Ray Dandridge
Encyclopedia
Raymond Emmitt Dandridge (August 31, 1913 - February 12, 1994) was an American
third baseman
in baseball
's Negro leagues
. He was born in Richmond, Virginia
. Dandridge was one of the greatest fielders in the history of baseball, and one of the sport's greatest hitters for average, but unfortunately his name is not familiar to the casual baseball fan. Moreover, 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. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
in 1987.
Dandridge was discovered by Detroit Stars
manager Candy Jim Taylor
in 1933 while playing for a local Richmond team. He played for the Stars in 1933 and for the Newark Dodgers
, which were later called the Newark Eagles, from 1934 to 1938. In 1939, badly underpaid by the Eagles, Dandridge moved to the Mexican League, where he played for nine of the next ten seasons, rejoining the Eagles for one last season in 1944. In 1948-49 he returned to the United States as a player-manager
for the New York Cubans
. Although more than capable of playing in the majors, he never got the call to the big leagues, instead spending the last years of his career as the premier player in Triple-A baseball
, batting
.362 and leading all American Association
third basemen in fielding percentage
in 1949. He batted .360 in his last minor league season in .
His story is one of the great tragedies as a hall of famer never received the opportunity to play in the major leagues.
In spite of regularly batting over .350, Dandridge's greatest talent was fielding. 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
.
After retiring from playing in 1955, Ray Dandridge worked as a scout for the San Francisco Giants
and later ran a recreation center in Newark, New Jersey
. He lived his final years in Palm Bay, Florida
. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in . He died at age 80 in Palm Bay.
Dandridge's nephew, Brad Dandridge, was a professional baseball player who played from 1993 to 1998, primarily in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
's Negro leagues
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
. He was born in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. Dandridge was one of the greatest fielders in the history of baseball, and one of the sport's greatest hitters for average, but unfortunately his name is not familiar to the casual baseball fan. Moreover, because of the "gentlemen's agreement
Baseball color line
The color line in American baseball excluded players of black African descent from Organized Baseball, or the major leagues and affiliated minor leagues, until Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization for the 1946 season...
" not to allow African Americans in Major League Baseball, Dandridge was dismissed as being too old by the time of integration. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
in 1987.
Dandridge was discovered by Detroit Stars
Detroit Stars
The Detroit Stars were a United States baseball team in the Negro leagues and played at historic Mack Park.- Founding :Founded in 1919 by Tenny Blount with the help of Rube Foster, owner and manager of the Chicago American Giants, the Detroit Stars immediately established themselves as one of the...
manager Candy Jim Taylor
Candy Jim Taylor
James Allen "Candy Jim" Taylor was an American third baseman and manager in Negro league baseball.-Biography:Born in Anderson, South Carolina, Taylor was one of four brothers who played in the Negro Leagues, along with Ben, C. I. and "Steel Arm" Johnny...
in 1933 while playing for a local Richmond team. He played for the Stars in 1933 and for the Newark Dodgers
Newark Eagles
The Newark Eagles was a professional Negro league baseball team that played in the second Negro National League from 1936 to 1948.- Formation :...
, which were later called the Newark Eagles, from 1934 to 1938. In 1939, badly underpaid by the Eagles, Dandridge moved to the Mexican League, where he played for nine of the next ten seasons, rejoining the Eagles for one last season in 1944. In 1948-49 he returned to the United States as a player-manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
for the New York Cubans
New York Cubans
The New York Cubans were a Negro league baseball team that played during the 1930s and from 1939 to 1950. Despite playing in the Negro leagues, the team occasionally employed white-skinned Hispanic baseball players as well, because Hispanics in general were largely ignored by the major league...
. Although more than capable of playing in the majors, he never got the call to the big leagues, instead spending the last years of his career as the premier player in Triple-A baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.362 and leading all American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
third basemen in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
in 1949. He batted .360 in his last minor league season in .
His story is one of the great tragedies as a hall of famer never received the opportunity to play in the major leagues.
In spite of regularly batting over .350, Dandridge's greatest talent was fielding. Monte Irvin
Monte Irvin
Monford Merrill "Monte" Irvin is a former left fielder and right-handed batter in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball who played with the Newark Eagles , New York Giants and Chicago Cubs .-Biography:Although born in Haleburg, Alabama, Irvin grew up in Orange, New Jersey, one of five...
, 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
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
in a season. Dandridge was also a tutor to the young Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
.
After retiring from playing in 1955, Ray Dandridge worked as a scout for the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and later ran a recreation center in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. He lived his final years in Palm Bay, Florida
Palm Bay, Florida
Palm Bay is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population as 100,786 on 1 July 2008; it is the most populous city in the county...
. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in . He died at age 80 in Palm Bay.
Dandridge's nephew, Brad Dandridge, was a professional baseball player who played from 1993 to 1998, primarily in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.
External links
- BaseballLibrary - biography and career highlights
- Baseball Reference Minor League: Ray Dandridge
- BlackBaseball.com: Ray Dandridge
- NegroLeagueBaseball.com: Ray Dandridge