Ralph Kiner

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Kiner was born in Santa Rita, New Mexico, to Beatrice (née Grayson) and Ralph Macklin Kiner. His father died when Ralph was four and his mother took a job in Alhambra, California, where Kiner was subsequently raised. He was of Pennsylvania Dutch and Scotch-Irish descent, with German-Jewish ancestry through his maternal grandmother. Kiner graduated from Alhambra High School in Alhambra, California. He served as a U.S. Navy pilot during World War II, flying PBM Mariner flying boats on submarine patrols from NAS Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii. Kiner made his major league debut on April 12, 1946, with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Many of his homers were hit into a shortened left-field porch at Forbes Field, originally built for Hank Greenberg and known as 'Greenberg Gardens,' later redubbed 'Kiner's Korner.' Kiner would later use 'Kiner's Korner' as the title of his post-game TV show in New York. The famous quote 'Home run hitters drive Cadillacs and singles hitters drive Fords' was actually coined by teammate Fritz Ostermueller.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Forbes Field is thick with the scent of popcorn and damp earth as the evening sun casts long shadows across the diamond. Ralph Kiner steps into the batter's box, his uniform crisp against the twilight. He takes a deep breath, adjusting his grip on the bat, feeling the weight of the city behind him. As the pitcher winds up, time seems to slow; the crack of the bat echoes like thunder, sending the ball soaring high over the left-field fence. The roar that follows is deafening, a collective release of joy from thousands of fans who know they are witnessing greatness.

Reader's Guide

Kiner led the National League in home runs for seven straight seasons from 1946 to 1952, though he did not lead the major leagues in 1946 (he hit 23 home runs that year). In 1949, he hit 54 home runs, which was the highest total in the major leagues from 1939 to 1960 and the highest National League total from 1931 to 1997. He was selected to the All-Star Game in six straight seasons, 1948 to 1953. Kiner was traded to the Chicago Cubs on June 4, 1953, as part of a ten-player trade, largely due to salary disputes with Pirates general manager Branch Rickey. He finished his career with the Cleveland Indians in 1955, retiring at age 32 due to a back injury, with 369 home runs, 1,015 RBIs, and a .279 lifetime batting average. After his playing career, Kiner became a broadcaster for the Chicago White Sox in 1961, then for the New York Mets from 1962 until his death. He was known for his occasional malapropisms and his home run call 'It is gone, goodbye.' Kiner was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.

Did You Know?

• Kiner led all of his National League contemporaries in home runs in seven straight seasons between 1946 and 1952, a feat never previously accomplished in Major League Baseball and not matched since.
• Kiner's 54 home runs in 1949 were the highest total in the major leagues from 1939 to 1960, and the highest National League total from 1931 to 1997.
• Kiner was the first National League player with two 50-plus home run seasons.
• Kiner served as a U.S. Navy pilot during World War II, flying PBM Mariner flying boats on submarine patrols from Hawaii.
• Kiner's traditional home run call—'It is gone, goodbye'—was a signature phrase in baseball.