Remembering Duke Snider

Duke Snider, the Hall of Famer, powerful slugger and smooth center fielder for the great Brooklyn Dodger teams of the 1950’s, died this year on February 27th. He was 84 years old.

Outstanding From The Start.  Snider was signed to a baseball contact in 1944, shortly after graduating from Compton High School in Los Angeles, where he was a star in baseball, football and basketball.  He began his ascent through the Dodgers farm system that summer. After a period of military service and a few seasons in the minors, the last two of which saw him performing in a part-time role with the big club, by 1949 Snider was ready for the major leagues. His first baseball card appears at the top of this page. The twenty-two year old played in 146 games that year, with a slash line of .292/.361/.854. For those of you who don’t speak the language of baseball, trust me when I tell you it was a performance that served notice that young Duke Snider was going to be a force for years to come.

Potential Fulfilled. By the time Snider was in his mid-twenties, he was a dominant player, one who was capable of deciding a game with his bat or glove. Opposing pitchers must have had nightmares just thinking about him. During the five seasons between 1953 and 1957,  Duke Snider averaged  34 doubles, 41 home runs and 117 runs batted in. He was a perennial all-star and a constant Most Valuable Player candidate. Snider hit four home runs in the World Series twice, in 1952 and 1955. This was Duke Snider’s golden era, when he was at the top of his game. During this period of time he would make that critical catch, denying the opposing team its winning run. He would get that smash hit, driving in a teammate. He would deliver a desperately needed home run. He was brilliant.

Duke Snider’s 1956 Topps Baseball Card

In Good Company. Nicknamed “The Duke of Flatbush” by Dodgers fans, Snider was fortunate. Although he was truly dazzling in his own right, he was surrounded by many other outstanding players. The Brooklyn Dodgers were pennant winners in 1952, 1953, 1956 and World Series Champions in 1955. Snider batted third, a slot in the lineup generally reserved for a team’s best hitter. The team’s lineup included Carl Furillo, Gil Hodges and Hall of Famers Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella. How good were these guys? Pick your adjective and then add an exclamation mark. The 1953 edition went 105-49, for a lusty .682 winning percentage.

Willie, Mickey & The Duke. Snider played during a time when baseball thrived in the New York Metropolitan area, with the Yankees, Giants and Dodgers each enjoying great success. Of the nine editions of the World Series played between 1949 and 1957, the Yankees won six and the Dodgers and Giants each won once. The three teams were ultra competitive, and so were their fans. One topic that was argued over endlessly was which team had the best center fielder. The verbal jousting between rival fans making the case for their man must have been spectacular, and no doubt, sometimes physical. I like the slant Willie Mays took when he once remarked that “it was great playing centerfield in New York in the 1950s, along with Mickey and Duke.” As for myself, I like to think that each player was the best center fielder for his team, and let it go at that.

A Career Winds Down. The Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958, where they played in the massive Los Angeles Coliseum for two seasons. During this time, many veteran Dodger players, including Snider, saw their offensive numbers drop precipitously. The decreased production wasn’t completed due to the aging process, which will eventually sap every players’ skills, even Hall of Famers like Duke Snider. A large factor was the spaciousness of the Coliseum, where if you were built like Paul Bunyan and pulverized the ball you might have hit a home run, but your chances for one were better if the wind was blowing out at hurricane strength. The team aged together. The Dodgers did win the 1959 World Series Championship, but this was a different crew from the 1955 edition. These Los Angeles Dodgers were already transitioning to different style of play. The Duke soldiered on, but his numbers were never the same. He still had a little bit left in the tank, however, and was traded to the New York Mets for the 1963 season. He retired from the game after playing for the San Francisco Giants during the 1964 season. In all, Duke Snider appeared in 18 seasons, with a lifetime batting average of .295 and 407 home runs.

The Baseball Establishment Pays Tribute. There’s not enough room in this post for all of the positive things that were said about Snider after he passed away. Tommy Lasorda, a Brooklyn teammate and a future Los Angeles Dodgers Manager, said “he was one of the great, great players of our time. He was the true Dodger and represented the Dodgers to the highest degree of class, dignity and character.” Another former Brooklyn Dodger teammate, Carl Erskine recalled that “Duke played so great when I pitched. He just made so many plays in the World Series for me, and he seemed to play his best when I pitched.” Opposing player Willie Mays added that “Duke was a fine man, a terrific hitter and a great friend, even though he was a Dodger.”  The praise went on and on, with all agreeing that Snider was one of the greatest players of his time.

Duke Snider Coming Through. Now coming to the plate, for his final appearance, with the game on the line, ladies and gentlemen, Center Fielder Duke Snider, doggedly determined when it mattered most, in the bottom of the ninth.