On Jan. 9, 1980 former Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Duke Snider was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Dodgers signed Snider as an amateur free agent in 1943, and he went on to play 16 years for the organization.
Born on Sept. 19, 1926, Snider grew up in Southern California, and went on to play baseball, football and basketball at Compton High School prior to signing with the Dodgers. He made his Major League debut in 1947, but did not earn an everyday spot until 1949.
Snider was named an All-Star seven straight times from 1950-56, and finished in the top-10 in National League MVP voting in five of those seasons.
He finished as high as second in 1955 behind teammate Roy Campanella, when Snider batted .309/.418/.628 with 42 home runs and 136 RBIs. Snider was named an All-star eight times over his 18-year career.
Overall in his career, Snider batted .295 with 407 home runs and 1,333 RBIs in 2,143 games.
Following his retirement from baseball after the 1964 season, Snider became a TV/radio analyst and play-by-play announcer for the San Diego Padres from 1969-71 and for the Montreal Expos from 1973-86.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame along with Al Kaline, while the Veterans Committee selected Chuck Klein and former Boston Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey.
Snider died of an undisclosed illness on Feb. 27, 2011, at age 84 at the Valle Vista Convalescent Hospital in Escondido, Calif. He is one of 55 Dodgers to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
