Felton Snow

Felton "Skipper" Snow (October 23, 1905 – March 16, 1974) was a Negro leagues professional baseball player who played for the Nashville Elite Giants that later became the Columbus Elite Giants, the Washington Elite Giants, and the Baltimore Elite Giants. Snow played on the West Squad in the East-West All-Star Games of 1935 and 1936. In 1940, he became a player-manager for the Baltimore Elite Giants.

Felton Snow
Third base
Born: (1905-10-23)October 23, 1905
Oxford, Alabama
Died: March 16, 1974(1974-03-16) (aged 68)
Louisville, Kentucky
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Negro league baseball debut
1931, for the Louisville White Sox
Last appearance
1947, for the Baltimore Elite Giants
Career statistics
Batting average.265
Hits513
Managerial record279–225–8
Teams
As player

As manager

Career highlights and awards

Snow was born in Oxford, Alabama in 1905 and moved to Louisville, Kentucky as a youngster. In 1929, he began playing for different Louisville ballclubs and eventually joined Tom Wilson's Nashville Elites. Snow was known as a solid hitter, and a good fielder and baserunner. Eventually, Snow became the Elite Giants' standout third baseman. He batted .301 in 1939 and played in two Negro league All-Star games. In the 1935 All-Star game, he batted .670. His 1936 West All-Star team included such stars as Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Cool Papa Bell.

In 1939, he began doing double duty as player-manager of the Baltimore Elite Giants. In his first year, the Giants finished in fourth place (winning 20 games in 44 games), but the Negro National League decided to matchup them up in a four-team tournament with the Homestead Grays (36 wins in 56 games), the Newark Eagles (33 wins in 56 games), and the Philadelphia Stars (24 wins in 54 games). In the Playoffs, the Giants faced the Eagles in a best-of-five series and won three games to one to advance to the Championship Series against the Grays. They pulled off the upset in five games (one tie) to win their first and only pennant.[1][2] In seven seasons as player-manager he batted .333, .227, .269, .200, .270, .245, and .306. Snow retired from baseball in 1950 with over 21 years of playing time. The Giants finished second place four more times in his tenure.

In retirement, Snow returned to Louisville and worked for the local armory. Following a work injury, he took a job at the Hubbard's Lane Barber Shop where he worked until his death in 1974 at the age of 68.

From 1987 to 2007, there was a Felton Snow baseball team in the St. Matthews, Kentucky Little League Baseball program.

He was buried in an unmarked grave, but in September 2022, he was given a graveside monument thanks to the Louisville Chapter of SABR and other donors.[3] In conjunction with that ceremony the Louisville Bats retired his jersey number (2).[4]

Further reading

For more details on this topic, see:

  • James A. Riley, The Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues, 1994, ISBN 0-7867-0959-6
  • Donn Rogosin, Invisible Men, 1983, ISBN 1-56836-085-1
  • John Holway, Voices from the Great Black Baseball Leagues, 1975 ISBN 0-396-07124-4
  • Robert Peterson, Only the Ball was White, 1970, ISBN 0-07-049599-8

References
  1. "1939 NN2 Playoffs - Baltimore Elite Giants over Newark Eagles (3-1) | Baseball-Reference.com".
  2. "1939 NN2 Championship Series - Baltimore Elite Giants over Homestead Grays (3-1-1) | Baseball-Reference.com".
  3. Draut, Sam (September 1, 2022). "'Enduring champion' | Monument unveiled for Louisville Negro League baseball player". wdrb.com. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  4. "Negro League baseball player honored, jersey retired by Louisville Bats". wdrb.com. September 6, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
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