Duke Snider's net worth is best estimated at about $2 million at the time of his death in 2011, with a realistic range of $1 million to $5 million. He played in an era before free agency and modern player salaries -- his peak 1956 salary of $44,000 would be worth under $500,000 today -- and he said openly that failed investments later depleted his savings, leading him to under-report memorabilia and autograph income in the 1980s and early 1990s. That combination keeps his estimated fortune modest relative to his Hall of Fame standing.
Snider would have turned 100 on September 19, 2026. Known as the "Duke of Flatbush," he was the center fielder on Brooklyn's "Boys of Summer" Dodgers teams of the 1950s and remains one of the most decorated outfielders in franchise history, alongside contemporaries Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle as the three great center fielders of 1950s New York baseball.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Edwin Donald Snider |
| Born | September 19, 1926, Los Angeles, California |
| Died | February 27, 2011 (age 84), Escondido, California |
| Known For | Center fielder, Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers (1947-1962); 1955 and 1959 World Series champion |
| Career Stats | .295 average, 407 home runs, 1,333 RBIs, 2,116 hits |
| Hall of Fame | Inducted 1980 (11th ballot, 86.5% of the vote); uniform No. 4 retired by the Dodgers |
| Wife | Beverly "Bev" Null, married 1947; four children |
| Estimated Net Worth | About $2 million at death; realistic range $1 million to $5 million (not publicly verified) |
Why Duke Snider Is Trending in 2026
September 19, 2026 marks 100 years since Snider's birth, a milestone likely to bring renewed tributes from the Dodgers organization and baseball historians to one of the last living links to the Brooklyn "Boys of Summer" teams. He was, at the time of his death, the last surviving Brooklyn Dodger who had been on the field for the final out of the 1955 World Series, the franchise's only championship while based in Brooklyn.
How Duke Snider Made -- and Lost -- His Money
Snider's playing career predated free agency, so even as one of the National League's top sluggers -- he hit 40 or more home runs in five straight seasons (1953-1957) -- his salary never approached what comparable stars earn today. His peak salary, $44,000 in 1956, is roughly equivalent to under $500,000 in today's dollars, a fraction of what a modern All-Star outfielder earns.
After retiring in 1964, Snider built a long second career as a broadcaster for the San Diego Padres (1969-1971) and Montreal Expos (1973-1986). By his own account, failed investments later ate into his retirement savings, which factored into a 1995 case in which he and fellow Hall of Famer Willie McCovey pleaded guilty to federal tax charges for failing to report more than $100,000 in income from autograph signings, card shows, and memorabilia sales between 1984 and 1993. Snider paid $30,000 in back taxes and a $5,000 fine and received two years of probation; President Barack Obama pardoned him, posthumously, along with McCovey, in 2017.
Career: The Duke of Flatbush
Signed by Brooklyn scouts straight out of Compton High School in 1943, Snider served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before making his major league debut on April 17, 1947, the same season Jackie Robinson broke the color line with the Dodgers. He became the team's starting center fielder in 1949 and earned eight All-Star selections over his career. Between 1953 and 1956 he averaged 42 home runs, 124 RBIs, and a .320 batting average per season, leading the National League outright in runs, home runs, and RBIs in various years.
Snider reached the World Series six times with the Dodgers, winning in 1955 and 1959, and remains the only player in history to hit four home runs in two different World Series (1952 and 1955). He finished his career with brief stints for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants before retiring in 1964, with 2,116 hits, 407 home runs, and 1,333 RBIs. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980 on his 11th ballot, the same year the Dodgers retired his number 4.
Personal Life and Death
Snider married Beverly "Bev" Null on October 25, 1947, in Los Angeles; the couple raised four children, Pam, Kurt, Kevin, and Dawna. He died on February 27, 2011, at age 84, at a convalescent hospital in Escondido, California, after long-term struggles with diabetes, hypertension, and other illnesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Duke Snider die?
He died February 27, 2011, at age 84, in Escondido, California, following long-term illness including diabetes and hypertension.
Did Duke Snider go to prison for tax evasion?
No. In 1995 he pleaded guilty to federal tax charges for underreporting memorabilia income and received two years of probation and a $5,000 fine rather than prison time; he was pardoned in 2017.
When was Duke Snider inducted into the Hall of Fame?
In 1980, on his 11th appearance on the ballot, with 86.5% of the vote.
How many World Series did Duke Snider win?
Two, with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955 and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1959, out of six World Series appearances overall.