Duke Snider Biography

Edwin Donald Duke Snider, born September 19, 1926, was an American professional baseball player known as the Duke of Flatbush. He played primarily as a center fielder and spent most of his MLB career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1947 to 1962. Snider was selected for the National League All-Star team eight times and finished as the NL MVP runner-up in 1955. During his 16 seasons with the Dodgers, he contributed to six World Series appearances, including wins in 1955 and 1959. He earned a spring training tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 before making his major league debut. In 1949, he became a regular player, hitting 23 home runs and driving in 92 runs to help the Dodgers reach the World Series. When his batting average dropped to .277 in 1951, he faced sharp criticism in the press after the Dodgers lost a 13-game lead and finished second to the Giants.