On
the blog today I'm happy to add to my long-running "Negro League
Legends" series started years ago, today including shortstop Dick Lundy:
Considered
one of the greatest shortstops in Negro League history, it’s a crime
that Lundy hasn’t been selected to the Hall of Fame as of this release.
He
spent 33 years years as a player and manager in the Negro Leagues, once
hitting as high as .484 in 1921 and of course being one of the “Million
Dollar Infield” along with Oliver Marcell, Frank Warfield and Jud
Wilson, playing for the Baltimore Black Sox in 1929.
Nicknamed “King Richard”, he was both an incredibly gifted fielder with a cannon for an arm as well as a magnificent hitter, credited with a batting average of about .320 between 1916 to 1937.
As a player-manager of the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants, he led them to a Pennant in both 1926 and 1927 in the Eastern Colored League.
Among the players he is credited with mentoring are future Hall of Famers Ray Dandridge and Monte Irvin.
When will Cooperstown give him his rightful place in their Museum? Long overdue.
