[Music] on my right Ed crane poool had the thrill at the age of 18 of appearing in the opening day lineup for the New York Mets I was given the opportunity by Casey stangle and the ball Club to make the team and uh start the season here I'm really uh happy I chose the Mets cuz I'm up here now and I just hope I can stick in 1962 Ed crane poool was drafted out of James Monroe High School in the Bronx by the new franchise in town the New York Mets at the ripe age of 17 crane poool became the youngest member of the metropolitans I mean he just had a very brief cup of coffee that first year in 1962 but heck he was 17 years old and when they signed him June of 1962 he became the first player that everybody anticipated the Lefty experienced The Lovable loser lows under Casey stangle but experienced a personal high in 1965 he made his first and only Allstar appearance I was 21 at the time and of course playing alongside the Stars like will Sandy kofax was a tremendous thrill and of course I think I was in a of these fellas and I don't think I said two or three words in the whole ball game he was a national league allar before his 21st birthday when you look at some of the numbers he put up and they might not be Hall of Fame numbers but just keep them in the perspective and the context of how old he was but no year was more special than 1969 when the Miracle Mets shocked the world taking home their first World Series Championship when you start out 1962 as a 17-year-old youngster and still be there when an expansion Club first wins appen at 1969 to me was the biggest throw cuz none of the other expansion teams have done so crane pool's role on the Mets diminished in the following years but he certainly made the most of his opportunities at the plate his 90 pinch hits as a met still ranks number one in franchise history you have to go out there thinking of being a regular player of course if you're not playing that day you have to prepare yourself and work a little a little bit harder in 1979 at 34 years of age Ed crane poool hung up his cleats after 19 Seasons all of which were played wearing the Mets orange and blue my expectations of myself was to make it to professional leagues I was fortunate in the 60s that a new organization was being formed the Met organization I signed with them in 1962 I'll never regret that fact in 1990 he was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame becoming the 14th member enshrined by the organization congratulations on entering the Met Hall of Fame a honor well deserved and it's always a pleasure to be with you well thank you Ralph I'm in very good company I'm sure crane poool who lived with diabetes most of his life experienced declining Health in recent years in 2017 he announced that he was in need of a kidney transplant I've taken all the steps I can it's not in my hands it's in an organ donor's hand right now I'm looking for an angel she strugg struggled to find a match but received an offer from a fan further proving just how much he meant to Loyal Mets supporters I believe in miracles I was part of a miracle in 1969 so we know it can happen today crane poool still owns the franchise record for most games played and his 1418 hits are third overall in team history but regardless of the records Ed crane poool will always be remembered as a native New Yorker who made good and in doing so became one of the organization's most beloved players [Music] ever e e e e e e