Ed Kranepool, Stan Bahnsen at Seminole Coconut Creek Friday
Yankees or Mets? New Yorkers here can have their pick Friday when a former baseball player from each team shows up to sign autographs at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek.
Former Met Ed Kranepool and Yankee pitcher Stan Bahnsen will sign free autographs at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Kranepool signed with the Mets at age 17 and debuted for them in 1962, eventually becoming a fan favorite and member of the World Series “Miracle Mets” in 1969. He played all of his 18 seasons (1,853 games) for the team, longer than any other player in their history.
He was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1990 and still leads the team records for 5,436 at-bats, 1,418 hits, 225 doubles, and 2,047 total bases.
Bahnsen broke into the major leagues with the New York Yankees as a starting pitcher (1968-1971) and was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1968. He played for the Chicago White Sox (1972-1975); Oakland Athletics (1975-1977); Montreal Expos (1977-1981); California Angels (1982); and Philadelphia Phillies (1982).
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek is located just east of State Road 7 (U.S. 441) and north of Sample Road at 5550 NW 40th St. Call 954-977-6700.
NICK SORTAL began playing 3-card "gut" and "Indian poker" on high school band trips, moved on to "night baseball" and "pass the trash" during a Dr. Pepper-infused midnight game in the 1980s at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and now play in a regular neighborhood Hold 'Em game in Plantation. I have been given the assignment of writing about the gambling life in South Florida casinos for the Sun-Sentinel...which means sitting around watching poker on TV now counts as research.
