On July 5, 1947, Larry Doby became the first African American player to join the American League, signing with the Cleveland Indians just 11 weeks after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the National League with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Doby, a talented multi-sport athlete from Camden, South Carolina, had been playing in the Negro Leagues for the Newark Eagles before being recruited by Indians owner Bill Veeck. In his debut game against the Chicago White Sox, Doby pinch-hit in the seventh inning, striking out in his first at-bat.

Despite facing similar discrimination and challenges as Robinson, Doby quickly proved himself as a valuable member of the Indians lineup. He finished the 1947 season with a .156 batting average in 29 games, but his true potential shone through in the following years.

Doby became a seven-time All-Star and helped lead the Indians to their last World Series championship in 1948. He led the American League in home runs twice (1952 and 1954) and in runs batted in once (1954). Doby also became the first African American player to hit a home run in a World Series game in 1948.

After retiring as a player, Doby continued to break barriers, becoming the second African American manager in MLB history when he took the helm of the Chicago White Sox in 1978.

Larry Doby's legacy as a trailblazer and his significant contributions to the game of baseball have solidified his place in sports history. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998, cementing his status as one of the greatest players of his era and a true pioneer in the fight for racial equality in professional sports.