Baseball Guru
12-29-2004, 05:36 PM
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-obit-kanehl&prov=ap&type=lgns
December 29, 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- Rod Kanehl, who hit the first grand slam in the history of the New York Mets, has died. He was 70.
Kanehl, whose hustle endeared him to the team's fans in the dismal first years of the franchise, died on Dec. 14 after suffering a heart attack several days earlier, the Mets said. A memorial service is planned next week in Cathedral City, Calif.
Kanehl had spent eight years in the Yankees' minor league system when he joined the Mets in their inaugural season of 1962. A long shot to make the team, he won the heart of manager Casey Stengel by crashing through fences to catch balls and chasing everything, a quality that also made him a fan favorite on a team that lost a then-record 120 games that first year.
He spent three seasons with the Mets, the only major league team he played for, playing every position but pitcher and catcher.
He hit .241 with 23 doubles, three triples, six home runs and 47 RBIS and hit that first grand slam at the old Polo Grounds on July 6, 1962, in a 10-3 win over St. Louis. He had 17 stolen bases in three seasons, although it seemed like more -- he ran the bases with the same abandon with which he chased balls in the outfield.
When Shea Stadium opened in 1964, Kanehl's final major league season, the first few banners paid tribute to ``Hot Rod'' Kanehl.
December 29, 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- Rod Kanehl, who hit the first grand slam in the history of the New York Mets, has died. He was 70.
Kanehl, whose hustle endeared him to the team's fans in the dismal first years of the franchise, died on Dec. 14 after suffering a heart attack several days earlier, the Mets said. A memorial service is planned next week in Cathedral City, Calif.
Kanehl had spent eight years in the Yankees' minor league system when he joined the Mets in their inaugural season of 1962. A long shot to make the team, he won the heart of manager Casey Stengel by crashing through fences to catch balls and chasing everything, a quality that also made him a fan favorite on a team that lost a then-record 120 games that first year.
He spent three seasons with the Mets, the only major league team he played for, playing every position but pitcher and catcher.
He hit .241 with 23 doubles, three triples, six home runs and 47 RBIS and hit that first grand slam at the old Polo Grounds on July 6, 1962, in a 10-3 win over St. Louis. He had 17 stolen bases in three seasons, although it seemed like more -- he ran the bases with the same abandon with which he chased balls in the outfield.
When Shea Stadium opened in 1964, Kanehl's final major league season, the first few banners paid tribute to ``Hot Rod'' Kanehl.