European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 25, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday May 25,1987 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary pain lingers for negro league stars like Many other fathers Ray Dandridge liked to bring his children to his place of work. His Pis of work was third base for the Newark . Eagles when my oldest son was 7, 1 had him on the Field while Josh Gibson was taking Balling practice Dandridge said the other Day. Josh hit one of those screamer and my son showed pretty Good reflexes in moving oui of the the question of fathers and sons came up because. Ray Dandridge s career has some parallels id in career of Troy Maxson the Lead character in August Wilson s pulitzer prize winning play fences currently on Broadway one of the great play cts in the United states and Mexico Dandridge was recently Vot fld into the base Ball Hall of Fame. As played by the monumental James Earl Jones Troy Maxson is a vibrant Brood ing former swi of the negro league working on a garbage truck in the year 1957, Masson who hit More Home runs than anybody except babe Ruth and Josh Gibson is so embittered Al having been excluded from the so called major leagues that he forbids his son to take a football scholarship to College. Get a Trade he tells his son. Work with you hands. Learn your place the Way 1 had to do. The grinding resentment of a Black Star toward the while society Ihal denied him his Chance and the havoc he wreaks with his resentment form the Crux of thebiay. Nearly the same thins happened so Dandridge in what we glibly Call real life. He was a member of the million Dollar infield with the Newark eagles the value being totally hypothetical for Black players in the 1930s. He was recruited to Mexico City by the Pasquel Brothers and for Many years enjoyed a successful and dignified life there. Sal tvs Allie and Danny Gardella came Down to Mexico Ana they saw me play and they said Man where did you come from " Dandridge said. I told them same country you did " when Jackie Robinson and a few other younger Blacks were accepted into organized baseball Hay Dandridge pursued the dream he had kept within him All those years. In 1949, Al the age of 40, he became the Rookie of the year for Minneapolis of the american association. In 1950, he batted .311 and was id league s most valuable player while the Parent club the new York giants was making a Lale run for he pc Nail. Hank Thompson and i told them to get Ray said Monte Irvin another alumnus of the Newark eagles but they said he was too old. I asked what difference it made if he could play i know it was theold quota the old quota system still exists Al nearly Zero level in baseball s management level but then it existed on a team thai already had Irvin an Thompson. I just wanted a cup of Coffee i just wanted my food in the door Dandridge said. I was a Little Hurt yes. I spent my time in Minneapolis and they would t self me to Philadelphia either because they said i was a drawing card. When i was done played Al Sacramento and Oakland and i got Hurt and ended up in Bismarck n,d." in fences the James Earl Jones character Lis tens o major league games on the radio and Ells his son that Jackie Robinson was a nobody Back in the negro leagues and that the Hometown pirates will never really give a full Chance to this Young fellow named Clements. In the play Troy Maxson seems to have no con tact with his old Lea males or with admirers who saw him Bash some of his 500 or so Home runs nor does he have the memories of great cities and famous people and epic games that sustain almost nil former players even Hose forced by segregation to labor in the negro leagues. As a pathology of ruined Black Hopes fences drives the Ball against the Outfield Wall time after Lime but the concept of an embittered Baschal Staras a Symbol of Black manhood sometimes feels like a foul pop. This viewer who is neither Black nor a former athlete found it hard to accept that a former athlete could deny his son a Chance to compete More Likely the Cury would Only feed his ambitions for the next generation i Haven t seen the play Yel said Monte Irvin recently retired from his valued role with the former commissioner Bowie Kuhn but what you describe reminds me of Sam Bankhead who played with the Grays and died Young. Sam could gel on you pretty unlike the protagonist of