Duke Snider (age 84): The Duke of Flatbush was actually from Southern California, and when he died in February 2011, he was the last living Brooklyn Dodger to have been on the field for the last out of the 1955 World Series. He remains the Dodgers’ career leader in homers and RBIs.
Dick Williams (age 82): He played 13 years in the Majors, but he’s in the Hall of Fame because of his career as a manager, in which he won two World Series (both with the A’s) and four pennants over 21 years.
2012
Gary Carter (age 57): The greatest player in Expos history won his only World Series with that wild and crazy 1986 Mets team; he was the team’s solid center. Famous for his smile and positive attitude, Carter is the reason the Expos never had a player wear No. 8 after him and no Met has since 2001.
Johnny Pesky (age 93): He actually played only eight seasons for the Red Sox (he managed during three seasons), but he’ll be immortal at Fenway Park for that famous Pesky Pole, the patron saint of slap hitting utility infielders everywhere.
2013
Stan Musial (age 92): “The Man,” the most beloved Cardinals player of all time and the clear monument to everything that franchise has attempted to model itself after since he retired in 1963. The perfect combination of power and contact, he had exactly as many hits on the road as he did at home.
Earl Weaver (age 73): He managed the Orioles for more than 17 years, winning one World Series (1970) and four pennants, and had only one losing season, his final one (1986). His tactics were ahead of their time, too, rejecting small ball: Famously, his favorite baseball play was “the three-run homer.”
2014
Tony Gwynn (age 54): The perfect batting average hitter and a lifelong San Diegan — he was born in Southern California, went to college in San Diego and played his whole career there — and he was such a great athlete early in his career that he’s still San Diego State’s all-time assists leader in basketball. He made a stunning 15 All-Star teams in his career, and he retired with an absurd batting average of .338. He also made what could end up being baseball’s last real run at .400.
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