Raymond Celester Crittenden Jr., one of Virginia State's most prolific players, died Monday of natural causes. He was 83.
At Virginia State College (now Virginia State University), Crittenden started every football and basketball game and lettered in football, basketball and track. He was also all-CIAA in football and basketball, and held a 10-year record for most points scored in a basketball game.
He served in the Army Air Corps (now the U.S. Air Force) from 1945-47 and was the only African-American football player on the Army team. He was voted the MVP of the team in 1945.
He was inducted into the Virginia State University Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Hampton Roads African-American Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
After getting his bachelor's degree from Virginia State, Crittenden went on to a long career as a high school teacher, administrator, football coach and basketball coach from 1954-88.
The grandfather of former New England Patriots Raymond Crittenden IV, he was laid to rest Saturday in Newport News, Virginia.
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