Ray Dandridge

Ray Dandridge (1913—1994), American baseball player, who starred in the Mexican League and Negro Leagues of the 1940s. A black player when the major leagues were still all white, Dandridge never made it to the majors. A feared hitter, during his era he was also one of the finest fielders at third base. At age 37 he earned the most valuable player (MVP) award for his play in the minor league American Association (AA).

Born in Richmond, Virginia, Raymond Dandridge began his professional career with the Detroit Stars of the National Negro League in 1933 and went to the Newark Dodgers in 1934. The third baseman left the Newark Dodgers for the higher pay of the integrated Mexican League in 1939, batting .346 in 1940, .367 in 1941, .310 in 1942, and .354 in 1943. He returned to Newark in 1944 and hit .369 in 50 games, leading the league with 75 hits. The following year he returned to Mexico to lead the Vera Cruz team to the pennant as a player-manager.

In 1947 Jackie Robinson became the first black player to join the major leagues, opening the door for a number of talented black baseball players. Dandridge left the Mexican League to manage the New York Cubans in 1949 and as a 35-year-old player lied about his age to get into the minors. While playing for the Minneapolis Millers, a minor-league affiliate of the New York Giants, he batted .362 and was named the AA’s rookie of the year in 1949. Although he hit .311 in 1950 and was the AA’s MVP, Dandridge never received a call-up to the majors as the Giants raced for the pennant. He played one last year in Bismarck, North Dakota, and then retired in 1955 . He later scouted for the San Francisco Giants. Dandridge was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987.