HOME RUN AND RBI LEADER of the decade of the 50s, Duke Snider, used this bat in a June 1955 series with the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The "Bums" took 2 out of 3 from the Redbirds with Snider belting his 21st and 22nd round-trippers in a first game 12-1 rout of the Redbirds; and his 23rd of the season in a 5-4 losing effort in the second game. In the third game, a 7-4 win, Duke had two hits and doubled in two runs to contribute to the Dodger offensive output.

DUKE SNIDER'S Major League - leading 136 RBIs — and team leading 42 home runs — powered the "Boys of Summer" to the 1955 National League pennant. Snider's four circuit-clouts, seven RBIs and .320 average destroyed the Yankees in the World Series.

DUKE SNIDER

HALL OF FAME: 1980

ALL-STAR: 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1963

Snider home run and RBI leader of the decade of the '50s

Hit 40 or more homers 5 consecutive times

HALL OF FAMER

IN THE FOUR YEARS (1954-1957) that Mays, Mantle and Snider starred simultaneously in New York in full-time capacities, it was Snider who led the three in homers and RBIs.

DUKE SNIDER WEB LINKS

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Duke Snider was a five-tool player, finishing in the top three in stolen bases twice, leading the National League in homers, RBIs, total bases (three times), runs (three times), hits, walks, slugging, and OBP.

He led the Dodgers to six pennants in his first 11 seasons as a regular player, supplying consistent power from the left side of the plate.

Snider began his Major League career on April 17, 1947, with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Duke played 18 seasons for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1947-1957), Los Angeles Dodgers (1958-1962), New York Mets (1963) and San Francisco Giants (1964).

A graceful center fielder with a picture-perfect swing, Snider was the biggest bat in the Brooklyn Dodgers' potent lineup of the 1950s. He hit 40 or more homers five consecutive times and led all batters in home runs (326), RBIs (1,031), runs (970) and slugging (.569) during the decade of the 50s.

SNIDER led the league in extra-base hits in 1954, ‘55 and ’56; home runs in 1956 and RBIs in 1955.

"The Duke of Flatbush" is the only player to hit four homers in two different World Series (1952 and 1955), and his 11 Series home runs and 26 RBIs are the most ever by a National League player. The Sporting News named Snider the Major League Player of the Year in 1955 and selected him for its Major League All-star team in 1950 and 1952-1955.

Along with Willie Mays of the Giants and Mickey Mantle of the Yankees, the Dodgers' Snider was one of a trio of Hall of Fame centerfielders about whom fans debated one of the most frequently asked baseball questions of the 1950s: "Who's the best centerfielder in New York?"

Stan Musial called Snider, Carl Furillo, and Andy Pafko "the best-throwing outfield I ever saw," and named Snider, Mays, and Hank Aaron his all-time National League outfield. In the four years (1954-1957) that Mays, Mantle, and Snider starred simultaneously in New York in full-time capacities, it was Snider who led the three in homers and RBIs.

DUKE SNIDER finished in the top ten in MVP voting six times.

DUKE SNIDER: Did you know...

...Snider is the only man in baseball history to twice hit four homers in a World Series. He did it in 1952 and 1955. He holds the National League record for most Series homers (11), and RBI (26).

...Snider finished in the top ten in MVP voting six times; The Sporting News named Snider the Major League Player of the Year in 1955 and selected him for its all-star team in 1950 and 1952-1955.

...Snider and Gil Hodges, from 1947 to 1961, a span of 15 seasons, combined for 745 home runs — the fourth highest mark in baseball history by teammates.
...Snider was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers before the 1944 season as an amateur free agent.
...Snider was purchased by the New York Mets in April 1963 from the Los Angeles Dodgers. ...Snider was purchased by the San Francisco Giants in April 1964 from the New York Mets. ...Snider was released by the San Francisco Giants in Oct. 1964.

...Snider hit two home runs off Philadelphia ace Robin Roberts on September 22, 1957 — the last homers ever hit in Brooklyn's Ebbets Field. He then followed the Dodgers to L.A. where he collected the first hit in Dodger Stadium history.

...Snider dominated offensive statistics in the decade of the 50s.

...Snider was a fan favorite in Brooklyn and the pick of many New Yorkers as the best centerfielder in the Big Apple during the 1950s.

...Snider was born September 19, 1926 in Los Angeles, California.

A GRACEFUL CENTER FIELDER, Stan Musial called Snider, Carl Furillo, and Andy Pafko "the best-throwing outfield I ever saw," and named Snider, Mays, and Hank Aaron his all-time National League outfield.

THE BOYS OF SUMMER: Snider, far left, compares lumber with teammates, from left, Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson Pee Wee Reese and Roy Campanella.

SNIDER SHOWS THE FORM on this Sports Illustrated cover of June 27, 1955 that earned him a place in Cooperstown.

THE DUKE led the league in extra-base hits in 1954, ‘55 and ’56; home runs in 1956 and RBIs in 1955. His career .295 lifetime average, and 2,116 hits, 407 home runs and 1,333 RBIs justified his induction into the Hall of Fame in 1980.