Mets Legend Ed crane Poole member of 1969 World Series team dead at 79 New York Mets legendary first baseman Ed crane Poole who played all 18 years in MLB with the team since its Inception in 1962 has died the team announced on Monday the Mets announced that crane pole suffered a cardiac arrest in boka Ron Florida on Sunday he was 79 years old we are incredibly heartbroken to learn of Ed Crane's passing a statement from Mets owners Steve and Alex Coen red he was an original met who debuted at age 17 in 1962 after starring at James Monroe High School in the Bronx he would go on to play for his hometown team for the next 18 years the longest tenure player in franchise history appearing in 1,853 games with the Mets Ed hit a home run in game three of the 1969 World Series to help the Miracle Mets capture the title he was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1990 Ed continued to work tirelessly in the community on behalf of the organization after his playing career ended we cherish the time we spent with Ed during old's day and in the years since hearing met stories and history from Ed was an absolute joy we extend our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends crane Poole who was was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1990 has been around the team in recent years as the Cohen mentioned spending time at City Field in Queens for oldtimers day and in 2019 joined some of his old teammates from the 1969 Miracle Mets for the team's 50th anniversary of its first world series title crano was diagnosed with diabetes shortly after retirement and in 2017 he needed a tow remove moved due to an infected abscess the infection though could not be controlled because his kidneys were failing in 2019 crane pole had a successful kidney transplant which former teammate Ron SW said made things better for him he battled for so long and never complained about anything SW said for the Mets I thought once he got his kidney transplant things would be great he was a wonderful guy and even better teammate we went into the restaurant business together I can't believe he is gone another teammate Jerry kumman called crane pole the best first baseman I ever played with while cleen Jones noted I just spoke to Ed last week and we talked about how we were the last two Originals who signed with the Mets Eddie was a big bonus baby and I wasn't Jones added he never had an ego and was just one of the guys he was a wonderful person cran Poole was 17 years old when he signed with the Mets in 1962 playing just three games for the organization that year before a larger role in 1963 when he played 86 games in 1965 he made his first and only All-Star team hitting 25333 sl. 371 with 10 homers 24 doubles and 53 RBI