Larry Doby
As the first black player in the American League, Larry Doby's role in baseball's integration is often overlooked because he was the second overall into the big leagues. Only one man made it ahead of him: Jackie Robinson. Doby never let anyone see that he had been disappointed by being overlooked by Branch Rickey. Despite his natual talent and grace on defense, few remember the name Larry Doby. His thirteen year career saw him go to six straight All-Star games and to the Hall of Fame. He had 100 RBIs and 20 home runs eight times in his career. He scored ninety runs in five different seasons, and once maintained a streak of 166 games in which he had no errors. In 1948, Doby helped his Cleveland Indians win the World Series, during which Doby had a batting average of .318. In one of his earliest appearances with the Indians, in a game in Houston, Doby had to walk to the park, and was booed loudly upon his first plate appearance. He then went on to smash two home runs, two doubles, a triple, and make two spectacular catches in center. In 1954, when the Indians won 112 games, Doby led the league in home runs and RBIs. However, despite his talent, Doby found the pressure of being the only black man on an all-white team disheartening. Many of his coaches and teammates said that he was too sensitive for his own good. Even Bill Veeck, the Indians' manager, thought that Doby's sensitivity was a handicap to his talent. Even though he had immense talent, Larry Doby faced racism from all sides, and it wound up inhibiting his performance.