From Larry Doby to an Imperfect Game | Hall of Fame Connections Episode 13
In this episode of the Hall of Fame Connections series, we draw the line from breaking the color barrier to the most infamous near-perfect game. How?
The Museum extends a special thanks to Bob Kendrick and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (https://nlbm.com) for their assistance in this episode of the Hall of Fame Connections series.
Larry Doby was the second black player to break baseball's color barrier and the first black player in the American League. He made his Negro League debut in 1942 with the Newark Eagles. The Newark Eagles won the Negro League World Series in 1946.
The Newark Eagles, co-owned by Effa Manley, won their only Negro League World Series in 1946 with a team featuring future Hall of Famers Larry Doby and Leon Day. The team also featured Monte Irvin and Max Manning, one of their best pitchers during the 1940s. The team’s manager Biz Mackey would also become a Hall of Famer. Twenty-three years earlier, Mackey was a catching stalwart for the Hilldale Daisies (also known as the Hilldale Club and Hilldale Giants) when they won the first Eastern Colored League pennant.
Biz Mackey barnstormed in Japan with the Philadelphia Giants in a tour initiated by Kenichi Zenimura of the Fresno Athletic Club, a Japanese American team also touring Japan at the same time. During World War II, Zenimura was forced to relocate to the Gila River internment camp, but almost immediately got to work constructing a ballfield where they fashioned home-made equipment so they could play baseball, knowing that it would be a comforting reminder of a happier past and a symbol of enduring patriotism.
Zenimura Field would also help to create a sense of community with the surrounding area as games were played with local teams, including the three-time high school state champion Tucson Badgers. Over half a century later, in 2006, the matchup would be commemorated in a special pre-game ceremony by the Arizona Diamondbacks Triple-A affiliate Tucson Sidewinders. A member of the 1945 internee and high school teams was on hand to throw out ceremonial first pitches. That season, the Sidewinders would go on to win a franchise-record 98 games and defeat the Toledo Mud Hens for the Triple-A Championship. Outfielder Ryan Raburn scored the first of Toledo’s 2 runs in the losing effort and would go on to have a nice major league career.
Raburn’s most memorable moment may have come when he watched from the dugout when his teammate Armando Galarraga toss his famous “Imperfect Game” vs. Cleveland on June 2, 2010, when he retired the first 26 batters he faced. In the ninth inning with two outs, the first base umpire called the next batter safe, in a close call. Galarraga recorded the final out with the next batter, losing his bid for a perfect game by the controversial call at first base. The umpire later reviewed the tape and admitted that he had made the wrong call, apologizing to Galarraga and the Detroit fans.
Artifacts from this and all Hall of Fame Connections episodes are waiting to be discovered at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, where all your favorite baseball memories live. The Museum preserves history, honors excellence and connects generations. Beyond the iconic Hall of Fame Plaque Gallery are exhibits that tell the story of baseball’s impact on our lives, and our country’s history. The Museum exhibits draw from a collection of 40,000 lovingly preserved artifacts and more than 3 million library items to bring your stories and lesser-known tales to life.
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