27
2011
Brooklyn Dodger and Baseball Legend Duke Snider Passes Away
An article by Tie Dyed
Duke Snider passed away earlier today in Escondido, CA. The former Brooklyn Dodger great was 84.
He was Brooklyn’s CFer during what has been called ‘The Golden Era of Baseball in New York.’ And Golden it was. While Duke played CF for Brooklyn, Willie Mays covered CF for the New York Giants and Mickey Mantle played for the Yankees. Three of the greatest Center Fielders in history, all playing at the same time. And in the same city.
For the 11 year period from 1947-1958, at least one New York team played in the World Series every year, other than 1948.
He was born Edwin Donald Snider in Los Angeles on Sept 19, 1926. One day, the young Snider was walking home from a little league game. He had a good day at the plate and there was a strut in his walk to go along with his beaming smile. His father noticed the bounce in his son’s confident gait and commented jokingly, “Here comes the Duke.” The name stuck.
Snider broke into the majors in 1947 but struggled early. He played only 93 games his first two years, hitting just 241 and 244. He was a wild swinger. It was Branch Rickey who turned around and perhaps saved Snider’s career. He would have Duke stand at the plate during BP, bat on his shoulder and NOT swing. Instead, he wanted the young outfielder to call out if the pitch was a ball or a strike. This taught Snider the strike zone.
And now, he became The Duke of Flatbush.
In a lineup filled with future and should-be Hall of Famers such as Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges and Carl Furillo, Snider was the Dodgers’ only LH power hitter. The RF wall in Ebbets Field was only 297 feet away, but it stood 38 feet high, higher then The Green Monster.
The Duke of Flatbush would go on to lead the NL in HR’s for 5 straight seasons. From 1950 through 1957, Snider averaged 36 HR’s and 111 RBI’s to go along with a 306 BA.
Brooklyn fans always stated ‘Wait ‘til next year.’ ‘Next year’ happened in 1955 when the Dodgers won their one and only championship in Brooklyn. And Snider was in the middle of it. He has perhaps his best year, hitting 309 with 42 round trippers and 136 RBI’s. In the 7 game series vs. the Yankees, Snider went deep 4 times and knocked in 7. In spite of his great numbers, he failed to win the MVP, losing by one vote to teammate Roy Campanella. Snider never did win an MVP.
In 1958, now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Snider walked up to a young Giants rookie just before his first game in the majors. “Good luck, Orlando,” he said to rookie and future Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda. Cepeda stated years later, ‘He was one of my idols. I almost fainted.’
In 1963, Snider returned to New York for one season with the Mets. The following year he returned to the west coast for what would be his final season in the majors. He played for the Giants. Another future Hall of Famer, Willie McCovey said of Snider, ‘He was just an all around first class guy.’
Duke retired after the 64 season. He ended his career with 407 HR’s, a 295 career batting average and 1333 RBI’s. He was an 8 time All-Star, winner of 2 World Series’ and was enshrined in Cooperstown in 1980.
By the 1980’s, the premier LH power hitter for The Boys of Summer had to make appearances at Baseball card shows where he charged for his autograph. He had very little in savings, did not earn a lot as a player and had made some bad investments over the years. In 1995, Snider plead guilty for Tax Evasion. He had failed to report $97,000 he made while appearing at card shows. Sentence was handed down at the Brooklyn Federal Court House, just blocks from where Ebbets Field once stood.
Edwin Donald ‘Duke’ Snider passed away earlier today. He leaves behind 4 children, his wife Beverly, whom he married in his rookie year of 1947 and throngs of fans who idolized him. Snider was the last surviving member of the 1955 Dodgers who were on the field when they won their one and only championship.
About the Author: Rob Silverman
It was 1973 when my dad introduced this 7 year old kid to Baseball and the Mets. It's been a love and passion that has lasted for 40 years, much longer than my first marriage. Since I was little, there've been 2 things I've always dreamed of: 1) Being a successful author and 2) playing right field for the Mets after Rusty Staub retired. Although 4 decades have passed and based on the current condition of the Mets, I have not given up on either dream
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Willie, Mickey and the Duke…….. What a trio of centerfielders in the city.
You said it, Dennis.
But as s Dodgers fan, I’ll remember them as first, The Duke, and only then Willie and Mickey. Our guy was one helluva ballplayer. Truth be told, so were the other two.
