Doby’s accomplishments overshadowed

February 23, 2009
Filed under Baseball, Sports

When you are the second to do something, you will always be overshadowed. This is the case with Larry Doby, who on July 5, 1947 became only the second African-American in the modern era of the Major Leagues when he suited up for the Cleveland Indians.

Doby started his professional baseball career in the Negro Leagues when he signed with the Newark Eagles. Doby played for the Eagles from 1942-1943 and in 1946. In 1947, Doby was signed by the Cleveland Indians.

Doby was the first African-American in the American League since the 1880s. Jackie Robinson’s debut preceded his by 11 weeks. Doby hit only .156 in 32 at bats during the 1947 season,

In 1948, Doby played a huge role in the Indians winning the World Series hitting .301 with 14 home runs and 66 RBI. The Indians have not won a World Series since 1948.

The next season, 1949, would start a string of seven consecutive All-Star appearances. In 1949, Doby hit .280 with 24 home runs and 85 RBI.

Doby helped lead the Cleveland Indians to 111 wins and back to the World Series in 1954, where they were swept by the New York Giants. That season Doby was selected to his sixth consecutive All-Star appearance, and hit .272 with 32 home runs and 126 RBI.

After the 1955 season, Doby was traded to the Chicago White Sox. He made his way back to the Indians in 1958, and finished his career in 1959 with the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox. In his career, Doby hit .283 with 253 home runs and 970 RBI.

In 1978, Larry Doby returned to the White Sox as their manager. He only managed them for one season.

In 1994, the Cleveland Indians retired Larry Doby’s No. 14, almost three years before Major League Baseball retired Jackie Robinson’s No. 42. In 1997, Larry Doby threw out the first pitch at the All-Star Game, which was being held at Jacobs Field, now Progressive Field in Cleveland.

Doby was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998 by the Veterans Committee. He died in 2003.

Larry Doby and Jackie Robinson paved the way for African-Americans and players of all skin colors to be allowed to play in the Major Leagues. We as baseball fans tend to forget what Larry Doby’s accomplishments were, because of Jackie Robinson, but Doby played just as big of a role in integrating Major League Baseball.