Larry Doby's Cleveland Indians Teammates Shunned and Embarrassed Him

Larry Doby faced the same prejudice as Jackie Robinson, but unlike the volatile Robinson, Doby had no trouble remaining within himself, even as a young player.

Al Kachuadurian, a high school teammate, saw that Doby kept to himself despite being a team player. Kachuadurian told Joseph T. Moore, Doby's biographer,

“I remember distinctly that if things didn’t go just right, he’d sulk. Deep down, he’s a warm-hearted guy. But you didn’t know if he was sulking at you personally, or whether he was sulking inwardly at himself.”

When Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers to play for their Montreal farm team, Doby realized that he might be "allowed" (what a disgusting reality) to play major league baseball. He decided not to become a teacher and a coach.

“My main thing was to become a teacher and coach,” Doby said. “But when I heard about Jackie, I decided to concentrate on baseball. I forgot about going back to college.”

Bill Veeck signed Doby to a contract with the Cleveland Indians, and he played his first game on July 5, 1947 at Comiskey Park. He was not welcomed by most of the players. Doby later recalled

“I knew it was segregated times, but I had never seen anything like that in athletics. I was embarrassed. It was tough.”

Doby was slated to play first base in the opener of a doubleheader. He had to get a first baseman's mitt from the White Sox because none of his Indians' teammates offered him one.

 “It was 11 weeks between the time Jackie Robinson and I came into the majors. I can’t see how things were any different for me than they were for him,” Doby said.

In 1948, Doby was the regular starting center fielder for the pennant-winning Indians. Against the Boston Braves, he became the first black player to hit a World Series home run when he connected in Game 4 against Johnny Sain.

The Cleveland Indians faced the Boston Braves and a black player hit the deciding home run.

After the game, a now-famous photograph was taken in which Doby and winning pitcher Steve Gromek as they hugged each other in celebration of the victory. Doby and the Indians accepted each other.

Doby was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1998. He batted .283/.396/.490 with 253 home runs. If one evaluated Doby only on statistics, he falls short of Hall of Fame "standards," whatever they are, but if one saw him play, there is no doubt about this greatness.

As a New York Yankees fan, I remember vividly how fearful I would be when I saw number 14 step into the left-handed batter's box to face one of the Yankees' right-handers. Doby usually batted third with the Indians, and he was especially dangerous at Yankee Stadium.

Jackie Robinson deserves all the credit and accolades he receives, but baseball must never forget Larry Doby.

Reference:

Moore, Joseph Thomas, Pride Against Prejudice: The Biography of Larry Doby. Westport: Praeger Publishers, 1988.