[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 16]
[House]
[Pages 22118-22121]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1430
CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF LAWRENCE EUGENE ``LARRY'' DOBY

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 235) celebrating the life and 
achievements of Lawrence Eugene ``Larry'' Doby.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 235

       Whereas on December 12, 1923, Larry Doby was born in 
     Camden, South Carolina and moved to Paterson, New Jersey in 
     1938, where he became a standout 4 sport athlete at Paterson 
     Eastside High School;
       Whereas Larry Doby attended Long Island University on a 
     basketball scholarship before enlisting in the United States 
     Navy;
       Whereas in 1943, Larry Doby was the first African American 
     to play professional basketball for the Paterson Panthers, a 
     member of the American Basketball League;
       Whereas after playing baseball in the Negro League for the 
     Newark Eagles, Larry Doby's contract was purchased by Bill 
     Veeck of Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians, a member 
     of the American League, on July 3, 1947;
       Whereas on July 5, 1947, Larry Doby became the first 
     African American to play professional baseball in the 
     American League;

[[Page 22119]]

       Whereas 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;
       Whereas in 1948, Larry Doby was the first African American 
     to win a World Series and the first African American to hit a 
     home run in the World Series;
       Whereas Larry Doby was voted to play in 7 All Star games 
     and led the American League in home runs for two seasons;
       Whereas in 1978, Larry Doby became the manager of the 
     Chicago White Sox, only the second African American manager 
     of a Major League team;
       Whereas 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;
       Whereas Larry Doby resided, was active in the community, 
     and raised his family in Montclair, New Jersey;
       Whereas Larry Doby received honorary doctorate degrees from 
     Princeton University, Long Island University and Fairfield 
     University; and
       Whereas Larry Doby was elected to the National Baseball 
     Hall of Fame in 1998: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the House of Representative--
       (1) expresses profound sorrow on the death of Lawrence 
     Eugene ``Larry'' Doby, and extends condolences to his family;
       (2) expresses its deep appreciation to Larry Doby and his 
     family for the impact that he made in pioneering civil rights 
     by breaking down racial barriers in baseball and in America; 
     and
       (3) commends Larry Doby as a courageous leader, a role 
     model, and a paradigm of the American Dream.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) and the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H. Con. Res. 235.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 235, introduced by my 
distinguished colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), 
celebrates the life and achievements of Lawrence Eugene ``Larry'' Doby.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud that the House is considering this 
legislation that honors an American hero we just do not know as much as 
we should about. We all know the story of Jackie Robinson, who 
courageously abolished the color barrier in major league baseball by 
first playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. What many may not have 
learned is that 3 months later, in July of 1947, Larry Doby became the 
first black player in the American League when he suited up for the 
Cleveland Indians.
  As the first black player in American League history, the pressures 
and prejudices Doby experienced were heartbreaking. His Hall of Fame 
Indians teammate, Bob Feller, described Doby as a sensitive man and 
added, the way many fans and other players treated him was very tough. 
Doby spoke with Jackie Robinson frequently during his early major 
league playing days. He recounted to the L.A. Times in 1974 that by 
talking about the issues he and Robinson faced, that ``Maybe we kept 
each other from giving up.'' Since Doby was a gentleman, he once said, 
``I couldn't react to prejudicial situations from a physical 
standpoint. My reaction was to hit the ball as far as I could.'' And he 
did that, channeling that energy to greatness.
  Indeed, not only did Doby bravely change minds with his mere presence 
on the field, he also turned heads with his outstanding play. He won a 
World Series title with the Cleveland Indians in his first full year in 
1948. During the season, he hit an average 301 with 16 home runs, and 
he led the club with a .318 average during the 1948 World Series. He 
finished his historic career with 253 home runs and 970 runs batted in. 
In 1998, Larry Doby was deservedly inducted into the baseball Hall of 
Fame.
  Mr. Speaker, America sadly lost Larry Doby in June at the age of 79. 
On behalf of this entire House, I offer my sincere condolences of all 
Members to the friends and the family of Larry Doby.
  America has long had a deep obsession with sports, and there is 
little doubt that the common goals of athletics have had a profound 
impact on race relations in this country.
  In 1947, Larry Doby inducted himself to the all-white baseball world 
as a courageous man with an awe-inspiring lefthanded swing. His bravery 
unquestionably opened the door of opportunity to many players from so 
many backgrounds, all the way to this present day. But beyond the 
baseball field, Larry Doby helped to prove that a person's skin color 
has nothing to do with his or her abilities at a time when America 
needed to learn that lesson.
  For all these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I hope this resolution is seen as 
a fitting tribute to a man that all of us still owe a debt of 
gratitude. I urge all Members to support the adoption of House 
Concurrent Resolution 235, and I congratulate the gentleman from New 
Jersey for his work on this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with the gentlewoman from Tennessee 
in consideration of H. Con. Res. 235, celebrating the life and 
achievements of Lawrence Eugene ``Larry'' Doby.
  Mr. Speaker, Larry Doby, who broke the color barrier in the American 
League in 1947, 3 months after Jackie Robinson became the first black 
in modern major league baseball, died on Wednesday, June 18 in 
Montclair, New Jersey. He was 79 years old.
  Born on December 13, 1923 in Camden, South Carolina, Larry Doby was 
also the first player to jump straight from the Negro leagues to the 
majors. He was signed by the Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck. He 
later integrated Japanese baseball in 1962 and went on to become the 
sport's second black manager and one of its first black executives.
  However, it was in his role as the second black player in baseball 
that Larry Doby had his most significant impact on professional 
athletics. Larry Doby was an all-State athlete in football, basketball, 
and baseball in high school. He then continued his athletic career at 
Long Island University. When Bill Veeck, who was determined to 
integrate his team, sought to sign a black player, Larry Doby was his 
obvious choice. He had led the Negro National League with a batting 
average of .458 and 13 home runs.
  Like Jackie Robinson, Doby faced extraordinary pressures that first 
season, including open hostility from teammates and opposing players. 
Larry Doby and Jackie Robinson formed a close relationship through 
their lifetimes. Doby's debut opened the way for three more blacks to 
enter the majors within a month, and made it clear that baseball was on 
a permanent course toward integration. His presence as a player for the 
Indians also contributed to the more general cause of civil rights for 
blacks when Washington's exclusive Hotel Statler, formerly whites-only, 
permitted Larry Doby to room with his team.
  In 1948, he batted an impressive .301 with 14 home runs and 65 runs 
batted in. He led the Indians to a victory over the Boston Braves in 
the World Series, becoming the first black to play on a World Series 
championship team. He later led the American League in home runs in 
1952 and again in 1954. When he retired after 13 seasons with the 
Indians, White Sox, and Detroit Tigers, he had a formidable career 
batting average of .285 and 253 lifetime home runs. For his 
achievements, he was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1998.
  Doby became the Indian's manager in 1978 and later became a special 
assistant to Dr. Gene Budig, the President of the American League. 
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, when blacks were welcome on the 
baseball field and in the stands but not in the front office,

