VISIT WITH DUKE SNIDER
August 3, 2010 Fallbrook, California
Duke Snider was at the dining table with his good friend, Cliff Dapper. Cliff played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1941, as a catcher. Cliff soon after, like a number of major league ball players, joined the military during World War II. He was in that group who believed in defending this nation, such as Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox. (I learned this in an earlier conversation I had when I met Cliff Dapper at the reception desk at the Fallbrook Regency.)
I greeted Duke at the table, also Cliff, and said to Duke,” I want to show you something.” Lunch was being served so I told Duke I’ll came back in a little bit; I also told him I wanted to take a picture of them. He said, “Fine.”
When I returned, they had finished their lunch, Cliff had returned to his room, but Duke was sitting in a comfortable chair, wearing his cap, relaxing by the window, soft sun rays beaming in.
I greeted him again. He smiled. I showed him the Aged Premium Lager, a drink to honor his entry into the Major League Hall of Game. On the can it noted: “Duke Snider was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame 1980.”
I asked Duke if he recalled this tribute drink in his name. He looked at the can, shook his head, and he said, “No.” I said, “Duke, let me read to you what this says.”
DUKE SNIDER
Centerfield Brooklyn Dodgers
“My greatest thrill was of course, the 1955 World Series
against our cross town rival, the New York Yankees. In
game 5 at Yankee Stadium, I hit 2 of my 4 Series homeruns.
It was a tough Series with
many great plays. Johnny
Podres pitched a 2-0 shut-
out and Gil Hodges
knocked in 2 runs in the 7th
and final game as we won
our first ever World
Championship 4 games to 3.
It was fitting that the final
playoff the Series was made
by our team leader and
captain, Pee Wee Reese.”
Signed: Duke Snider
The drink is entitled: CASEY’S LAGER BEER (Aged Premium Lager)
Note
I came across this can when I was attending a block party on
Porter Way, at the home of Rob Haney and Carol Erickson. I had
lived at this cul de sac for 15 years.
I was having a conversation with Jason Gard, one of the neighbors.
I didn’t know until then, how much of a baseball fan he is. We spent
an hour talking about baseball. He played the game many years, as
a pitcher.
He keeps up with the players from all the teams. I, unlike him,
keep up with some favorite teams, had for years followed the Brooklyn
Dodgers and the LA Dodgers. I followed the Cincinnati Reds in their
great days. Now I follow the Padres who are leading the league by
2 ½ ahead of the San Francisco Giants at this writing.
As we were talking about the Dodgers, Jason said, “I gotta
show you something. “ He ran home, right next door, and showed me
this can. I had told him I was going to visit Duke Snider at the Regency,
who I had met a few years ago and got to know him.
Baseball fans, somehow, discover each other, and this being
true, these conversations enlighten us. Baseball, in so many ways,
is still America’s favorite pastime.
Signing off.
Dennis Ginoza
Fallbrook, California
When the Dodgers beat the Yankees in 1955,
I was in elementary school. Our teacher let
us listen to the game in the classroom. The
game from New York started at 7:00 a.m Hawaii
time. From us Dodgers fans, you heard a cheer:
“They did it!”
The Yankee fans in our classroom had their day,
the next year, 1956. We don’t need to talk about
that for that’s another story.
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Duke Snider was my hero. As a 10 year old GIRL softball player, I sat right in front of an old Dumont TV, glued to every Bums game, waiting for my number 4 to come up to bat. Batting third, Duke was often walked, much to my dismay. Duke made the cold days warm, the hot days cooler. My family was very poor; I used a stick (literally) for a bat, went down to the beach (Long Island Sound) and used pebbles for baseballs. Hit them way out past the sand bar and always said "another for my Duke." Today, I learned he passed away. I cried. I pulled out my yellowed scrapbook; full of newspaper clipping "THE BUMS DO IT AGAIN' and of course every Duke Snider card, one even signed! Would you believe that I GLUED them on the scrapbook pages and wrote I LOVE YOU on the cards? So, of coures they are not 'mnt collector items' but to me, they are priceless. When I moved to California near Fallbrook, Duke signed my scrapbook. I was so 'star struck' I couldn't talk. I last saw him at a book signing. But once I snuck into his church in Fallbrook, way in the back, just to see him walk in. He was amazing and truly was my 'best friend' as he inspired me with his dignity, and of course his prowress at bat and in centerfield. There will never be another Duke. My favorite number has always been and always be 4! God Bless you Duke and may your family know how many young lives you touched - all over the world. I hope my grandchildren will know how important my tawrdry looking scrapbook is, how special and how meaningful - and not toss it out. I will write that in my will! Thank you for the memories and the brightening of days when I had not much else to look forward to escept MY DUKE and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
ReplyDeleteJeanie,
DeleteI just reviewed you comment, and loved your observation. I followed the Dodgers since I was a little boy in Hawaii, listening to the world series, especially when they played the Yankees. I had a ball signed by the 1955 Dodgers when they came to Hawaii. Our Little League team was guest at an exhibition game to watch the Dodgers play our local team. I got their autographs, but Duke was not there. Some of the players signed my ball--Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Gil Hodges, Jim Gilliam, Jackie Robinson, but not Duke. He was not there. Then I came to Fallbrook, met his daughter and got his autograph on that ball. Yes, with you, I have many cherished memories. Thank you. Dennis Ginoza