Baseball Roundup : Ray Dandridge Voted Into Hall of Fame

Ray Dandridge, a slick-fielding third baseman in the Negro Leagues who never realized his dream of playing in the majors, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame Tuesday by the Veterans Committee.

Dandridge was the only candidate to make it as the committee again passed up Phil Rizzuto, Leo Durocher, Tony Lazzeri and others who were thought to have a chance.

“I never thought it would come after so many others went in and I kept missing,” Dandridge said at his home in Palm Bay, Fla. “I thought they had forgotten about me.”

Dandridge, 73, starred in the Negro Leagues in the 1930s and 1940s but was considered too old to be added to a major league roster after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

Nicknamed “Squat” because he was bow-legged and stood only 5 feet 7 inches, Dandridge began his career with the Detroit Stars of the Negro National League in 1933 and finished it in 1953 after five seasons in the minor leagues, four with Minneapolis of the American Assn.

“Dandridge didn’t get the chance to play in the majors, but he had major league talent,” said Monte Irvin, a member of the Veterans Committee who played with Dandridge for the Newark Eagles in the late 1930s. “He was a superstar.”

Irvin, who along with Roy Campanella led the push for Dandridge’s selection, compared his fielding skills to those of Brooks Robinson, the former Baltimore Oriole infielder.

Oakland A’s outfielder Jose Canseco has agreed to end his holdout and will report to training camp at Scottsdale, Ariz., today.

Canseco will practice while continuing contract negotiations.

Wednesday is the last day for players to report to training camp before the clubs have the right to take punitive action under the basic agreement between players and management.

Canseco, 1986 American League Rookie of the Year, has been seeking $200,000, and the A’s have offered $150,000. He hit 33 home runs last year and had 117 RBIs.

Glenn Davis is signed and back in camp with the Houston Astros at Kissimmee, Fla., but he said he isn’t really satisfied with his contract.

Davis, who had 31 homes runs and 101 RBIs last season and finished second in the National League’s Most Valuable Player voting, was seeking $240,000, double last year’s salary. He reportedly settled for $215,000 and $25,000 more if he makes the All-Star team.

“If there was anything to gain out of this whole deal, it’s that I helped the Astros cut their budget at my expense,” Davis said. “I was taken advantage of.”

The Philadelphia Phillies breathed a sigh of relief when Kevin Gross, counted on as their No. 2 starting pitcher, pitched from the mound for the first time this season and reported no pain from a back injury.

Gross awoke two weeks ago with lower back pain, and a CAT scan earlier in the week showed a slightly herniated disk. He was told he could pitch, but was to stop if he experienced pain.

Dick Moss, representing free agent slugger Andre Dawson, presented the Chicago Cubs a contract proposal that may be hard for the club to refuse.

Moss said Dawson is willing to sign a one-year contract for whatever figure the Cubs thinks is fair--even come to camp without a contract for a no-obligation tryout.

Cub President Dallas Green said he wants to wait a few days before responding to the offer.

Milwaukee Brewer second baseman Jim Gantner underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, and doctors said his prognosis is good, even though they found torn cartilage.