Michael emailed this, I think it’s worth considering today. Â I know Kiner & Murphy have been honored at Shea/Citi, but is there really such a thing as too much love?
I’d love to see at least one more round of appreciation for Kiner while he’s healthy enough to let us thank him. Â Here’s Michael:
Hey Shannon,
I caught the Reds broadcast of the Mets game last night. On the façade located under the Press Box in Great American Ball Park, in addition to the retired jersey numbers for Fred Hutchinson (1), Johnny Bench (5), Joe Morgan (8), Sparky Anderson (10), Dave Concepcion (13), Ted Kluzewski (18), Frank Robinson (20) and Tony Perez (24) (and of course Jackie Robinson’s 42; and also, of course, not having 14 for Peter Rose), they have “retired†microphones with the name of their Ford Frick HOF announcers Waite Hoyt, Joe Nuxhall and Marty Brennaman.
Why don’t the Mets have a similar “retired†microphone on the wall for their HOF announcers Lindsey Nelson and Bob Murphy (and, in my opinion, they should also have Ralph Kiner , too)
…
Vaguely related: Tim McCarver seems disliked by many fans these days. Â In the 1980’s when his insights were fresh (there was a time when not making the second out at third base was a new idea) he was considered one of the best announcers in the game, and a keeper of the Mets tradition of good broadcasting. Â Funny how his stock has gone down, and his work on Fox seems unliked by modern day Mets fans.
If they do Kiner, it would have to have a White, Orange. & Blue plaid background. I can’t mentally picture Kiner without one of those hideous sport jackets from my youth.
Excellent idea on the mikes AND the plaid.
I support the idea of retired “microphones” for our great announcers… just don’t entertain the thought of ever putting one up for Tim McCarver. I’d frequently mute the tv and listen to Murph and Gary Cohen on the radio when he was on the tv crew.
Remember how McCarver harped on Strawberry playing too deep, or Mackey Sasser double-clutching when he threw the ball back to the pitcher? He was always annoying because he never was good at finding something new to talk about.
Um, DirtDart, the jackets were Lindsey Nelson’s, not Ralph’s. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindsey_Nelson
That said, I think the idea of retired microphones for the original 3, and for Howie and Gary someday is a wonderful one, and one the Mets should act on while Ralph is still well enough to enjoy it.