Brian McHugh

"It was eleven weeks between the time Jackie Robinson and I came into the majors. Eleven weeks. Come on. Whatever happened to him happened to me. I knew it was segregated times, but I had never seen anything like that in athletics. I was embarrassed. It was tough. I knew being accepted was going to be hard, but I knew I was involved in a situation that was going to bring opportunities to other blacks." Larry Doby. Bill White later noted that Larry Doby had to go to the Chicago White Sox clubhouse to get a first baseman’s glove for his first MLB warmup, since none of his Cleveland teammates offered him one. In 1945, Larry Doby was stationed on Ulithi, a volcanic atoll in Caroline Islands between Guam and the Philippines. Seven-time All-Star from 1949- 1955. 1st Black player in the American League. 1st Black player to hit a home run in World Series. 1st Black player to hit a home run in an All-Star game. 1st Black player in the American Basketball League (preceded NBA), when he signed a contract for the, "Patterson Crescents." 1st Black player to go directly to the majors from the Negro leagues. 1st Black player to lead either league in home runs. World Series Champion in 1948. Two-time American League home run leader in 1952 and 1954. American League's RBI leader in 1954. "I give myself five years. If I don't make it by then, I'll give up on the idea and get out of baseball...." Larry Doby. Let's make July 5, "Larry Doby Day."!!