Remember Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby

Today is Jackie Robinson Day around the Major Leagues -rightly so, for Robinson’s impact on baseball and ultimately race relations in this country, 'land of the free and home of the brave’ cannot and should not be forgotten. Robinson and Branch Rickey (the man who signed Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers) are the subjects of the first ever book reports I wrote in elementary school. (I KNEW there was something good about a Catholic education, even though I wouldn’t mind a theological discussion with Pope Benedict).

But like John Adams to George Washington or Buzz Aldrin to Neil Armstrong, being number 2 at something can be tough to handle.

In a more serious vein, such was the case with Larry Doby. Born in South Carolina, but raised in New Jersey. Doby debuted for the Cleveland Indians in July of 1947, less than 90 days after Robinson -the first African American player in the American League. 61 years later, much like Adams among The Founding Fathers or Aldrin among astronauts, Doby is an afterthought.
Even Doby said, “I guess the media didn’t want to tell the same story twice.”

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP...

Let’s remember a few things: baseball in 1947 wasn’t like today. There was no inter-league play, no free agency. That means that there were parks in MLB that Jackie Robinson, trailblazer that he was-never stepped foot in-never had to deal with-that Doby did.

Also: Doby debuted in the bigs at 23, five years younger than Robinson. While Jackie was well known as an athlete around the country from his days at USC and as the brother of Olympian Mack Robinson-Doby was seen as a rising star in the Negro Leagues. There were few (and even those few, undoubtedly racist) and far between that could deny Robinson’s athletic skill-he ran track, played football and basketball in college. Doby was seen by many African American leaders as the man that would show the white public that the ‘noble experiment’ by Rickey and baseball would be a success.

Even there-Doby was surpassed by more charismatic and talented stars like Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, and Henry Aaron.

Yet, like Jackie in his early years, Doby quietly took the abuse and played on. Years later, he said “The Bible says to forgive and forget. I can forgive, but it’s hard to forget.”

Plus, Robinson played in New York, where some in the local press were more helpful to his plight. Doby did not have that luxury playing in the Midwest with the Indians and White Sox
It seems incredible that the man that broke baseball’s color barrier in the American League-actually called the ‘Forgotten Trailblazer” on MLB’s website-is still so unknown. How could a 7 time All Star be passed by so easily?

Even The Great American Baseball Card Book said of Doby:
…”being the second black ballplayer in the majors was akin to being the second person to invent the telephone.” Talk about stupidity.

After his MLB playing days, Doby became the 2nd African American manager-with the White Sox. He also worked for many years with the New Jersey Nets. Cleveland finally retired his number in 1994. He threw out the first pitch at the ’97 All Star Game, also in Cleveland. Doby finally received his due in Cooperstown in 1998.

Perhaps if MLB paid more attention to Doby and ALL its pioneers, maybe there would be a greater influx of black ballplayers in the majors. Right now, that stands at 8-point-4 percent.
MLB claims it wants more minorities in the game-though marketing and escalating ticket prices tell you otherwise. How can people see a game they can’t afford to attend-regardless of race?

You wonder what Robinson and Doby would think about today’s baseball.

But when you consider the greatness of Jackie Robinson, equally remember Larry Doby-a man, ballplayer and trailblazer -deserving of our attention and his place not only in baseball history, but American history

Click here to see Major League Baseball’s Bio Of Larry Doby

Click here to go to Doby’s Baseball Hall Of Fame page