By By Komlavi Adissem

Copyright postandcourier

Ever since, the team has hosted an annual Larry Doby Weekend to honor him and other Black trailblazers in baseball, like the Cannon Street All Stars.

This dedication to keeping Doby’s memory alive has been driven in no small part by Mike Veeck, who, like his father, had a unique appreciation for the legendary player.

“Nobody identifies with being number one, but we can all identify with being number two,” Veeck said.

Veeck, who is one of the RiverDogs’ owners and previously served as general manager, said the three words he would use to describe Doby’s character are dignity, courage and grit. He said that even in the face of the racism and segregation he experienced during his career, Doby was never bitter. He noted that he thinks the Congressional Gold Medal would have meant just as much to him him as being a hall of famer, if not more.

“In spite of everything, he loved his country,” Veeck said. “He loved what it represented, and he understood that even though there was a tremendous distance to go, they made a little dent.”

Veeck recalled a moment, now over two decades ago, during Doby’s final trip to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., where Black players came up to him and thanked him for opening the door for them.

“From Henry Aaron to Reggie Jackson, … it was an unbelievable tip of the hat from his peers, from the people who knew historically what he meant to the game,” Veeck said. “He was given the respect that had eluded him, and his compatriots recognized what an important part of history he was. And I know that meant the world to him.”

Veeck joked that Doby would poke fun at his naming of the mezzanine after him. But that’s because they were pals, Veeck said. He noted that the hall of famer had a “tremendous soft spot” for his daughter Rebecca, who tragically died in 2019 after battling Batten Disease.