Home


All-Time Roster Mugshots Player Awards Transactions Managers and Coaches Mets Staff Birthplaces Oldest Living Mets Necrology


Game Results Opening Day Walkoff Wins & Losses Mets in the Postseason No-Hitters and One-Hitters Mets All-Stars Opponents and Ballparks Daily Standings Seasons Mayors Trophy Games X


Leaderboards Yearly Leaders Decade Leaders Postseason Leaders


Ultimate Mets Scrapbook Forum Fan Memories Mets Uniforms Uniform Numbers Baseball Cards This Date in Mets History

Contact Us Frequently Asked Questions

THE ULTIMATE METS DATABASE IS NOT AFFILIATED IN ANY WAY WITH THE NEW YORK METS OR MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.

• 
  • All-Time Roster Every Met player... EVER!
    
  • Mug Shots The pretty ones and the ugly ones -- we have them all!
  
  
  • Player Awards Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Hall of Fame, and more.
  
  
  • Transactions Over a thousand player transactions -- in chronological order!
  
  
  • Managers & Coaches The men who have led the Mets, and the men who helped them.
  
  
  • Mets Staff Executives, General Managers, Broadcasters, and more. (And Jane Jarvis too!)
  
  
  • Birth Places Perfect for planning your Mets pilgrimages!
  
  
  • Oldest Living Mets See which Mets players have spent the most time walking the Earth.
  
  
  • Necrology Mets players and personnel who are no longer with us.
  
  

• 
  • Game Results
    All the wins, all the losses. Includes box scores and score cards!
  
  
  • Opening Day
    The first day of each season! See the starting lineups, who started at each position year-by-year, and leaders by position.
  
  
  • Walkoff Wins & Losses
    Interactively search for the happiest and saddest endings to Mets games.
  
  
  • Postseason Games How the Mets have fared in the games that count the most!
  
  
  • No-Hitters & One-Hitters See a list of every no-hitter and one-hitter pitched by the Mets, or against them. One of these categories was frustratingly empty for over fifty years, but not anymore!
  
  
  • All-Star Games Mets who have appeared in baseball's Mid-Summer Classic
  
  
  • Opponents & Ballparks See the Mets won-lost record against every team, and in every ballpark in which they've played!
  
  
  • Daily Standings What was the Mets' pennant outlook on any given day in past seasons?
  
  
  • Yearly Finishes The heights and the depths: the Mets won-lost record at the end of each season.
  
  
  • Mayor's Trophy Games A look back at the long-ago annual series between the Mets and their Bronx rivals.
  
  

• 
  • Leaderboards Career, season, and individual game leaders at your fingertips!
  • Team Leaders Players who led the Mets in various categories, from season to season.
  • Decade Leaders Mets history broken down into ten-year chunks!
  • Post-Season Leaders Mets leaders, by category, in post-season games

• 
  • Ultimate Mets Scrapbook The history of the Mets, as it was reported when it happened!
  • Forum Visit the Crane Pool Forum to discuss the Mets and just about anything else!
  • Fan Memories Insightful. Poignant. Thrilling. Somber. Nutty. Our visitors have submitted thousands of thoughts and memories of the Mets and the games they've played.
  • Mets Uniforms It's more than just laundry! Trace the evolution of the Mets official uniform over the years.
  • Uniform Numbers In association with Mets By the Numbers, we present a full history of who wore what number, and when!/li>
  • Baseball Cards Our collection of home-made baseball cards, in the style of the classic Topps cards of the 1970's.
  • This Date in Mets History Births, Deaths, Transactions, Newspaper Covers

• 
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ Frequently Asked Questions

Go

Ed Charles
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 142 of 1252 players
Edwin Douglas Charles
Born: April 29, 1933 at Daytona Beach, Fla.
Died: March 15, 2018 at East Elmhurst, N.Y. Obituary
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Height: 5.10 Weight: 170

Ed Charles was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on October 14, 2013, March 16, 2018, January 19, 2019, October 29, 2019, March 24, 2020, and October 6, 2021.

