#Cleveland Indians should honor Larry Doby with name change: Sherman

Bob Feller once likened his longtime Cleveland teammate Larry Doby to Buzz Aldrin, noting the second man syndrome.

Aldrin went through all the same training, peril and unknown as Neil Armstrong, but he was second to step foot on the moon. Thus, Ryan Gosling played Armstrong in “First Man,” not Aldrin.

Doby was the second player to break the major league color line. Sunday was the 73rd anniversary of Doby becoming the first black player in the American League, 81 days after Jackie Robinson became the first overall on April 15, 1947. Guess which one Chadwick Boseman played in “42”?

But as Negro League Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick told Jon Paul Morosi for MLB.com, “[Doby] went through the same things in the AL that Jackie did in the NL. He was thrown into a powder keg of racism, and he never played in the minor leagues.”

And if you need a wider view of Doby, this is what Feller, a Hall of Fame pitcher, said in full about his teammate from 1947-55: “[Doby] was a great American, served the country in World War II, and he was a great ballplayer. He was kind of like Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon, because he was the second African-American in the majors behind Jackie Robinson. He was just as good of a ballplayer, an exciting player, and a very good teammate.”

Doby was a seven-time All-Star, twice finished in the AL MVP top eight and is a Hall of Famer. He is worth remembering. And now is the time to make sure of this.

The Cleveland baseball team is thinking about changing its name away from the Indians. The organization said in a statement last week that it was, “committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name.” On Sunday, Cleveland manager Terry Francona told reporters that he should no longer sidestep the issue and “it’s time to move forward” and change the name.

I agree. Here is my thought:

The Cleveland Dobys.

It is the right city for this, because before anyone says it is silly to name a sports team after a person, remember that the Cleveland football team was named after Paul Brown.

It is the right city because the Indians not only introduced the first black player to the American League, but the first black manager period in Frank Robinson.

It is about time that we are going to stop using team names that offend large swaths of people. A team name should elevate not demean. So, for example, when (not if) the Braves go through this exercise, I am here already for the Atlanta Aarons or the Atlanta Hammerin’ Hanks.

And if you are about to make a legacy argument, remember when the Yankees and Nationals play this year on Opening Day that they used to be the Highlanders and Expos. The republic did not fall when their team names were changed. Nor did it when the Cleveland Spiders became the Cleveland Naps became the Cleveland Indians.

And, sure, let’s make the legacy argument. Of all the team sports in this country, the one most tied to legacy and history is Major League Baseball. So here we have a moment to tie a franchise to its legacy and history. Let’s provide a way to have parents tell children forever more about the second man to make sure he gains full credit for undertaking a formidable challenge with talent, fortitude and dignity.

“Hey, dad, how did the Cleveland Dobys get their name?”

“I’m glad you asked.”