[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 98 (Tuesday, July 21, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1362]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO LARRY DOBY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB FRANKS

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 21, 1998

  Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
a real American hero. In 1947, Larry Doby became the first black man to 
play in the American League, and the second African-American to cross 
the color barrier in professional baseball. For young people today, 
it's probably hard to imagine a time when the color of your skin could 
keep you from fulfilling your dream of playing professional baseball. 
But for Larry Doby, pursuing that dream in Jim Crow America meant 
breaking down age-old barriers and changing the face of baseball.
  A native of Paterson, New Jersey, Larry Doby began his baseball 
career in 1942 with the Negro American League's Newark Eagles. When 
World War II broke out, Doby joined the armed forces and fought for 
this country. He returned in 1946 to lead the Newark Eagles to the 
Negro World Championship. In 1947, one year later, he became the second 
African-American to cross the color barrier in professional baseball 
when he signed with the Cleveland Indians.
  Larry Doby's first lonely steps into the Cleveland Indian locker room 
required a courage and bravery beyond what most of us will encounter in 
a lifetime. Doby stood fast and determined amidst the cold and quiet 
stares, the spitting fans and the bigoted ball players who spiked him 
with their cleats. It was the ``Strength from God'' that helped him 
stand tall and show the world what a great baseball talent he really 
was.
  Eventually, the world could no longer ignore the rare athleticism and 
strength of character that Doby possessed. In 1948, fans and ball 
players alike celebrated Doby's World Series-clinching home run with an 
outpouring of genuine affection, praise, and respect. ``It had to be 
done from the inside,'' Doby remembered. ``It had to be done without 
thinking about the color of a person's skin.''
  Over the course of his career, Larry Doby hit 253 home runs and 969 
RBI's, amassing a career batting average of .283. He was a seven-time 
All-Star outfielder, who was also the first nonwhite person to play in 
a World Series, hit a home run in a World Series, and win a league home 
run title. For this and for his heroism, Larry Doby won his place in 
the Professional Baseball Hall of Fame.
  Mr. Speaker, Larry Doby's accomplishments are an inspiration to us 
all. He gave us faith that the human spirit can triumph over life's 
most imposing obstacles. His legacy will forever live in the faces of 
the young boys and girls who dream of becoming a professional athlete 
or of achieving, in some other way, their own special place in history.

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