Larry Doby: The Forgotten Pioneer

fired Billy Martin and hired him. As fate would have it, the Yankees won the World Series that year under Lemon.

Veeck did not retain Larry Doby for the 1979 season. Bill Veeck was hoping that the hiring of Doby would increase ticket sales but it didn't. Veeck decided that a white manager would do a better job of bringing back the White Sox fans, the majority of which were white.

Between 1980 and 1989, Larry Doby worked the New Jersey Nets of the NBA as a director of community relations. He worked for Major League Baseball Properties, handling the licensing of former players and being a special assistant to American League President Gene Budig from 1990 to 2003.

Larry Dolby finally began to receive the honors he greatly deserved later in his life. In 1994, the Cleveland Indians retired his No. 14.

The 1997 All-Star Game in Cleveland was dedicated to Doby. He threw out the first pitch and was an honorary American League captain.

In 1998, Larry Doby received the honor all players dream about during their career. It was long overdue, but the Veterans Committee voted him into the Hall of Fame.

Even before his induction, Doby's health was being to fail. In 1997, Doby had his left kidney removed because of the presence of a cancerous tumor. In 2001, Doby began treatment for bone cancer, the same year his wife Helyn died of cancer.

On Dec. 18, 2003, Larry Doby finally succumbed to cancer at the age of 79.

The lack of honor and respect that Larry Doby has garnered during his career and after his death shows that racism is alive and well in baseball.

The media back in the '40s and '50s acted like it was a chore instead of a honor or duty to follow the trail of a black athlete breaking the color in baseball and in society.

Sportswriters just didn't think it was worth their trouble to cover another black athlete fighting for equality.

It was always apparent that the sportswriters were against Larry Doby. Although Doby finished second in MVP voting behind Yogi Berra in 1954, he also had strong seasons from 1950 to 1952. The best Doby could finish in MVP voting those years was eighth, and in 1951, Doby received no votes at all.

As disheartening as it sounds, Major League Baseball is treating Jackie Robinson like a token black. MLB has no issue celebrating the achievements of one African-American, but they behave like nobody should expect them to honor another for similar achievements.

Racism didn't end when Larry Doby started playing for the Cleveland Indians. For several seasons, Doby faced tougher obstacles than Jackie Robinson.

Larry Doby was younger than Robinson, and Robinson had almost a year and a half head start. Jackie Robinson had two winters and year in the International League in Montreal to prepare physically and mentally for the anguish and abuse he was about to face.

Larry Doby went directly from the Negro Leagues to the Indians with no time to think out a strategy.

It seems contradictory that when it comes to integration Major League Baseball is one league but in regards to everything else, it it two distinct leagues. Each league has it own rules and awards. A team from each league is represented in the World Series.

So why doesn't the American League honor its representative the same way the National League does?

The Cleveland Indians have already retired the No. 14. There is no reason for Major League Baseball not to mandate that every American League team retire the number like all teams retired the No. 42.

Bud Selig always kind words to describe Larry Doby, but he is all words and no action. Selig can fix this injustice but chooses to do nothing.

Major League Baseball should not forget the great contribution and sacrifice that both men made to baseball and to all society.

I also blame living African American ballplayers that played around the same time as Robinson and Doby. Most of these players are willing participants in celebrations of Robinson but don't take the opportunity to speak up against the injustice done to Larry Doby.

Perhaps one day, Major League Baseball will become colorblind, and we will see the No. 14 jersey on display at all American League stadiums.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?