Ed Charles, the 1969 “Miracle Mets” third baseman, died on Thursday after a prolonged illness. He was 85.
The beloved Met was celebrated for his spirited play and leadership qualities, which earned him iconic status during his three seasons with the team from 1967 to 1969, The New York Daily News reported.
At 36, Charles was a veteran leader and oldest player on the '69 New York squad, which went on to win the franchise’s first championship, MLB.com reported.
And while he only played 61 games that year, Charles started in four World Series games and was a key component in the Mets' victory.
Prior to the Mets, Charles spent eight seasons in the minors waiting for his big break while playing for the Boston Braves, but after joining the major league team he shot into the limelight.
“Ed Charles was this guy, you wanted to sit on his knee and hear how he made it,” Ron Swoboda, the right fielder on the 1969 team, told The New York Times.
“He had a physical and emotional grace that most of us didn’t seem to feel. He would say, ‘Don’t wrestle with what looks like complexity.’”
After retiring, Charles went on to work with troubled youth in the Bronx and continued working within the Mets as a scout and coach.
“Ed was just a terrific person,” said Mets Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, a former teammate of Charles, The Baltimore Sun reported. “He was a pro’s pro and just what we needed to complete that [’69 world championship] team.”
Tributes from fans flooded social media since news of Charles’ death.