[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5621 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5621

  To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Lawrence Eugene 
``Larry'' Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to 
  American major league athletics, civil rights, and the Armed Forces 
                              during WWII.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 5, 2016

 Mr. Pascrell (for himself, Mr. Renacci, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Butterfield, 
 Mr. Ryan of Ohio, and Mr. Carson of Indiana) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Lawrence Eugene 
``Larry'' Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to 
  American major league athletics, civil rights, and the Armed Forces 
                              during WWII.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Larry Doby was born in Camden, South Carolina, on 
        December 12, 1923, and moved to Paterson, New Jersey, in 1938, 
        where he became a standout four sport athlete at Paterson 
        Eastside High School.
            (2) Larry Doby attended Long Island University on a 
        basketball scholarship before enlisting in the United States 
        Navy during WWII.
            (3) Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy in 1946, 
        Larry Doby played baseball in the Negro League for the Newark 
        Eagles. After playing the 1946 season, Larry Doby's contract 
        was purchased by the Cleveland Indians of the American League 
        on July 3, 1947.
            (4) On July 5, 1947, Larry Doby became the first African-
        American to play in the American League.
            (5) Larry Doby played in the American League for 13 years, 
        appearing in 1,533 games and batting .283, with 253 home runs 
        and 969 runs batted in.
            (6) Larry Doby was voted to seven all-star teams, led the 
        American League in home runs twice, and played in two World 
        Series; he was the first African-American to play in the World 
        Series and to hit a home run in a World Series game, both in 
        1948.
            (7) After his stellar playing career ended, Larry Doby 
        continued to make a significant contribution to his community; 
        he has been a pioneer in the cause of civil rights and has 
        received honorary doctorate degrees from Long Island 
        University, Princeton University, and Fairfield University.
            (8) In 1978, Larry Doby became the manager of the Chicago 
        White Sox, only the second African-American manager of a Major 
        League team.
            (9) Larry Doby was the Director of Community Relations for 
        the National Basketball Association's New Jersey Nets, where he 
        was deeply involved in a number of inner-city youth programs.
            (10) Larry Doby was elected to the National Baseball Hall 
        of Fame in 1998.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of 
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make 
appropriate arrangements for the posthumous presentation, on behalf of 
Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design, to Larry Doby in 
recognition of his achievements and contributions to American major 
league athletics, civil rights and the Armed Forces during WWII.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the presentation 
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury 
(hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike 
a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be 
determined by the Secretary.
    (c) Transfer of Medal After Presentation.--Following the 
presentation of the gold medal in honor of Larry Doby under subsection 
(a), the gold medal shall be given to his son, Larry Doby, Jr.

SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold 
medal struck pursuant to section 2 under such regulations as the 
Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost 
thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and 
overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.

SEC. 4. STATUS OF MEDALS.

    (a) National Medals.--The medals struck under this Act are national 
medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
    (b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of 
title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be 
considered to be numismatic items.
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