Toronto Blue Jays outfielder and Eastern Regional grad Davis Schneider inducted into the All-Sports Museum of Southern New Jersey Hall of Fame
By Riverview Sports News
BRIDGETON — Five weeks removed from hitting a leadoff home run in Game 5 of the World Series, South Jersey native Davis Schneider can call himself a Hall of Fame.
On Saturday, the Toronto Blue Jays outfielder and Eastern Regional grad was inducted into the All-Sports Museum and Hall of Fame of Southern Jersey.
Baseball fans will remember Schneider hitting the first pitch he saw from Dodgers’ starter Blake Snell for a homer to open Game 5, a game the Blue Jays won to take a 3-2 lead in the series. It was one of many big moments in one of the most memorable World Series of all time. The Dodgers won it in seven games, taking Game 7 in 11 innings.
But, then, Schneider has a penchant for hitting memorable homers. In his first at bat in the big leagues he sent one over one of the most famous walls in baseball, the Green Monster in Fenway Park.
Schneider talked about the World Series homer, the Series and his South Jersey roots during his induction speech.
“He was awesome,” Hall board member Anthony D’Agostino said. “He was phenomenal.”
Schneider set his sights on becoming a major leaguer at a very young age. As a high schooler, he helped Eastern win the 2014 South Jersey Group IV title as well as the 2016 Diamond Classic. He hit .439 as a junior and .441 with five homers and 40 RBIs as a senior.
The Blue Jays drafted him in the 28th round out of high school and he jumped at the chance forgoing an offer to play at Rutgers. He spent six years in the minor before making his big-league debut with a bang in 2023.
In 35 games that year he hit .276 with eight homers, 20 RBIs and a 1.008 OPS. He hit .191 with 13 homers in 397 at bats in 2004 and 11 homers in 199 at bats this past season after being recalled from AAA Buffalo on June 1.
It’s customary for inductees to donate items to the Hall. Schneider left the shrine a glove, a pair of cleats and two hats, one of which he wore when the Blue Jays won the American League pennant.
The museum, laid out in a five-room white bungalow across the street from Alden Field, houses more than 15,000 artifacts, photos and films from across the sporting spectrum with some connection to the state’s eight southern-most counties. The museum is open with free admission from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday or by appointment.
Riverview Sports News 