the play Dandridge said he never lost touch with baseball. After he stopped playing he managed a bar in Newark and later he worked for the City s recreation department. Recently the City named a Park after him. When baseball got serious about honouring the old negro league players Dandridge had a Chance to congratulate some of his Peers. This summer at 73,he will have his turn accompanied by his wife Hon Richla and their children. Ray Lawrence and do Lores and As Many of the 19 grandchildren and great grandchildren who can attend. As a former athlete Dandridge sounded realistic when he said ii just did t work out for his sons but he added Hal he never discouraged the from playing sports. For the real Man in arc will be a glowing reception in Coop Slown this summer for the fictional slug Ger there Are tempestuous Days on Wisl 46th Street. Yet the old hurts of Ray Dandridge and the bitter Ness of Broadway s Troy Matson arc As close As the two games of a double header. Tow new vet time Rodriguez leads by 4 after 8 straight birdies Chi Chi Rodriguez broke a Fca Seaman tour record with string of eight birdies. Oklahoma City up Chi Chi Rodriguez shot a record eight consecutive birdies saturday in route to a 7 under Par 65 and a four stroke Lead after the second round of the Silver pages Golf classic seniors tournament. Rodriguez who entered the round in a five Way tie for tic Lead paired the Firel five holes of the Par-72 Quail Creek country club course and then recorded birdies on the Neil eight to tie the pea tour record shared by fuzzy Zoeller and Bob Goalby. The pea seniors tour re Cord of seven had been set by Gene Littler in the 1983 Sun tree classic after i made the Birdie on 10, my Caddie told me that 1 had the senior re Cord and he told me to go for the pea tour record too Rodriguez said. I m very Happy that it Rodriguez notched his first Birdie with a 6-foot putt on no. 6. Then Sank pulls of seven and nine feel on the next two holes. His longest putt for Birdie came on the Par-3 12th Hole where he Sank a 35 footer. Trailing Rodriguez at 135 were Australia s Bruce Camplon and Harol Henning of South Africa. Crampton shot a 68 saturday after an opening round 67,Henning, a co Leader entering the round had a 6f. I did t know what Chi Chi was doing out there today Crampon it would t Mailer anyway because 1 Don t play the player i play the course. Bob Charles the senior tour s Sec Ond leading Money Winner this year was in a group at 136. A really Pound miserably for the first 27 holes Charles said. "1 was Able to make a change in my stance and i putted like Chi Chi also at u6 were Jim Barber and Jim King. I Felt like i played Prilly Well today 68 and i lost ground Barber said. Chichi is playing Don Massengale. Also a first round co Leader had a 11 and was tied Ai 137 with Ken still who had a 68 to go with his first round 69. Morse leads by 1 entering Lyga final 18 Mason Ohio a Cathy Mone Shol a 5-under-Par 67 saturday 10 Lale a one stroke it and after three rounds of the $350,000 Lyga championship at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Center. Morse who started the Day three shots behind Leader Laurie Rinker followed rounds of 70 and 69 with her 67 for a 54 Hole total of 10-under-pa/ 206 one shot belter than Rinker who had a 71and was at 9-under 207 heading into sunday s final round. The 3 a year old Morse with one Vic tory in her nine years on the Lyga tour was two strokes Alread of Adako Alamo 10, Jane Geddes and Lori Garbacz after three trips around the 6,202-Yard, Par-72gnzzly course. Morse made Ihrck birdies on the front tide then finished Strong with birdies on the i5lh and 17th holes giving her the Day s Best round. Okan Ioto. Who has won twice and finished second in her last three Lourn mems carded a 7u after Back Loback 69s. Geddes the . Women s Ope Champion shot a 68 to move into con Tention after Starling the Day four shots off in Lead. Garbacz shot a 70 after rounds of 72 and 66. A third round 69 icel Betsy King at 7-under 2c9. King is seeking a Victory in the second leg of the Lyga s grand slam having won the Nabisco Dah Shore tournament april 5. Joining King Al 209 was Deb Richard who followed roundsof68and69wiilia 72. Hollis Stacy shot a 70 to join Rosie Jones at 6-under 210, while Cindy a Ricc and Kulnys Postlewait were Al 211. Defending Lyga Champion pal Brad Ley Shol a 73 and was 12 shots Back at2 in
