Felton Snow

Felton Snow (October 23 1905 – July 1974) was a Negro League 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. Mr. 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 was born in 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. Felton Snow was known as a solid hitter, a good fielder and baserunner. Eventually, Mr. Snow became the Elite Giants’ stand out third baseman. He would bat .301 in 1939 and he 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.

During the 1940s he did double duty by managing and playing for the Baltimore Elite Giants. In seven seasons as manager-player he batted .333, .227, .269, .200, .270, .245, and .306. Felton Snow retired from baseball in 1950 with over 21 years of playing time.

After he retired from baseball, Mr. Snow returned to Louisville, Kentucky 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 69.

Since 1987, there has been a Felton Snow baseball team in the St. Matthews, Kentucky Little League Baseball program.

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