Al Luplow was born on March 13, 1939 in Saginaw, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University where he played varsity football and baseball for the Spartans.Luplow was originally signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1959. He spent five seasons with the Indians as a reserve outfielder. In 1962 he played in 97 games, batting .277 with 14 HRs 15 doubles and 45 RBIs (362 at bats). The next year he was a regular in the outfield next to Vic Davillio and Tito Francona. He played in 100 games, but his average fell off to .234 with 7 HRs and 27 RBIs.
That year he made a spectacular game saving catch stealing a HR away from future Hall of Fame manager, Dick Williams. It happened at Fenway Park in front of only 6000 fans on a weekday afternoon. Although it has been written about throughout baseball history, only those who were there on that day, actually saw it. Luplow chased down Williams deep fly ball, he leaped in the air and caught the ball over the fence. He flipped over the right center field wall and landed in the Red Sox bullpen. He jumped up waving his glove to show he made the fantastic catch and let everyone know he was alright.
He saw little action the next two seasons, batting a dismal .111 in 19 games in 1964. Then the Indians acquired Rocky Colavito in 1965 Luplow's time was soon over in Cleveland. At the end of November 1965, his contract was purchased by the New York Mets. Al Luplow may not be the most famous #18 to wear a Mets uniform, like Darryl Strawberry but he was still on board for the 1966 season.
Luplow appeared in the second game of the 1966 season as a defensive replacement in the Mets 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves. Al eventually made his was as one of the teams main outfielders by June. Al got himself into 111 games for the '66 Mets, playing all three outfield positions and making pinch hit appearances. In June he had a five game hit streak and helped New York to a 2-1 win over the Cardinals the next day with a ground out RBI.
On July 1 he hit a HR off Pittsburgh's Steve Blass helping the Mets to a 4-3 win. Two days later he drove in the first run of the Mets 9-8 win over the Pirates as they took a rare series victory from the Bucs. His first big day came on the 4th of July at Wrigley Field where he hit a HR and drove in four runs in the Mets 8-1 victory.
On July 20 Luplow hit a HR off Hall of Famer Juan Marichal in San Franciso, in the game weak hitting short stop Roy McMillan also hit a HR off Marichal. The game went to extra innings and was won by New York on a Ron Swoboda HR, it was a rare time that the Mets could beat the Giants with Marichal on the mound.
In the first two weeks of August he had two four game hit streaks with five multi-hit games, and added three more during the month. In September he hit two HRs in a game at San Francisco, getting six hits with three HRs and seven RBIs overall on the West Coast road trip. In 1967 he began the year hitting safely in seven of nine games at the end of April, but he struggled after that hitting just .205. The Mets sold his contract to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Retirement: After his baseball career, Al ran a tavern and worked as a real estate appraiser. He is generally known as an all around good guy and good tipper.
