Crown Royal

 

 

In 1964, former Brooklyn Dodger, “Duke” Snider asked the Mets to be traded.  They obliged by sending him to the dreaded San Francisco Giants, a team Duke had spent his career trying to beat.  When he looked in the mirror with the Giants jersey on, then it hit him.  What a sight, “The Duke of Flatbush” wearing a despised Giants uniform.  Snider had to wear #28 because the Giants #4, worn by Mel Ott, had been retired years earlier.  That year, Duke appeared in more games as a pinch-hitter than he did as a starter.  During that 1964 season, in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Giants’ Manager Alvin Dark gave Duke $100 to take Dodgers’ pitcher Don Drysdale out to dinner the night before he was to pitch against the Giants.  “Take the big donkey out, on me, and get him good and drunk,” said Dark.  “We had dinner and lots of Crown Royal,” said Duke.  The next day, Drysdale proceeded to pitch the game of his life as Duke, hung over from the night before, sat watching from the bench.  By the eighth inning, Skipper Dark was not happy and wondered if Duke had actually executed his plan.  Out of anger, Dark told Duke to pinch-hit in the ninth inning against Drysdale.  Don Drysdale struck Snider out on three pitches.  Duke sent a note for Drysdale to the Dodgers’ clubhouse after the game.  It said, “Dear Donnie, don’t know what the last pitch was when it went by, but it smelled like Crown Royal.  Love, Dookie.”

 

 

                                                            Andy Purvis

                                                      www.purvisbooks.com