Russ Snyder

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Russ Snyder
Camden Yards in 2016
Outfielder
Born: (1934-06-22) June 22, 1934 (age 89)
Oak, Nebraska, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 18, 1959, for the Kansas City Athletics
Last MLB appearance
September 30, 1970, for the Milwaukee Brewers
MLB statistics
Batting average.271
Home runs42
Runs batted in319
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Russell Henry Snyder (born June 22, 1934) is an American former professional

Cleveland Indians (1968–69) and Milwaukee Brewers (1970).[1]
Snyder was a member of the 1966 world champion Baltimore Orioles team.

Baseball career

Snyder in 1966

Snyder was born in Oak, Nebraska. His professional baseball career began in 1953 in the New York Yankees' organization, when he led the Class D Sooner State League in batting average (.432) and hits (240). He played in the Yankee organization through 1958, and was traded to Kansas City on April 12, 1959, in a four-player deal. The Orioles acquired him in a seven-player trade in January 1961.

He finished third in voting for the

sacrifice hits.[1] In 1962, Snyder's .305 batting average led the Orioles that year and in 1966, his .347 batting average at the All-Star break led the American League.[2]

He helped the Orioles win the

Baltimore Sun called him the "unsung hero of the '66 Series" and "a sharp-fielding outfielder ... whose glove served the team down the stretch" of the 1966 American League pennant race.[2] In the September 22nd game that year versus the Athletics, Snyder made a diving catch to end the game and clinch the pennant for the Orioles.[2] Then, in the World Series opening game, "he saved two Dodgers runs with a dramatic lunging catch of John Roseboro's sinking liner" in centerfield, the Sun said.[2]

With the Orioles needing to strengthen its pitching staff, Snyder was traded along with Luis Aparicio and John Matias to the Chicago White Sox for Don Buford, Bruce Howard and Roger Nelson on November 29, 1967.[3] He was later dealt along with Max Alvis from the Indians to the Brewers for Roy Foster, Frank Coggins and cash during spring training on April 4, 1970.[4]

Overall, in 12 MLB seasons, he played in 1,365 games and had 3,631 at bats, 488 runs scored, 984 hits, 150 doubles, 29 triples, 42 home runs, 319 RBI, 58 stolen bases, 294 walks, with a .271 batting average, .325 on-base percentage, .363 slugging percentage, and 1,318 total bases, 57 sacrifice hits, 23

intentional walks. Defensively, he recorded a .981 fielding percentage playing at all three outfield positions.[1]

Following his retirement from baseball, Snyder worked in soil conservation. He and his wife Ann (who died in 2002 after 47 years of marriage) had three children. As of 2013, Snyder makes his home in Nelson, Nebraska.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Russ Snyder Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
  2. ^ a b c d e Klingaman, Mike (July 20, 2013). "Catching Up with Russ Snyder". The Baltimore Sun. p. 2 (Sports).
  3. ^ Orioles trade Aparicio to White Sox in six-man Deal; Angels Get Hinton; Buford, Howard GO TO Baltimore Chicago Acquires Snyder-- Cardenal of California Sent to Cleveland Retrieved June 20, 2020
  4. ^ "Indians Send Alvis, Snyder to Brewers," The Associated Press (AP), Saturday, April 4, 1970. Retrieved September 5, 2022.

External links