The Trolley Dodger

Oh, this is a tough one. Rest in Peace to Duke, and our condolences to his family. From the Dodgers Press Release:

Dodger Hall of Fame outfielder Duke Snider passed away this morning at the age of 84 at the Valle Vista Convalescent Hospital in Escondido, Calif.

Born Edwin Donald Snider in Los Angeles, CA on Sept. 19, 1926, Snider was among the game’s most feared hitters during his 16 seasons with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers (1947-1962), playing on a pair of World Championship teams (1955 and 1959) and in six World Series overall.

The seven-time All-Star center fielder ranks as the franchise’s all-time leader in home runs (389) and runs batted in (1,271) and during the 1950s, he topped all Major Leaguers with 326 homers and 1,031 RBI. He slugged four home runs in both the 1952 and 1955 World Series.

From a previous Trolley Dodger post, here’s Duke on the classic What’s My Line? show just after the Dodgers move to Los Angeles:

With the Dodgers home opener versus the Giants being on ESPN this year, we were worried that we’d miss out on having Vin Scully calling the game — and it wouldn’t seem like a real opener without him.

The Dodgers have sent out this press release, which is good news at least in part — we can turn the sound down on ESPN (usually a good idea anyhow ;) and up on the radio.

VIN SCULLY TO CALL OPENING DAY ON TALKRADIO 790 KABC
Hall of Fame broadcaster will handle play-by-play for six innings at his 54th Los Angeles Dodgers home opener

GLENDALE – Vin Scully, who is entering an unprecedented 62nd season broadcasting Dodger baseball, will call six innings of the Dodgers’ home opener on TalkRadio 790 KABC on March 31. Scully will broadcast innings one through three and seven through nine, with Rick Monday and Charley Steiner handling the duties during innings four through six in typical postseason format. The Dodgers take on the San Francisco Giants at 5:00 p.m. on Major League Baseball’s Opening Night on ESPN.

Scully will be calling his 54th home opener in Los Angeles, as he joined the club in 1950, eight years before the franchise moved to the West Coast.

Read the full press release on Dodgers.com

Although this does raise the question of whether the game will be in sync on TV and radio, or “enough” in sync, to be watchable.

Baseball is groggily emerging from its annual hibernation, eating berries and small animals ravenously, having the first long pee since entering its den last November, maybe scratching the bark off a few trees. Next, the really important stuff — Spring Training.

Inside the Dodgers: “Caravan ends, Spring Training begins…”

Dodger Thoughts: “The Dodger Thoughts 2011 Spring Training Primer”

I, for one, can’t wait for the first game.