Ed Charles
Encyclopedia
Edwin Douglas Charles is a former third baseman
in Major League Baseball
. A right-handed hitter, Charles played for the Kansas City Athletics (1962-67) and New York Mets
(1967-69).
. He spent eight seasons in the Braves’ farm system in the still-segregated Deep South
, during which he wrote poetry
concerning baseball
and racism
. Due to the presence of longtime All-Star
Eddie Mathews
at third base, the Braves traded Charles to the Kansas City Athletics prior to the season.
, Charles batted
.288 with 17 home run
s, 74 runs batted in
and 20 stolen base
s; the batting average, home runs and stolen bases would all be career highs. He was also named to the Topps All-Star Rookie Roster
. Charles would retain his steady play for the Athletics over the next four seasons; in 1963
he batted .267 with 15 home runs and a career-best 79 RBIs, and while his batting average fell to .241 in 1964
he still managed 16 home runs and 63 RBIs. Prior to the 1965
season, Athletics owner Charlie Finley moved the fences back in Municipal Stadium
, and though Charles batted .269 that year and .286 in 1966
, his combined home run total was 17—the same number he had hit in his rookie season.
On May 10, 1967
, the Athletics traded Charles to the New York Mets. He would be the oldest regular on his new team. In 1968
, he led the Mets in home runs with 15. In 1969
, he shared third base duties with rookie Wayne Garrett
as a member of the Miracle Mets team that unexpectedly won the World Series
, after finishing dead last in five of its first seven seasons and 9th in a 10-team National League
in the other two. That year, the Mets had trailed the Chicago Cubs
by as many as 10 games in the National League East
(both leagues had split into two divisions after expanding from 10 teams to 12) on August 13. On September 24, they clinched the division with a 6-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals
, with Charles homering off Steve Carlton
(his final Major League home run) and Donn Clendenon
homering twice and Gary Gentry
pitching a four-hitter for the victory.
Charles played in four of the five games in the World Series, in which the Mets defeated the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles
. After losing the first game, the Mets won the next four; Charles scored the winning run in Game Two on an Al Weis
single in the ninth inning
. The oldest of the "Miracle Mets" at age 36, Charles was captured in the famous photo of the Mets' World Series celebration, as winning pitcher Jerry Koosman
leaped into the arms of catcher Jerry Grote
.
After the Series, Charles, whose nickname, “The Glider,” came from his third base play and graceful base running, announced his retirement. In his career he batted .263 with 86 home runs and 421 RBIs in 1005 games played
.
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. A right-handed hitter, Charles played for the Kansas City Athletics (1962-67) and New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
(1967-69).
Minor league career
Charles was originally drafted by the Boston Braves in 19521952 Boston Braves season
The Boston Braves season involved the 64-89 team finishing seventh in the National League, 32 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Dodgers...
. He spent eight seasons in the Braves’ farm system in the still-segregated Deep South
Deep South
The Deep South is a descriptive category of the cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. Historically, it is differentiated from the "Upper South" as being the states which were most dependent on plantation type agriculture during the pre-Civil War period...
, during which he wrote poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
concerning baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
. Due to the presence of longtime All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
at third base, the Braves traded Charles to the Kansas City Athletics prior to the season.
Kansas City Athletics
In his rookie season of 19621962 Kansas City Athletics season
The Kansas City Athletics season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Athletics finishing ninth in the American League with a record of 72 wins and 90 losses. The A's were last in the American League in paid attendance....
, Charles batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.288 with 17 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, 74 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
and 20 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s; the batting average, home runs and stolen bases would all be career highs. He was also named to the Topps All-Star Rookie Roster
Topps All-Star Rookie Rosters
This is a year-by-year list of the Topps All-Star Rookie teams. Note that players selected for a particular team appear in the following year's set release...
