The Mets Police

Ed Charles didn't become "The Glider" until late in his career. Just a few weeks after being traded from the Kansas City A's to the Mets in the summer of 1967, the slick-fielding third baseman made a particularly fantastic diving stab. Moments later, rookie pitcherJerry Koosman walked over to Charles.

As Charles remembers it, Koosman couldn't contain himself.

"He was sort of flabbergasted that I'd made the play," says Charles. "He said, 'You sort of glide to the ball. That's it. You're The Glider from now on.'"