NEW YORK (AP) — Ed Kranepool, the longest-tenured player in New York Mets history and a member of the Miracle Mets when they won the 1969 World Series, died Sunday. He was 79.
The team said in a statement Monday that Kranepool died Sunday after suffering from cardiac arrest in Boca Raton, Florida. A native of New York, the first baseman/outfielder spent 18 seasons with the Mets, hitting .261 over 1,853 regular-season games. He was an All-Star in 1965.
Kranepool was part of New York's magical run from National League laughingstock to a World Series title in 1969. He was inducted into the team's hall of fame in 1990.
“The best first baseman I ever played with,” pitcher Jerry Koosman said in a statement. "We knew each other so well and I could tell by his eyes if a runner was going or not. He saved me a lot of stolen bases.”
A standout player at James Monroe High School in the Bronx, Kranepool made his major league debut on Sept. 22, 1962, at 17 years old. He went 0 for 1 that day against the Chicago Cubs. His final game was Sept. 30, 1979, against St. Louis. He had a pinch-hit double off Bob Forsch.
Kranepool finished with 1,418 career hits and 118 homers in the regular season. He homered in Game 3 of the 1969 World Series.
“Ed continued to work tirelessly in the community on behalf of the organization after his playing career ended,” Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen said. "We cherished the time we spent with Ed during Old Timers’ Day and in the years since. Hearing Mets stories and history from Ed was an absolute joy. We extend our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.”
Jay Hook, a pitcher with the Mets from 1962-64, remembered Kranepool buying a Thunderbird with his signing bonus and giving him a ride to the park. Ron Swoboda talked fondly about Kranepool being a “wonderful guy and even better teammate.” Swoboda said they went into the restaurant business together.
Cleon Jones, an All-Star outfielder in 1969, said he spoke to Kranepool just last week.
“We talked about how we were the last two originals who signed with the Mets,” Jones said. "The other 1962 guys came from other organizations. Eddie was a big bonus baby and I wasn’t. He never had an ego and was just one of the guys. He was a wonderful person.”
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FILE - Ed Kranepool, right, poses for a photo with Gil Hodges, Jr., son of former New York Mets manager Gil Hodges, after Hodges threw the first pitch to Kranepool before the Mets home opener baseball game against the Washington Nationals, April 4, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new humanitarian organization that has U.S. backing to take over aid delivery to starving civilians in Gaza said Wednesday that it expects to begin operations before the end of the month — after what it describes as key agreements from Israeli officials.
A statement from the group, called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, identified several U.S. military veterans, former humanitarian coordinators and security contractors that it said would lead the delivery effort. Many in the aid community believe it is meant to supplant the distribution system now run by the U.N. and other international aid agencies.
The foundation failed to address much of the criticism and unanswered questions that the international community has about the group, including who would fund the work and how much involvement the U.S., Israel or any other government or military would have in controlling life-saving aid for Palestinian civilians.
In an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian chief, said the U.S.-backed proposal is “far from being able to meet” the conditions of humanitarian law.
“That’s why we need to stick to the better plan, our plan A, which is just let us in. We can make sure this aid doesn’t get anywhere near Hamas,” Fletcher said, referencing Israeli accusations that the militant group is diverting supplies. “We have our procedures. We care more than anyone about making sure that it gets to the children and civilians and women who need it most.”
Israel has blocked food, fuel, medicine and all other supplies from entering Gaza for weeks, worsening a humanitarian crisis for 2.3 million Palestinians. Israel says the blockade aims to pressure Hamas to release the hostages it still holds and that it won’t allow aid back in until a system is in place that gives it control over distribution.
The U.N. and many aid groups have rejected Israel’s efforts to control aid distribution, saying it would be all but impossible for a new startup group to meet the humanitarian needs of Gaza civilians after 19 months of food shortages and war.
Aid groups say they also fear the attempt would violate humanitarian principles of operating independently with neutrality and impartiality.
In Wednesday's statement, foundation executive director Jake Wood, a U.S. military veteran and co-founder of an existing disaster relief group called Team Rubicon, said the commitment to starting operations within weeks follows discussions with Israeli officials.
Wood indicated Israelis had agreed to allow the foundation to deliver aid through existing systems in Gaza temporarily while the group builds new distribution sites that Israel has demanded for aid.
Israelis also have agreed to allow more sites to be constructed to allow aid distribution in all of Gaza, and look for ways to get aid to those too malnourished, maimed by fighting, too old or too young to travel long distances to one of the aid sides, the foundation's statement said.
The foundation was in the “final stages” of gathering enough aid to serve 300 million meals in the first 90 days of operation, Wood wrote.
Israel’s mission to the United Nations didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment about the foundation’s statement.
Amiri reported from the United Nations.
Palestinians evacuate after the Israeli army issued an evacuation warning for several schools and a hospital in Gaza City's Rimal neighborhood, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Palestinians evacuate after the Israeli army issued an evacuation warning for several schools and a hospital in Gaza City's Rimal neighborhood, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
