Evening star., 1955-07-22
WIN, LOSE OR
1NAV BY FRANCIS sTANN
Most ArtfuI Dodqer

THE BEST OUTFIELDER in baseball today may very
well be Edwin Donald (Duke) Snder Of the Brooklyn
Dodgers This his ninth year up big gracefully
powerful 28yearold center fielder becoming bit more
remarkable every day.
For more than week now he has been aling. Virus
kicked up fever of 1O2 week yesterday the Duke
ordered to the bench for three four days" The
Dodgers lost to the Cards that day. and their lead was
cut to 1o1a result of II defeats games
1t "three or four days" The next evening
Duke was back in the lineup hitting single and double
on the first two pitches the Dodgers whomped Cards.
1913 Next day his 2sh homer tied the Reegs at 33 and
his 3oth beat them in the last inning 5-4.
For sick man he doing fine, but there was more
to follow.
WHEN THE DODGERS won last Sunday over the Redlegs
the Duke hit home in the first game double
header. He retired to upset stomach but came
the ninth inning and Brooklyn needed sndes defensive
talents to stave of Cincinnati rally.
With both Roy Campanela and Snider out there is
nothing very fearsome about Brooklyn On Monday the
virus laid the Duke low again and the Buns lost the
Redlegs, 9-5 Tuesday off day, but Wednesday
the hit homers 80 SO to lead the Dodgers to
l0- win over the Cubs Seven innings was all he could CO.
SO Brooklyn lost the nghtcap. But that l3agam
had been restored. - l..-.sz@.a
This big Calornan-hes feet tall and weighs 100 or
so-s one OF the picture ball players can rum throw
and make the same catches Willie Mays, although with
less flourish He hit power and the Brookvn
he reaches all the fences.
Duke was 341 hitter last year and 1856 sckman in
So but the evidence is that he may win more honors this
season. He Is third in batting the National League with
the leaders, Campanela and Richie Ashburn of the Phies
not TOO Tar ahead Of him. in runs 80) first in
runs batted in 9, second doubles (22 and first in
homers t33).
THE DODGERS HAD TO BE little patient with snder
IN tne beginning when it looked if he might never hit
ett-handed pitching with any consistency Duke hadn't
oone much In the minors before he came up in 1948
brancn hickey was the resident genius at Flabush at
that Time and he off diversified opinions including
prediction that Snder would the next Musial Tn the
next breath almost he ordered Duke shipped to Vero Beach
rla, LOT postgraduate in batting
Snlder struck out 90 times and although he still
managed 10 drive across 90 runs he presented grave
pfooem and 1t was at this point George Sser
summoned to tutor him. The was that in the following
season the Duke baed 32 homers drove in 1o7
and struck out "only" 7s times
1T WAS IN 1851 that Sniders career seemed most
eopardzed He flannel 81 times and baed only 277 Chuck
fessen VINO was managing the Dodgers in those davs
oenched MIN from time to time. Worst of all slumn in
september cost Brooklyn the pennant
lhat was the year, you remember when the Dodoer,
were nong from the rest of National League onlv IN
DioW I3-game lead and finally lose to the Giants in
playoH' Strkeouts and lowly average notwithstanding
onioer hie ~ nomers but only during September
Dressen and others worked on the big puv He bod
LOO nucn potential they properly Some dav ba
would hook up all of his skills ' ~
you'd have to say the day has come For all of b,s u
ana GOWNS Snlder has 307 lifetime average and s almost
got 10 get better at the he's setting virus bug or no