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Duke Snider is coming to Central Point Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Jordan Kramer, the owner of JJ Sports Cards, stands in front of his shop on 235 East Pine Street in Central Point. Hall of Fame baseball player will be in town siging autographs on Saturday from 3-5 p.m. By Tim Pyle Mail Tribune Hall of Fame baseball legend Duke Snider has been retired for 37 years, but Rogue Valley residents remember him fondly. So fondly, in fact, that Snider is visiting Central Point's JJ Sports Cards on Saturday for a free autograph session. After winning a raffle sponsored by Upper Deck, JJ took a survey to find out who the locals would most like to have visit from a list of famous athletes. The choices included former baseball stars Steve Garvey, Gaylord Perry, Harmon Killebrew and Rollie Fingers and retired basketball wizard Walt Frazier. The people picked Snider, who starred as an outfielder for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers for 16 of his 18 seasons in Major League Baseball. "A lot of people recognize him as a true legend," says JJ owner Jordan Kramer. Snider will be flown to the Rogue Valley by Upper Deck, then chauffeured via limo to JJ for the session from 3-5 p.m. Saturday. "Nothing like this has happened in my 11-year career in the industry," Kramer says. "Nothing like this has ever happened that I'm aware of in the Medford area." JJ won the Snider visit by purchasing package deals from Upper Deck for its weekly trade nights and sending Upper Deck photographic proof of the proceedings. Every week, a raffle was conducted among those shops around the country that followed the procedure, and in the sixth week, JJ came up a winner. Next up was the survey, from which the 75-year-old Snider was chosen. Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., in 1980, Snider batted .295 with 407 home runs during his career. His prime was from 1953-1957, when he smashed at least 40 home runs and drove in 92 runs or more each season for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Kramer will have 8-by-10-inch glossy photos and other Snider memorabilia available. As Snider's appearance approaches, the anticipation is building. "I have a lady from Portland that called and said she's a huge fan and will be the first person in line," Kramer says. "I've got a local guy who's one of our best customers that said if he has to, he'll spend the night out front to be the first in line. "The line should be rolling all the way down the street. ... I'm telling everybody, let's make it a day for the whole city." To make the day at JJ even more of a celebration, Kramer is having a "trade day" from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Customers are invited to set up their own tables in JJ for four hours of selling, buying and trading. "(Trade day) brings out collectors of all sorts," Kramer says. "It's their day." Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.