Dandridge, Raymond ("Hooks")
Baseball
b. Aug. 31, 1913, Richmond, VA
d. Feb. 13, 1994
Considered black baseball's finest third baseman, Dandridge began his professional career with the Detroit Stars in 1933 and went to the Newark Dodgers in 1934. He spent most of his career with the Dodgers and the Newark Eagles, although he later played in the Mexican League for several seasons.
In 1949, Dandridge and pitcher Dave Barnhill were the first black players signed by the Minneapolis Millers in the AAA American Association. He batted .362 that season and .311 in 1950, when he was named the league's most valuable player. After hitting .324 with Minneapolis in 1951, he ended his playing career with two seasons in the Pacific Coast League.
Cum Posey, a long-time observer of black baseball, said of him, "There simply never was a smoother functioning master at third base than Dandridge, and he can hit that apple, too." After retiring, Dandridge worked as an East Coast scout for the San Francisco Giants.