Like Jackie Robinson, Indians’ Larry Doby deserves a day of honor

Major League Baseball will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day on April 15, 2026.

The great Jackie Robinson became the first black player in Major League Baseball on April 15, 1947.

Wesley Branch Rickey, owner of the National League Brooklyn Dodgers franchise, had the courage and conviction to sign Robinson.

Breaking the color barrier in baseball was a major accomplishment for Robinson, who was very talented, very athletic, very charming, and very courageous.

While Robinson was the first to break MLB’s color barrier, left-handed slugger Larry Doby became the first black MLB player in the American League on July 5, 1947.

Three months after Robinson’s debut, Doby joined the Cleveland Indians.

More about Dobby later.

As Baseballreferece.com Say, Robinson was 28 years old when he played his first game for Brooklyn on April 15, 1947.

Playing against the Boston Braves, Robinson went 0–3, but scored one run. His sacrifice was in sports. He played first base and hit second in the lineup.

Robinson dealt with and overcame bigotry, racism, and outright hatred as he set his sights on the prize of becoming a great Hall of Fame caliber player.

Robinson, a right-handed hitter who played second, third and first for the Dodgers from 1947–1956, entered the MLB Hall of Fame on July 23, 1962.

Robinson was named National League Rookie of the Year in 1947. He was a six-time All-Star from 1949–1956.

Robinson’s last game was on September 30, 1956, when he was 37 years old.

Robinson was named the National League Most Valuable Player in 1949, the same year he won the National League batting title when he hit .342 with 16 home runs, 124 RBIs and 37 stolen bases.

In parts of 11 big league seasons, Robinson played in 1,416 games.

MLB celebrates Robinson every year, with every player on every MLB club wearing NO.42, which was Robinson’s uniform number.

The tribute is tremendous, and well-deserved.

No Larry Doby Day in MLB:

While the tribute to Robinson is extremely important to baseball, this writer finds it very sad that there is no special commemoration for Larry Doby.

Since Robinson and Doby’s arrivals in the major leagues were only a few months apart, it seems fitting to celebrate Doby breaking the color barrier in the American League.

baseballreference.com Shares that Doby played 10 years with Cleveland, three years with the Chicago White Sox and one year with the Detroit Tigers.

He hit 263 big league homers.

Doby was an eight-time All Star. He entered the Hall of Fame in 1998.

In fact, the Cleveland Guardians, formerly the Indians, celebrate Doby’s arrival to their team, but not in the same way that Robinson is celebrated.

Major League Baseball has rejected Cleveland’s request to wear the NO. 14, Doby’s uniform number, on the anniversary of his arrival in Cleveland.

wkyc.com Shared this about Cleveland’s request to wear NO. 14:

“On the 76th anniversary of Doby breaking the color barrier in the American League, Cleveland Browns manager, Terry Francona, felt he needed to do something special to honor Doby.

MLB has repeatedly denied uniform requests, with no signs of things changing any time soon.

“It hurts me a little bit. It’s hard to gauge,” Francona said of the league’s lack of cooperation.

Francona now manages the Cincinnati Reds.

It should be noted that Major League Baseball also celebrates the lives and careers of Lou Gehrig and Roberto Clemente in addition to Jackie Robinson.

But not Larry Doby.

Larry Doby will always be a hero to this old scout.

A Dobie uniform jersey has pride of place hanging on a wall in this writer’s office.

Yes, Jackie Robinson was and is very special.

Yes, Lou Gehrig and Roberto Clemente were and are very special.

But Larry Doby was, and still is, very special.

No day has been named in his honor by Major League Baseball.

And that’s really a shame.