Even after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball on April 15, 1947, there was still work to be done as far as the inclusion of African-Americans in professional sports was concerned.
There still had yet to be an African-American player to play in the American League.
That all changed on July 5 when the Cleveland Guardians, then the Indians, received an additional player who would ultimately go on to be a superstar.
His name was Larry Doby.
From that day forward, Doby was one of the best players in all of baseball.
MLB Network posted a tribute video for Doby in honor of Black History Month on Twitter, narrated by Guardians star pitcher Triston McKenzie.
Today we recognize the legacy of Hall of Famer, #️⃣1️⃣4️⃣ Larry Doby.#BlackHistoryMonth
🎙 Voiced by @CleGuardians RHP @T_eazy24 pic.twitter.com/Uqm2j4xoFK
—MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 14, 2023
Interestingly enough, today is the 14th of February.
Doby wore No. 14 throughout his legendary career, making today the perfect day to celebrate his legacy during Black History Month.
McKenzie provided a solid, in-depth analysis on Doby and what he was able to accomplish during his career.
The young right-hander even managed to rattle off some of the Hall-of-Famer’s stats.
Doby hit .283 during his career and was a key piece for the Guardians during their run for a World Series title in 1948.
He was also a nine-time All-Star during his career.
McKenzie also talked about Doby’s managerial career.
In 1978, he became the second Black manager in MLB when he took the position with the Chicago White Sox.
The video ended with Doby’s moving speech at Progressive Field on the day his statue was unveiled.
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