[[Page 22120]]

Larry Doby continued to push for expanded opportunities for people of 
color.
  Lawrence Eugene Doby was a great American and his life and 
achievements make him worthy of this recognition today. I would like to 
commend the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from New Jersey 
(Mr. Pascrell), and I urge swift passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, at this point I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such 
time as he may consume to the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman 
from Paterson, New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from 
Illinois. I want to thank also the gentlewoman from Tennessee. Both of 
my colleagues I think struck appropriate words about a great American, 
a great American.
  This resolution, this concurrent resolution honors the life and 
achievements of Lawrence Eugene ``Larry'' Doby. He left this Earth just 
a few months ago. His wife died a few years ago. They were inseparable 
individuals. I know one can read about the history of Larry Doby and 
one can hear about it and see it in film, but there is something that 
is spoken today that one will not find in those documentations.
  Mr. Speaker, in our commercial world of endorsements, free agents, 
$6.50 a beer at a ball game, and Astroturf, I want to pause today to 
praise the great stature of a man who played baseball when baseball was 
baseball. He was more than a civil rights leader. He was more than a 
Hall of Fame baseball player. He was a Hall of Fame human being. To 
him, to Larry Doby, community was critical. No man was living on an 
island.
  I am so proud to be a resident, a lifelong resident of Paterson, New 
Jersey, and I always say one ``T'', because that is where Larry made 
his fame, at East Side High School. He was a star in four sports, and 
he achieved. He attended Long Island University, went into the Navy, 
served this country, served this country, and came out and played minor 
league baseball for a while on teams where you had to be all one color.
  So he made the movement and was asked to come aboard the Cleveland 
Indians, just after Jackie Robinson, 3 months prior, became a part of 
the Brooklyn Dodgers. And many fans never saw him play because 
obviously there was not inter-league play at that particular time. And 
we know what happened with Jackie Robinson when he went to the Brooklyn 
Dodgers: They even changed the camp where they trained, got it away 
from people so there would be no problems. And we know that Larry Doby, 
when he came into the American League, some of his own teammates 
isolated him, ignored him.
  He was grateful to the owner of the Cleveland Indians, Bill Veeck. 
Mr. Speaker, there always has to be somebody who is willing to make the 
change. There always has to be somebody that runs point and who is 
willing to say, this is the right thing. This is the thing we need to 
do. We should have done it a long time ago. It should not have had to 
be done. This should be a natural process of growing up in the greatest 
of all democracies.

