CLEVELAND — Guardians manager Terry Francona felt he needed to do something special to honor Larry Doby.
On the 76th anniversary of Doby breaking the color barrier in the American League, Francona wrote the Hall of Famer’s No. 14 on his cap before Wednesday’s game.
As the national anthem was being played, Francona said he looked at Larry Doby Jr., who was in attendance and standing nearby with other family members and felt moved to make his own personal tribute.
“His dad couldn’t eat at the same place my dad could, and I marched in and grabbed a pen,” Francona said. “Not that that’s the biggest statement in the world, but I grabbed a silver pen and put a 14.”
A seven-time All-Star, Doby played for Cleveland from 1947-55 and helped the franchise win its last World Series title in 1948. The team retired his No. 14 in 1994, the first year the team played in Progressive Field.
Doby was enshrined in Cooperstown in 1998. He died in 2003.
The team has celebrated Doby’s importance and lasting impact for years. Cleveland unveiled a statue of Doby at the entrance to the ballpark in 2015. For the 75th anniversary, the team wore patches on its uniforms. On Wednesday night, the Guardians gave away commemorative Doby caps along with playing a video tribute to him on the stadium’s giant scoreboard.
The Guardians have requested Major League Baseball to allow them to play at home every July 5 in the future in Doby’s honor.
Francona noted that his father, Tito, was twice traded for Doby.
“How about that?” he said. “That’s unbelievable. For years I thought my dad was exaggerating.”
Source: www.espn.com