Snider hit the last homer at Ebbets Field in 1957. With his great lefty swing, I think Snider would have had many more homers if he played in Yankees Stadium, which had a low right field railing, unlike the Ebbets Field monster fence.
P.S.: If Yogi had played in Brooklyn, he’d have had far fewer homers. Yogi’s low line drive shots down the line cleared the right fielder’s leap and landed a few rows back at the Stadium. At Ebbets Field, Yogi would have tattooed the Esquire polish and Gem razor blade signs, but with Furillo’s terrific arm, Berra would have had a lot of long singles and some doubles.
We lost a Great one! Little known fact. When I lived upstate I used to go to the old Jarry Park in Montreal to watch the expansion Expos play. One of their announcers was The Duke! Truly a class guy!
Yes, I read that he used to broadcast Expos games for a few years, Lou, but had to leave SOME stuff out of the article.
RIP the Duke of Flatbush…………….. you were one of my Dad’s favorite and hearing the news of this loss made me think of my father immediately and how grateful I am for passing on this obession of baseball, and reminded me I still miss him every day……
God Bless
I often wonder how the Duke’s superb defensive skills would have gotten more accolades if it wasn’t for the great catch Mays made at the Polo Grounds. That catch even overshadowed Mantle’s skills and history was made with Willie’s catch and Mantle and Snyder became second fiddle to Mays’ defensive skills.
[...] Brooklyn Dodger and Baseball Legend Duke Snider Passes Away [...]
I met Duke in San Diego a few years ago,quiet by accident. He was very interesting and full of life .I wish we had talked to him longer. I told him he was before my time ,and he agreed. When I saw his name on the news ,I knew that was him.
Thank you for a wonderful story as the passing of Duke makes my heart heavy. As a youngster I lived in NYC and my team was the Dodgers. My favorite players were Gil and Duke amongst all that great list. There are so many memories of that great time. In my neighborhood, the contest among us kids was who was the greatest: Mickey, Willie, or Duke. We each had our proponent. Mine was Duke and I was always trying to prove he was better than Mickey or Willie (although in my heart I knew I was stretching it). I have so many memories of Ebbets Field and Duke playing there, especially the fan reaction on nights when there was a full house and a close game and Duke would come up to bat with men on base. It was priceless as electricity flew threw the park and a roar went up from the crowd. That must have been very threatening to the pitcher. I also remember Duke using his cleats to climb the outfield wall to bring down drives and save the game. Many years later I was fortunate to have Duke sign his photo for me at a card show. It is in my album next to one of Gil. They were two titans in my life.
The 50′s were a wonderful time and the Boys of Summer were a big part of it for me. It’s sad that they are now all gone. The memories live in the minds and hearts of old timers.
Again, thank you for this story.
Thanks for the kid words.
Duke and Gil were always my dad’s favorite players growing up.
Many years ago, probably late 80′s, I went to a card show with my dad and met Duke Snider. It was one of the few times I ever saw my dad short on words. He was flustered about meeting his boyhood idol. Kinda funny…He has an autographed pic of the Duke on his wall that he got that day.
My dad still insists Duke was the best of the 3.
“Willie was good, Mantle was a Yankee…but The Duke?!??!? Come on!”
R.I.P. Duke. I used to play Stratomatic with classic players and Duke would always be my go to guy on our leagues draft day. Read a few books about him and one by him over the years. I never saw him play, but I knew enough about him to say it hurt when I saw this news.
I am adding a picture of Duke in a Mets uniform with Joan Payson, to Rob’s excellent post.
Thanks Joe.
Great pic!!!!
Very sad to hear…and not to change the subject, but Carl Erskine, one of the few surviving members of those teams had put out a book called “Tales from the Dodger Dugout” that I bought years ago. If it is still in print I highly recommend picking it up. A lot of great short stories about Duke and all those guys.
Thank you for responding to my story. I am still remembering things we talked about on that bench we shared while my husband was in the gift shop looking around. I told him my feet were hurting, he said,”Mine too”. he said he had an old sports injury from playing ball. The conversation started there.When I recall in more detail,I will respond.He certainly left an impression on me.Ironically, I was just thinking about him a few days ago. My thoughts were,”I wonder how that old retired ballplayer is doing.” God Bless his family. thanks for the pics.
R.I.P.