From the Inside Flap
Talk about a dream team: imagine what it would be like to take a franchise with as rich a history as the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers—with all of the wonderfully gifted athletes who graced the uniform over the past century—and assemble a lineup using only the very best players from that elite group? You’d probably take Sandy Koufax as your top left-handed pitcher, although who could forget Fernando Valenzuela or Johnny Podres? Would Don Drysdale be your choice as top right-handed pitcher or would you go with Dazzy Vance, the best thing going on for some very mediocre Dodgers teams of the ‘20s, or maybe you’d choose a couple of other Dons, Newcombe or Sutton? It doesn’t get any easier at other positions. Would it be Hall of Famer Roy Campanella or future Hall of Famer Mike Piazza behind the plate? Jackie Robinson seems the best choice at second base but how do you ignore 10-time All Star and Hall of Famer Billy Herman? With all the incredible talent the Dodgers have had over the years, whether in Brooklyn or Los Angeles, it becomes a fairly enticing—and challenging—exercise. Former Dodger great Duke Snider, who spent 16 seasons with the Dodgers and played in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles and who has witnessed more than half a century of Dodgers baseball, is up to that challenge. In Few and Chosen, he has ranked the top five Dodgers at each position and the top five managers. Breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of dozens of ballplayers from different eras, Snider reveals his conclusions in this richly illustrated compilation of Dodgers memories. The finished product is an entertaining and informative inside look at the best players to be part of this great and revered franchise. By bringing together the legends of Dodgers lore, as well as the team’s contemporary superstars, Snider has created the ultimate tribute to the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers—while sparking lively debate among fans who hail from both coasts.
About the Author
Duke Snider played 16 seasons in the outfield for the Dodgers, 11 in Brooklyn and five in Los Angeles. An eight-time All-Star, he lead the National League three years in extra base hits, had 40 or more home runs five consecutive years, clubbed 407 career home runs, and is the Dodger career leader in home runs, RBIs, and extra base hits. Even though Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle were his contemporaries, no Dodgers fan of the ‘50s would have traded him for either one. In 1980, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Phil Pepe has authored more than 35 sports books, including collaborations with Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford. He was the Yankees beat writer for the New York Daily News for 14 seasons and is a past president of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
