After
closing out a Hall of Fame career as a pioneering player during the
1940’s and 1950’s, Larry Doby continued to serve baseball well into the
1990’s.
So here’s a card of his time as coach for the Chicago White Sox in 1977,
before he was actually to become the second black manager in Major
League history the following season:
Doby actually started his coaching career with the Montreal Expos in the
first season, 1969, and would serve in one capacity or another with the
organization until 1973 before returning in 1976 after coaching with
the Cleveland Indians in between. (keep and eye out for an Expos coach
card in the near future).
Once former White Sox owner Bill Veeck purchased the White Sox again in
1976, Doby was brought in to act as hitting coach, where the White Sox
would have some impressive offensive seasons under his mentoring.
He would remain with the organization until 1979 before resigning and
becoming the Director of Communications for the New Jersey Nets in 1980,
a position he would keep until 1989.
All in all a great career in professional sports for one of the better
power hitters of the Golden Age of baseball during the 1950’s.