Ray Dandridge
Ray Dandridge | |
---|---|
Third baseman | |
Born: Richmond, Virginia, U.S. | August 31, 1913|
Died: February 12, 1994 Palm Bay, Florida, U.S. | (aged 80)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
Negro leagues debut | |
1933, for the Indianapolis ABCs/Detroit Stars | |
Last Negro leagues appearance | |
1944, for the Newark Eagles | |
Negro leagues statistics | |
Batting average | .319 |
Home runs | 4 |
Runs batted in | 146 |
Teams | |
| |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Baseball Hall of Fame | |
Induction | 1987 |
Election method | Veterans Committee |
Raymond Emmitt Dandridge (August 31, 1913 – February 12, 1994), nicknamed "Hooks" and "Squat", was an American
Early life
Dandridge was born in Richmond, Virginia, to Archie and Alberta Thompson Dandridge.[1]
He played several sports as a child, including baseball, football and boxing. After sustaining a leg injury in football, Dandridge's father made him quit that sport. He focused on baseball, often playing with a bat improvised from a tree branch and a golf ball wrapped in string and tape.[2]
Dandridge lived for a while in Buffalo, New York, before he and his family returned to Richmond.[3] He played baseball locally for teams in Richmond's Church Hill district. Dandridge became known for his short, bowed legs, which later led to nicknames including "Hooks" and "Squat".[1] While playing for a local team in 1933, Dandridge was discovered by Indianapolis ABCs/Detroit Stars manager Candy Jim Taylor.
Career
He played for the Stars in 1933 and for the
In 1939, badly underpaid by the Eagles, Dandridge moved to the
Pasquel died the next year in a plane crash, prompting Dandridge to return to the United States as a player-
Dandridge was one of the greatest fielders in the history of baseball, and one of the sport's greatest hitters for average. Monte Irvin, who played both in the Negro leagues and the major leagues and saw every great fielding third baseman of two generations, said that Dandridge was the greatest of them all, adding that Dandridge almost never committed more than two errors in a season. Dandridge was also a tutor to the young Willie Mays. Because of the "gentlemen's agreement" not to allow African Americans in Major League Baseball, Dandridge was dismissed as being too old by the time of integration.
Later life
After retiring from playing in 1955, Dandridge worked as a scout for the
Dandridge's nephew, Brad Dandridge, played professional baseball[5] from 1993 to 1998, primarily in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.[6]
References
- ^ a b Whirty, Ryan (February 18, 2014). "Lost legend". Style Weekly. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
- ^ a b c Dawidoff, T. Nicholas (July 6, 1987). "Big call from the Hall". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
- ^ "Big Call From The Hall". CNN. 1987-07-06.
- ISBN 978-160844-798-5. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ISBN 0-8027-7497-0.
- ^ "Brad Dandridge Batting Statistics". Retrieved 2010-02-01.
Further reading
- Dawidoff, Nicholas (July 8, 1987). "Big Call From The Hall: Negro leaguer Ray Dandridge hears from Cooperstown". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 12, 2020 – via si.com/vault.
- Kuenster, John (July 1987). "Willie Mays Recalls Help Ray Dandridge Gave Him in the Long Ago". Baseball Digest. Retrieved June 15, 2009 – via Google Books.
- Langs, Sarah (February 12, 2020). "Ray Dandridge: Best 3B to never make the Majors". MLB.com. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- New York Times. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
External links
- Ray Dandridge at the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors) and Seamheads