First Mets game: May 12, 1967
Last Mets game: October 16, 1969

Share your memories of Ed Charles HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY: Richard Kissel "The Glider". The poet laureate of baseball. Spent 9 years in the minors. He savored the 1969 season and was the team's on the field "godfather". His home run in the clinching game was great. I can still see him circling the bases, clapping his hands together. He retired after the 1969 season and went to work for Buddha Records, who had put out a record celebrating the Mets World Series win. I ran into him on the Grand Concourse, near Fordham Road in the Bronx, and he was nice as can be. Two years ago I saw him again and he was just as nice. Dr. Barry May 16, 2002 My memories of Ed Charles surround my admiration for his grace and dignity as a player. I remember in 1968 the way the Mets used him against lefthanders, and he wore them out. The impression he left on me resulted in me trying as a boy to emulate his unique gliding running style that resulted in his nickname "The Glider." To this day you will see me at Shea wearing my Mets Jersey with the name Charles on the back. Thanks for the great memories, Glider! Howard Liverance June 7, 2002 I was 13 when they won it all in '69. Anyway, not only did Mr. Charles personally respond to my fan letter then but he also enclosed copies of two poems, "The Dying Souls" and something like "An Athlete's Prayer". Both would end up in a high school presentation down the road and my English teacher was thrilled that someone would bring in works by a black poet. Little did she know that the black poet was also one of my favorite ballplayers! What a nice man. Still have the personally inscribed photo but have no idea where the poems went. James Caldwell September 11, 2002 I received the same poems when I mailed in an autograph, along with a personally signed and inscribed photo. I was impressed at the time (I was 11 or 12 when I got them), and as the years go by, it seems even more incredible. Can ANYONE imagine any kind of professional athelete doing something like that now? I have had a handful of "more favorite" Mets, but this man had to be the nicest, classiest player they ever had. dp September 12, 2002 I remember a picture of the Glider when he was with Charly Finley's lowly KC A's riding a donkey onto the field in some kind of Finley promotional stunt. Loved his decision to retire after 69. How could he have topped that? Steve Green November 13, 2002 The magic of teamwork..... Weren't Ed Charles and Wayne Garrett from the same general area of Daytona Beach FL? The idea of a platoon at third base between the two in magical 1969 must've GUARANTEED that they should've been beer buddies long into the future. True, Charles and Garrett were several generations' disparate in age, but as a Mets fan I have to think these guys had to've been thrust into a local spotlight after 1969; a very deserved share of wonderment and reminisce in that post season. Does anyone have any onfo about the Daytona Beach reaction immediately following that season? Bob R. January 6, 2003 Loved the Glider. How many people remember that he led the Mets in home runs in '68....with just 15! And three of them were pinch hits, too. Ed was coming to the end of his career when he joined the Mets, but he became the heart and soul of that team. He had a huge hit in the ninth inning of the second game of the '69 World Series that helped the Mets tie the Series. My memory isn't that he decided to retire after '69 but rather was released by the Mets. Oh well, whatever. Lots of people will fondly remember this journeyman player for his contributions to a miracle team. johnmn55 January 23, 2003 Not to throw cold water on everyone's fond memories of the Glider, but after the Mets released him when he was clearly washed up, he took it badly and grumbled to the press, even though, due to his popularity, the Mets offered him a public relations job, which they certainly don't do for most guys. Steven Gallanter March 27, 2003 I remember waiting outside of the players' exit with my brother and parents in 1969. My folks thought asking for autographs was tacky but I did want to see the players. Ed Charles was carrying a handicapped kid with a great deal of tenderness yet took the time to say hello to everyone. I also recall seeing Eddie Yost and Joe Pignatano in street clothes. His 1968 Strat-O-Matic card was pretty good as I recall. Feat Fan June 19, 2004 One of my favorite ballplayers going back to the KC A's. I remember that he was super fast, good glove and had some pop. Related to former boxer Ezra Charles. Paid his dues after a long minor league career, he might have played a bit in the Negro Leagues. Always had a decent Strat card 3b-3 Steal B run 1-15 How do I remember these things? Why? Rob R. May 9, 2005 Always loved the motto that related to Ed Charles. Don't know who gave it to him, but it must have been said on the TV or radio a number of times since it is burned into my memory: "Don't throw a slider to the Glider." Roscoe Bernard November 23, 2005 "The Glider". What a perfect nickname. September 1969, the clinching game vs St. Louis. Gentry pitches a 6-0 shutout, Torre hits into a game ending double play. Clendenon homers in the 1st inning, and so did Ed Charles. I was 9 years old and my mother, not realizing the utmost importance of the game, had me take out the garbage. I returned to the TV just in time to see The Glider rounding third, big smile, hands clapping. I see that in my mind today like I'm still 9 years old. Jonathan Stern December 1, 2005 The Mets treated the Glider poorly after 1969 as documented by Maury Allen's book. Maybe his numbers did not warrant special treatment, but his intangibles probably did, not to mention his fine 1968 performance. Then again, the Mets have treated most of their players poorly over the years. Charles looked glum as he sang "You Gotta Have Heart" with the guys on Ed Sullivan's show after the series (he probably knew at that point that his career was over), but has seemed pleasant enough wherever else I have seen him. Bob R December 1, 2005 I'll always remember that huge hit he had in the '69 World Series. Baltimore won the first game, and it was tied 1-1 in the top of the ninth of the second game. Charles got a clutch single to keep the inning going, and then Al Weis delivered the go-ahead run with another single. Then in the bottom of the inning, Charles assisted on the final putout, and the Mets were on their way to 4 straight wins! The Mets released him after the season and his career was over, but everybody was so happy he could end his long baseball career with a World Series championship. A nice man, from what I've heard. Avis Hirsch McCoy February 22, 2006 I was a senior in high school when I met Ed during spring training. He was the nicest, kindest man I ever met. He took it upon himself to look out for me one evening when I was mailing a letter. We began a friendship writing letters to each other, and when I came to a game, he would always chat with me for a few minutes during batting practice. (You could do that back in those days). We corresponded for my first 3 years of college and then lost touch. 