Major League Baseball Player. He played the third base position for both Major League Baseball's Kansas City Athletics (1962-1967) and New York Mets (1967-1969) during a eight year career. Born Edwin Douglas Charles, he dropped out of school in his teens but returned as a football and baseball star, attracting scholarship offers. He hoped to play in the Negro leagues, but in the emerging age of integration, he got a tryout with the Boston Braves. He signed with the Braves in 1952, but spent eight years in the minor leagues before being traded to the Kansas City Athletics prior to the 1962 season. He played for the Athletics for the next five and half seasons before being traded to the New York Mets during the 1967 season. During his tenure with the Athletics, he finished second in voting for the American League Rookie of the Year in 1962. He played for the Mets for two and half years before being released by them after the 1969 season. He was an integral part of the Mets' 1969 World Series championship team. His career statistics included a .263 batting average with 86 home runs and 421 RBIs in 1,005 games played. After being released, he left baseball and returned to his home in Kansas City. He eventually came back to the Mets as a scout and minor league coach. In 1985, he passed his civil service exam and started working with troubled youth at a home in the Bronx. In his later years, he sometimes represented the Mets at baseball conventions and autograph shows, showing up for old-timers’ days, at the fantasy camps, and even taking part in an academic conference at Hofstra University in 2012. He passed away after a long illness.

Major League Baseball Player. He played the third base position for both Major League Baseball's Kansas City Athletics (1962-1967) and New York Mets (1967-1969) during a eight year career. Born Edwin Douglas Charles, he dropped out of school in his teens but returned as a football and baseball star, attracting scholarship offers. He hoped to play in the Negro leagues, but in the emerging age of integration, he got a tryout with the Boston Braves. He signed with the Braves in 1952, but spent eight years in the minor leagues before being traded to the Kansas City Athletics prior to the 1962 season. He played for the Athletics for the next five and half seasons before being traded to the New York Mets during the 1967 season. During his tenure with the Athletics, he finished second in voting for the American League Rookie of the Year in 1962. He played for the Mets for two and half years before being released by them after the 1969 season. He was an integral part of the Mets' 1969 World Series championship team. His career statistics included a .263 batting average with 86 home runs and 421 RBIs in 1,005 games played. After being released, he left baseball and returned to his home in Kansas City. He eventually came back to the Mets as a scout and minor league coach. In 1985, he passed his civil service exam and started working with troubled youth at a home in the Bronx. In his later years, he sometimes represented the Mets at baseball conventions and autograph shows, showing up for old-timers’ days, at the fantasy camps, and even taking part in an academic conference at Hofstra University in 2012. He passed away after a long illness.

Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye