Larry Doby
He quietly shattered the American League's color barrier just months after Jackie Robinson, enduring the same hatred to become a seven-time All-Star and a champion.
1923–2003 (age 80)·American baseball player·Birthday: December 13·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Larry Doby's path to the major leagues was a study in lonely courage. A star athlete in New Jersey, he served in the Navy before becoming a standout for the Newark Eagles in the Negro Leagues. In July 1947, a mere eleven weeks after Jackie Robinson's debut, Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck brought Doby to the American League. The transition was brutal; he faced vicious racism from fans and opponents, and was often shunned by his own teammates. Doby channeled the isolation into a ferocious focus on the field. He evolved from a second baseman to a powerful center fielder, leading the league in home runs twice and driving in the winning run for Cleveland in the 1948 World Series. After his playing days, he became the second Black manager in MLB history. His legacy is one of immense talent and a quieter, but no less profound, resilience that helped change the game.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Larry was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Larry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Larry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Key Achievements
- Became the first Black player in American League history when he debuted for the Cleveland Indians on July 5, 1947.
- Was a key player on the 1948 Cleveland Indians team that won the World Series, driving in the game-winning run in Game 4.
- Led the American League in home runs in 1952 and 1954, earning a total of seven All-Star selections.
- Became the second African American to manage in Major League Baseball, leading the Chicago White Sox in 1978.
Did You Know?
He was a talented multi-sport athlete and accepted a basketball scholarship to Long Island University before focusing on baseball.
His first major league hit was a home run.
He and Satchel Paige were teammates on the 1948 World Series champions, reuniting after playing together in the Negro Leagues.
He served in the United States Navy during World War II.
“I couldn't react to [the prejudice] the way I wanted to because I knew I had to set a precedent. I had to show people that a black man could play ball and keep his mouth shut.”
