Larry Doby

Description

Larry Doby was a groundbreaking American professional baseball player. Doby was the first African-American to play in the American League. He played for the Cleveland Indians in 1947, becoming the first African-American to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball.

Doby was born in Camden, South Carolina on December 13, 1923. He grew up in Paterson, New Jersey and attended Eastside High School. After graduating high school, he played in the Negro Leagues for the Newark Eagles. In 1947, he was signed by the Cleveland Indians and became the first African-American to play in the American League.

During his career with the Indians, Doby was a seven-time All-Star and helped lead the team to the 1948 World Series Championship. He was also the first black player to appear in the All-Star Game and the first to hit a home run in the World Series.

After his playing career ended in 1959, Doby went on to manage in the minor leagues and was a coach with the Montreal Expos, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush in 2006.

Larry Doby’s legacy as a trailblazer for African-Americans in baseball will never be forgotten. He was a pioneer who helped pave the way for future generations of African-American players in Major League Baseball.