamous error that cost the Boston Red Sox the 1986 World Series. The Beatles even played two concerts here in 1965 and 1966, the first-ever stadium rock shows.
But something I read last night about Shea Stadium that I didn’t know before is really worth sharing. I’m telling this story because there’s a good chance you probably don’t know it either.
A few days ago on this date 59 years ago, Ed Kranepool, then a young right fielder for the New York Mets (he also played first base) accomplished something remarkable on this field that will never be matched. It will never be equalled in ANY team sport, on ANY level. Not even amateur sports. Before continuing with the story, let’s stop here. Does anyone know what happened at Shea on May 31, 1964?
I’ll give you a moment.
Okay, so here’s the answer.
Shea Stadium had opened just six weeks earlier. But Casey Stengel’s New York Mets were terrible. They went 53-109 that season. Roster moves were common. Players were frequently called up (and sent back) to the minor leagues.
Ed Kranepool was a minor leaguer. He’d struggled in previous games when called up to the majors. He seemed to be stuck in Buffalo, a NY Mets farm team. On May 30, Kranepool played a doubleheader for the Bisons in Buffalo. He played all 18 innings in the two-games , before getting a phone call to pack his bags and come to Shea Stadium where the Mets were playing a doubleheader on the following day in New York. On Sunday, May 31, Kranepool played in the first game of the double header against the San Francisco Giants. Then, Kranepool played in the second game of the double header, which no one could have predicted would go 23 innings. Kranepool ended up playing all 23 innings, going 4 for 14 at the plate over the two games. So, in all, he played 51 innings in two days (a 38 hour stretch). In the history of team sports, has any athlete ever played FOUR complete games in two days — which is actually 5.5 games, if we include the extra innings?
Kranepool ended up making the NL All-Star team the following season. Years later, he was one of the stars on the “Amazing Mets,” a storybook team full of characters that went from last place to first and won baseball’s championship.
This photo was taken on Shea Stadium’s field sometime in 1996. We also snapped some photos on the right field warning track, where Ed Kranepool played much of his major league career.
I found this photo in my collection and decided to share it. When I read about Kranepool’s crazy feat of playing 51 innings in two days, I had to share it and combine it into a post. Hope you enjoyed the story.
Shea Stadium was demolished in 2008 and this spot is now a parking lot.
Here’s another picture, on the right field warning track (where Kranepool played many games as a right fielder):
