Robert Torricelli: “I rise today with Senator Lautenberg to jointly recognize Larry Doby, the first African-American player in the American…”

“I rise today with Senator Lautenberg to jointly recognize Larry Doby, the first African-American player in the American League. Mr. Doby's lifelong dedication to major league baseball, his community, and his country is truly remarkable and must be recognized. As an ambassador for baseball, Mr. Doby has served the league for nearly 20 years as a player, as a coach, and currently as a special assistant to the president of the American League. Mr. Doby, born in Camden, SC, later moved to Paterson, NJ, where he starred in four sports and ultimately garnered numerous offers for athletic scholarships toward his higher education. Although Larry Doby accepted an offer to play basketball for Long Island University, his collegiate athletic career was shortened as he enlisted in the U.S. Navy to serve our country in World War II. Following World War II, Doby played for the Negro League Newark Eagles, where he led the league with a batting average of .458 and 13 home runs. Some of Larry Doby's major league baseball accomplishments include being the first African-American player in the American League, the first African-American player on a world series team, and the second African-American to manage in the major leagues. Mr. Doby will be recognized by major league baseball at the all-star game in Cleveland. The naming of this post office in Larry Doby's honor in his hometown of Paterson would be a fitting tribute to this great American.”