20 years later, we became reaquainted and still keep in touch. When he played at Fantasy Camp we would visit with him, and he gave my son the opportunity to be a batboy. I got the luxury of sitting in the dugout with some of the '69 Mets as well. We visited with him when we went to NY last summer. My children are fortunate enough to experience his friendship and wisdom as well. Sheila A. August 19, 2006 I remember, during Ed Charles' time with the Mets, learning that he had a son who had cerebral palsy. The little boy (his name may have been Eric) was going to have surgery, I think on his ankles, to make it easier for him to stand. My children asked if we could send Eric something he could play with during his recovery and we settled on Matchbox cars. We bought a bunch and sent them to Mr. Charles in care of the Mets. We got back a really nice personal thank-you letter and we have always remembered him with great affection. I wonder if his son has done well. senorortiz December 6, 2006 Something that I find very interesting about this board is there are a few players, Charles being one of them, who stat wise were not outstanding players but were to everybody's recollections Hall of Fame human beings. Nobody mentioned that he is a bum because he hit .207 in 1969. This is what makes Mets fans special. I met him briefly as a kid twice at various autograph sessions. You can tell immeditely he loved people and his duration with the Mets. Mike B December 9, 2006 I second that opinion. Ed Charles was a very good ball player and is a great human being. Very humble, down to earth and warm. It was a pleasure getting "The Glider"'s autograph today. HOF for sure. nymetmj July 2, 2007 Just met Mr. Charles yesterday. What a thrill. I had a 1968 Met yearbook and he signed both pictures in the book. He was wearing a tee shirt with the words "Glider" on it and just found out on this site what it meant. He still goes to Shea to watch the games, and on occasion participates in the Fantasy Camp. He is now the caretaker of his 93 year old Aunt who looked after him when he first came to New York. He gave me a commemorative sheet about Jackie Robinson where he wrote a wonderful poem. He is a gracious, kind person and wish him Good Health and Happiness forever. Thanks Ed for the priviledge of meeting you. Feat Fan November 25, 2007 Classy on and off the field. Wonderful poet and what all young players should aspire to be. Had a few good seasons in KC playing alongside guys like Causey, Siebern, Lumpe, Campaneris et al. Got here in '67 and had a good '68 busting 15 home runs in part time duty. Earned the nickname "Glider" with style and grace. Cousin of former boxing champion Ezra Charles. Bill Goglas March 30, 2008 To Coach Ed, Your Friend Billy from Texas sends you all the best. Everytime I think of you my heart is always warmed for having the pleasure to spending the week with you as my coach and friend at the 2006 Mets Fantasy Camp and in New York at the Golf outing for my customers. You are a Very Special Person and one that I will always look to when I need to be lifted. All my Love and respect, Billy Joe Figliola December 19, 2008 Man, was he stylin' or what at Shea's last game?! Loved the cane that he was strutting with, too! Stu Baron April 27, 2013 I recently saw "42" and the film has a neat Mets connection. In one scene, Jackie tosses a ball to an admiring young boy as the Montreal Royals train is leaving the station. At the end of the film, the boy is identified as none other than Ed Charles! Kevin McLaughlin March 17, 2018 RIP Glider. Thanks for the memories Michael Fitz June 17, 2019 Prior to a Met game (sometime in the late '90's) the promotions department had provided fans with an opportunity to meet and briefly speak with former Metropolitan players. This was held within a couple of big tents outside of Shea Stadium and I got a chance to talk to a number of players, one of them being Ed Charles. The time I spent talking to the "Glider" was everything a fan could hope for! He put me at ease with his friendly manner and we spoke of his memories of the 69 season as if old friends. During that limited interaction, I realized what a treasure this soft spoken gentleman is... and how I hoped I could speak with him again. Old Man River March 4, 2020 Ed concluded his career with the Miracle Mets championship club of 1969. That year, his talent for poetry made him an unofficial songwriter for the team. Although they weren't exactly The Beatles, the Mets did make an enjoyable record album after clinching the East Division title. Some of the songs they sang on that record had altered lyrics to them, one tune of which the words were provided by Ed himself. Charles wrote his own set of lyrics to the music of "The Sidewalks of New York", which was included on the album as "The Song of the '69 Mets." This song was the best on the whole record as it told about the Mets' rise to the top after seven years of failure. Yves Guilbault November 10, 2020 In his book, Skip Lockwood had great comment about him saying he was a nice man with an outstanding natural throwing arm. After being invited at a Kansas City Athletic camp as a rookie having signed a big bonus, he was not welcome very well by some members of the club, except for Eddie Charles who gently gave him good advice about being a rookie.

Meet the Mets

All-Time Roster

Mug Shots

Player Awards

Transactions

Managers and Coaches

Mets Staff

Birthplaces

Oldest Living Mets

Necrology

Games

Game Results

Walkoff Wins and Losses

Post-Season Games

No-Hitters and One-Hitters

All-Star Games

Opponents and Ballparks

Daily Standings

Yearly Finishes

Mayor's Trophy Games

Stats

Interactive Statistics

Team Leaders

Decade Leaders

Metscellaneous

Fan Memories

Mets Uniforms

Uniform Numbers

About Us

Contact us

FAQ