One of a Kiner: A personal memoir of an iconic Sports and Broadcasting Family

Book Description

From 1946 to 1955, Ralph Kiner reigned as baseball’s Home Run King. A celebrated athlete and America’s most eligible bachelor, he dated Hollywood stars and captured headlines. Meanwhile, Nancy Chaffee was the glamour girl of tennis, competing on center court at Wimbledon and gracing magazine covers worldwide. When they married in 1951, their love story captivated the nation.

One of a Kiner chronicles the lives and legacies of these two sports icons—their rise to stardom, their pioneering broadcasting careers, and the extraordinary family they built. Told by their son, Scott Kiner, whose own broadcasting career includes covering major sporting events for CBS, ABC, and Mutual Radio, the book offers a unique, insider’s perspective. Scott also played a key role in launching the careers of Jimmy Kimmel and Carson Daly.

Spanning Ralph’s 50 years in the broadcast booth for the New York Mets, Nancy’s success as an entrepreneur and commentator, and the dynamic lives of their three children, One of a Kiner is more than a sports biography. It’s a story of perseverance, love, and the pursuit of greatness—both on and off the field.

Part baseball history, part tennis legacy, and part intimate family memoir, this book takes readers behind the scenes of two larger-than-life personalities. Scott Kiner humorously refers to himself as a member of the “LSC”—the Lucky Sperm Club. Read One of a Kiner to find out why.