                              {time}  1445

  It was not. So this young man who came out of Camden, South Carolina, 
came to Paterson with his family when he was 15 years of age, found 
himself at the center of a tremendous amount of attention, and he 
deserved it. But to the end he remained modest, and he was a gracious, 
true gentleman, unlike some of the bravado that we hear in sports today 
when we hold up Nike sneakers. This is a man of a different age but a 
man for all ages. Beyond the record that he broke, beyond the sports 
world, Larry Doby was a good person, beautiful family, a great career. 
Responsive to the community he lived in, Paterson and then Montclair, 
New Jersey, where he passed. And Helen who passed 2 years ago, every 
time you saw Larry Doby you saw everyone. Every time you saw Helen, you 
saw Larry Doby. Our thoughts are with Larry's surviving children, 
Larry, Jr., Leslie Feggan, Kimberly Martin, Susan Robinson, and 
Christina Fearington. And I had the privilege, as many of us did back 
in 1998 on this floor to have a post office, the main post office in 
our county, named after Larry Doby.
  Just a few months before he passed from this Earth we all stood at 
Eastside Park and commemorated, and it was like a 15-year old young man 
who had just come to Paterson, we commemorated a baseball field with 
the stands and everything, Larry Doby Field. And Larry insisted that we 
would lock the field when it was not being used because he wanted it to 
remain a baseball field, and it has. People go there with respect. A 
great statue, a great statue right in front of this great ballpark.
  I want to thank the Speaker. I want to thank the ranking member. I 
want to thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate so much the remarks that have been made 
about Larry Doby and his career. We recognize the importance of Larry 
Doby. As the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) was saying, 
Jackie Robinson and Shoeless Joe Jackson, and we talk about the 
importance of having heroes, and these were men who were heroes, and 
how important that we honor Larry Doby. So I commend my colleague from 
New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) for introducing the resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), where Larry Doby played much of his 
ball.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois 
(Mr. Davis) and the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn), and I 
thank particularly the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) for his 
sponsorship on this piece of legislation.
  I stand also to honor Larry Doby. I saw Larry Doby after his career 
in Cleveland for the White Sox had finished. My dad took me as a 6-
year-old kid to see Larry Doby, and I saw him play then and met him 
later for a moment when he threw out the first pitch of the House 
baseball game.
  Larry Doby in some sense was as courageous or even more courageous 
than Jackie Robinson. I asked a group of people as I was walking 
through an office earlier today what they knew about Larry Doby. These 
people were in their twenties and thirties. They knew almost nothing of 
him. Several people had heard of him. They knew he was a baseball 
player. They knew very little else.
  Larry Doby was the second African American player to play major 
league baseball, the first in the American League. As I said, in some 
sense he was as courageous, maybe even more courageous than Jackie 
Robinson. In his words, and he said with certainly no bitterness but 
just as an observation, Larry Doby said, The only difference between 
us, Jackie Robinson and himself, was that Jackie Robinson got all the 
publicity. You did not hear much about what I was going through because 
the media did not want to repeat the same story, the same story they 
had written not long before.
  He said, ``I could not react to prejudicial situations from a 
physical standpoint. My reaction was to hit the ball as far as I 
could.''
  He had the same kinds of anger and bitterness and racist catcalls and 
violent behavior all aimed at him as Jackie Robinson did, and he was 
every bit the hero that Jackie Robinson was.
  As the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) and the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Davis) pointed out, he also changed not just 
baseball history, but he helped as a pioneer in pulling this country 
together, a pioneer in beginning to start to erase the racial prejudice 
in this country. He did it in a variety of ways. He did it as a 
baseball player in the way he played. He also did it with the strength 
in which he

