I am sure there are a few people reading this who are asking themselves, “Who is Larry Doby?”. So I will answer that for you.

While Jackie Robinson was the first in all of baseball as we all know to break the color barrier, Doby broke it in the American League on July 5, 1947 when he made his debut just two days after being signed. He had been playing for the Newark Eagles of the Negro League.

With Robinson’s 60th anniversary being honored this season, the Cleveland Indians asked Bud Selig and MLB for permission to wear Doby’s number 14 to honor the late great legend, whose 60th anniversary is also this year. MLB and Bud obliged. Each member of the team (Indians) will wear it.

Because the Indians will be on the road on July 5th, they have decided to honor Doby on August 10th during Cleveland’s Hall of Fame/Heritage Weekend. The festivities will include Andre Thornton, former UCONN great Charles Nagy, Jim Bagby Sr, and Mike Garcia being enshrined into Heritage Park. Also, Larry Doby, Jr. will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.

Heritage Park is the new home of the Indians Hall of Fame and is located out in centerfield.

“We need to let everybody know he was the first black player in the American League,” C.C. Sabathia said. “Not taking anything away from Jackie Robinson, because he changed the world. But Larry Doby deserves recognition, too.”

“He was in the same boat,” Josh Barfield said of Doby. “He had to go through all the things Jackie Robinson had to go through. It’s a shame he doesn’t get the same recognition. The average fan hasn’t heard of him before.”

“He meant a great deal to Major League Baseball and a great deal to the Indians’ organization,” Eric Wedge said. “It’s historic, in terms of what he means to baseball. I think there can only be one first. But Larry had another first because it was the American League. As years have gone by, I think Larry’s been recognized more and more, and that’s the way it should be.”

Each individual jersey will be signed and auctioned off. The proceeds of the auction will go towards the Larry Doby RBI Program, and the Larry Doby Cleveland State University Baseball Scholarship Fund.

Just another class move by the Indians and Major League Baseball for honoring a great legend who often is forgotten.