RIP Duke Snider

[Moderator1]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2011/02/27/2011-02-27_halloffamer_duke_snider_the_last_surviving_regular_of_the_boys_of_summer_dodgers.html

 

[sportsguydave]

RIP to a great one. Way before my time obviously, but I grew up in San Diego listening to Jerry Coleman on the radio...Coleman wasn't a great, but he played with a lot of greats, and he always had a story to tell about these guys.

He's doing it again today with the Duke. Another big part of baseball history passes on.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

Who is left from the Boys of Summer? T'ain't many.

 

[mpcincal]

Who is left from the Boys of Summer? T'ain't many.

The story says he was the last one.

 

[sportsguydave]

Who is left from the Boys of Summer? T'ain't many.

According to the story, Snider was the last surviving regular. Not sure if that means there are others left or not...maybe that qualification means there's still a pitcher or backup out there somewhere.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Don Henley's love remains strong.

 

[Trouser_Buddah]

Don Henley's love remains strong.

Somewhere, Zeke just grabbed a knife and doesn't know why.

RIP to a great one.

 

[Double J]

Carl Erskine is a pitcher but he's still alive. Had a chapter in the book too.

 

[sportsguydave]

Carl Erskine is a pitcher but he's still alive. Had a chapter in the book too.

Which probably explains the "regular" hedge.

Thanks, DJ.

 

[Upper Tupper]

Am I understanding from the article that it took 16 years before he was inducted into the HOF?

 

[Dick Whitman]

Am I understanding from the article that it took 16 years before he was inducted into the HOF?

Appears that he got just 17 percent on his first time on the ballot, and had to slowly build from there. Batted .295 with 407 home runs, and my suspicion is that voters of the era were very focused on milestones.

Too bad there wasn't an SportsJournalists.com in 1970. Would have loved to go back in the archives and read the: "Duke Snider: Hall of Famer"? thread.

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

Just think of the "impeach Nixon" liberal threads.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I have an autographed baseball of his that I got at a card show about 20+ years ago. Time to put it on eBay. He seemed like a nice guy for the 5-7 seconds I spent standing in front of him as he signed.

RIP to a true great.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Time to put it on eBay. He seemed like a nice guy for the 5-7 seconds I spent standing in front of him as he signed.

You'd be in a good mood, too, if you knew that all that income you were bagging at the card show was tax-free.

Too soon?

 

[Huggy]

RIP to one of baseball voices of my youth when he was the colour guy on Expos games with Dave Van Horne.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Who is left from the Boys of Summer? T'ain't many.

Carl Erskine is a pitcher but he's still alive. Had a chapter in the book too.

Which probably explains the "regular" hedge.

Thanks, DJ.

Don Newcombe, the team's ace pitcher, is also still living. Don Zimmer was a back-up infielder. And Roger Craig was a relief pitcher.

That's about it.

EDIT: This assumes we're talking about just the 1955 Dodgers. Ralph Branca was gone by 55, but he's also still living. Same with Andy Pafko, the starting left fielder in 1951 and 52.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Carl Erskine is a pitcher but he's still alive. Had a chapter in the book too.

George Shuba, who had a chapter, even though he was one of many Dodger left fielders, still living.

And **** Williams, who later went on to managerial fame, was a backup outfielder on the Dodgers in the early 50s and is still alive.

 

[cyclingwriter]

Per the hall: he was likely overshadowed by Mantle and Mays as well his old high school buddy Pete Rozelle.

 

[Steak Snabler]

If I recall correctly, Snider and Rozelle grew up in Compton, Calif.

Weird how demographics can change so drastically in just a couple of generations.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

He had his money/legal brushes later on down the road, but in no way should those detract from his on-field presence.