[[Page 22121]]

played. He also did it as a manager, and also in his professional and 
personal life back in Paterson. But he also did it in a way that is 
interesting.
  In the spring of 1947, Bill Veeck, the Indians' general manger, 
understanding that Larry Doby was going to be playing, moved spring 
training camp to Arizona, away from the South, understanding that it 
would make things a little bit more even tempered, if you will, for 
Larry Doby to deal with.
  So then the Brooklyn Dodgers moved their training camp from Florida 
to Havana, Cuba, again to deal with some of those problems, and the New 
York Giants moved their training camp from Florida to Arizona, and that 
is the advent of spring training being held in different areas around 
the country.
  He was a pioneer. He changed not just the baseball world, he changed 
society. All of us should be proud of what Larry Doby did.
  In my City of Cleveland where he played his best, most important 
baseball, he played in two World Series, made a difference in the last 
time the Indians won the World Series in 1949, but more importantly, 
what he did later with his life in Paterson, New Jersey, throughout the 
baseball world, and what he contributed to this country.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank everybody 
who participated in this debate. Larry Doby was indeed a great athlete 
but an even greater American.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Larry 
Doby, the first African American to play professional baseball in the 
American League. It is important that Congress acknowledge and 
appreciate the accomplishments of someone who has broken the color 
barrier and added diversity to an otherwise segregated sport.
  Larry Doby was an extraordinary individual and a sports legend that 
broke through barriers by becoming the second African American to play 
professional baseball, but the first in the American League.
  We are all well aware of Jackie Robinson, the first African American 
to play professional baseball. He is a hero that we teach our children 
about. His efforts for integration and the struggle for racial equality 
provide lessons that we strive never to forget. Similarly, Larry Doby 
endured a struggle that was no less heroic or difficult. He too should 
remain in our memory and his story told to our children.
  Born in Camden, S.C., Larry Doby lost his father when he was just 8 
years old. His family moved to Paterson, New Jersey, when he was in his 
teens. Larry Doby attended Long Island University on a basketball 
scholarship before enlisting in the United States Navy.
  In 1947, Larry Doby began his illustrious career with the Cleveland 
Indians. Teammates recalled Mr. Doby as a man of quiet dignity who 
never said an unkind word, even about those hostile to his joining the 
Indians.
  Larry Doby played in the American League for 13 years. He appeared in 
1,533 games and batting .283, with 253 home runs and 969 runs batted 
in. He was the first African American to win a World Series and the 
first African American to hit a home run in the World Series. In 1998, 
Larry Doby was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
  Apart from baseball, Larry Doby showed his integrity by being deeply 
committed to his community. He deserves recognition not only for his 
contribution to America's pastime, but also for his courageous 
leadership and the inspiration he gave to millions of Americans as he 
fought racism and served as an example of the American Dream.
  In expression of his commitment, Larry served as the Director of 
Community Relations for the NBA's New Jersey Nets. The position gave 
Mr. Doby the opportunity to use his character and stature to influence 
youth in many of New Jersey's inner cities.
  Sadly, Larry Doby died on June 18, 2003 in Montclair, N.J. Let us 
come together and express profound sorrow over the death of Larry Doby. 
On behalf of the 18th congressional district of Texas, I extend my 
condolences to his family and express my deep appreciation for the 
impact Larry Doby made in the fight for racial equality. For that 
reason, Mr. Speaker, I support H. Con. Res. 235 to celebrate the life 
and achievements of Larry Doby.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 235.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________