Larry Doby Posthumously Receives Congressional Gold Medal

The late Hall-of-Famer and Cleveland Guardians legend became the third baseball player to receive this honor for his achievements on and off the field.

Larry Doby was one of the most impactful figures not just in Cleveland Guardians history, but in the history of professional baseball.

In July of 1947, Doby became the first African American player to play in a game for an American League team, and the second to play in a Major League Baseball game.

After his playing career, he became the second African American MLB manager when he served as the Chicago White Sox’s interim manager during the 1978 season.

On Wednesday, Doby made more history, as he was posthumously honored by United States Congress with a Congressional Gold Medal for his achievements both on and off the baseball field.

According to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the Congressional Gold Medal, “is Congress’s highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals, institutions, or groups.”

Dec. 13, 2023; Washington, D.C., USA - Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), center left, presents Larry Doby Jr. the son of Larry Doby, a pioneering force for Black baseball players and a native of Paterson, N.J., the Congressional Gold Medal during a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

© Jack Gruber-USA TODAY

On the baseball field, Doby was a stellar center fielder for Cleveland, starting on their 1948 World Series Championship team. In 10 seasons with the club, he hit .286 with 1,234 hits, 215 home runs, 776 RBI, 190 doubles, and a .889 OPS. He was also named an American League All-Star in seven consecutive seasons from 1949 through 1955.

Per Baseball Reference, Doby is one of just three hitters in franchise history to record at least 1,200 hits, 800 runs, and 200 home runs in a Cleveland uniform. He was eventually elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.

Off the field, Doby served in the United States Navy during World War II and made a significant impact on the civil rights movement.

He was officially approved to receive a Congressional Gold Medal on December 17, 2018, joining Roberto Clemente and Jackie Robinson as the only baseball players to receive this honor.