3 NY Mets players who wore number 5 before David Wright who shouldn't be forgotten

With David Wright being honored with the retirement of his No. 5, you have to wonder if any other prominent player wore that uniform number for the New York Mets.

Wright wore that number from the time he arrived in New York from Triple A Norfolk at the age of 21. And nobody has worn it since. But before that, there were some players who were No. 5 in the program – Chris Cannizaro, Jim Gosger, and Mike Howard. Some guys are easy to forget. Some guys you may WANT to forget like Joe Foy, Jeromy Burnitz, and Brook Fordyce.

But here are three players who wore No. 5 and who deserve to be remembered.

1) Ed Charles was a big part of New York Mets folklore

Ed Charles spent three years in a Mets uniform and was probably the first player, other than David Wright, who fans will think about when asked about No. 5.

Charles got a late start to his Major League career, he was 29 years old during his rookie season in 1962 with the Kansas City A’s. And that’s a shame because he truly was a talent – with the rare blend of power and speed. By the time he came to the Mets early in the 1967 season, he was already 34 years old.

Charles would have a nice season for the Mets in 1968, hitting .276 with a team-leading 15 home runs and 53 RBI. He returned to play 61 games during the Miracle Mets season of 1969. And although he would have the worst statistical season of his career, Charles played a key role and came up clutch many times.

After one of his game-winning homers, Jerry Koosman, who nicknamed him “Glider” because of how smooth he was playing third base, remarked, “Never hang a slider to The Glider” and that line became a part of the folklore of those 1969 Mets.

Charles was the team’s elder statesman and a favorite among teammates and fans. He retired as a player after the ’69 season but remained with the organization for many years in multiple capacities. He was truly one of the shining lights of an organization that had many dark moments.