. Charles would retain his steady play for the Athletics over the next four seasons; in 1963
1963 Kansas City Athletics season
The Kansas City Athletics season involved the A's finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 73 wins and 89 losses.- Regular season :...
he batted .267 with 15 home runs and a career-best 79 RBIs, and while his batting average fell to .241 in 1964
1964 Kansas City Athletics season
The Kansas City Athletics season involved the A's finishing 10th in the American League with a record of 57 wins and 105 losses.- Offseason :...
he still managed 16 home runs and 63 RBIs. Prior to the 1965
1965 Kansas City Athletics season
The Kansas City Athletics season involved the A's finishing 10th in the American League with a record of 59 wins and 103 losses. The paid attendance for the season was 528,344, the lowest in the major leagues...
season, Athletics owner Charlie Finley moved the fences back in Municipal Stadium
Municipal Stadium (Kansas City)
Kansas City Municipal Stadium was a baseball and football stadium that formerly stood in Kansas City, Missouri. It hosted the minor league Kansas City Blues of the American Association from 1923 to 1954 and the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues during the same period...
, and though Charles batted .269 that year and .286 in 1966
1966 Kansas City Athletics season
The Kansas City Athletics season involved the A's finishing 7th in the American League with a record of 74 wins and 86 losses. Paid attendance for the season was 773,929...
, his combined home run total was 17—the same number he had hit in his rookie season.
The Miracle Mets
1967 Kansas City Athletics season
The Kansas City Athletics season involved the A's finishing 10th in the American League with a record of 62 wins and 99 losses. This was the franchise's 13th and final season in Kansas City. After the season, the team relocated from Kansas City to Oakland. The paid attendance for the season was...
, the Athletics traded Charles to the New York Mets. He would be the oldest regular on his new team. In 1968
1968 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the 7th regular season for the Mets. They went 73-89 and finished 9th in the National League. They were managed by Gil Hodges...
, he led the Mets in home runs with 15. In 1969
1969 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the eighth season for the Mets franchise, which played its home games at Shea Stadium. Managed by Gil Hodges, the team went 100-62, finishing first in the newly-established National League East by eight games over the Chicago Cubs...
, he shared third base duties with rookie Wayne Garrett
Wayne Garrett
Ronald Wayne Garrett was the New York Mets starting third baseman from 1972 through 1975. Garrett also saw occasional duty as a second baseman and as a shortstop....
as a member of the Miracle Mets team that unexpectedly won the World Series
1969 World Series
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...
, after finishing dead last in five of its first seven seasons and 9th in a 10-team National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in the other two. That year, the Mets had trailed the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
by as many as 10 games in the National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
(both leagues had split into two divisions after expanding from 10 teams to 12) on August 13. On September 24, they clinched the division with a 6-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, with Charles homering off Steve Carlton
Steve Carlton
Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...
(his final Major League home run) and Donn Clendenon
Donn Clendenon
Donn Alvin Clendenon was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He is best remembered as the World Series MVP for the Amazin' Mets.-Early life:...
homering twice and Gary Gentry
Gary Gentry
Gary Edward Gentry , is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, who played seven seasons for the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves between 1969 and 1975....
pitching a four-hitter for the victory.
Charles played in four of the five games in the World Series, in which the Mets defeated the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles
1969 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1969 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. In the first season after the American League was split into two divisions, the Orioles won the first-ever American League East title, finishing first with a record of 109 wins and 53 losses, 19 games ahead of the runner-up...
. After losing the first game, the Mets won the next four; Charles scored the winning run in Game Two on an Al Weis
Al Weis
Albert John Weis is a former Major League Baseball infielder.Weis grew up in Bethpage, New York, and graduated from Farmingdale, New York, High School in 1955...
single in the ninth inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
. The oldest of the "Miracle Mets" at age 36, Charles was captured in the famous photo of the Mets' World Series celebration, as winning pitcher Jerry Koosman
Jerry Koosman
Jerome Martin Koosman is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies between 1967 and 1985...
leaped into the arms of catcher Jerry Grote
Jerry Grote
Gerald Wayne Grote is a former professional baseball player. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the New York Mets and was regarded as one of the best defensive catchers of his era.-Early life:...
.
After the Series, Charles, whose nickname, “The Glider,” came from his third base play and graceful base running, announced his retirement. In his career he batted .263 with 86 home runs and 421 RBIs in 1005 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
.