- Played major league baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1943, 1947-1957), the Los Angeles Dodgers (1958-1961) and New York Mets (1962-1963).
- Was an original Met; hit the first home run in Met history on April 11, 1962.
- Went hitless (0 for 21) during the entire 1952 World Series.
- Came to the Dodgers as a catcher and was moved to first base by Leo Durocher. Went on to set several fielding records for a first baseman.
- Uniform number 14 retired by the Mets.
- Hit four home runs in one game on August 31, 1950 against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field, becoming only the sixth player in baseball history to do so.
- Voted Manager of the Year in 1969 for leading the Miracle Mets to the world championship.
- Suffered a heart attack on September 24, 1968 while in Atlanta with the Mets and was hospitalized until October 20. One year later to the day, the Mets clinched the Eastern Division of the National League.
- Was named to the National League All-Star team in seven different years (1949-1955, 1957).
- Awarded the Gold Glove Award given to the best fielding first baseman (1957-1959).
- Managed the Washington Senators (1963-1967) and New York Mets (1968-1971). Served as manager when the New York Mets won the 1969 World Series.
- Had 1001 runs batted in during the 1950s, more than any other player in the National League other than his teammate Duke Snider during that decade.
- Hit 370 home runs during his career including 14 grand slams. When he retired as a player in May of 1963, it was a National League career record for home runs by a right handed hitter that stood until Willie Mays passed it later that year.
- In his first year as a player with the New York Mets (1962), he hit 9 hone runs in the first 54 games (127 at bats; 1 HR per 14 at bats), and was tied with Willie Mays for the league lead on May 30th, an impressive hitting feat even by current standards. One of a few major league players to hit that many HRs in his last full month as an active player. Various injuries curtailed his plate appearances for the rest of that season. He retired early in his next season (1963), after 23 at bats, to become manager of the Washington Senators.
- Born at 4:05am-CST.
- Born one day after Marlon Brando.
- Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022; elected by the Golden Days Era Committee.
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