Ridgewood October 30, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 9 Church honors Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby by John Koster The Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church recently honored baseball Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby. The festival included appearances by base- Jackie Robinson ball poets, baseball songs, and free stadium snacks: hot dogs, peanuts, and Cracker Jack. A free screening of the newly released movie “42,” a reference to Robinson’s retired number, was shown as part of the program. Doby became the American League’s first African- American player, just months after Robinson broke in with the National League’s Brooklyn Dodgers. Doby, a celebrated slugger from Paterson, died in 2003. During his major league career, he helped the Cleveland Indians win the league pennant and World Series in his first full season of 1948. He also became the first African-American to hit a World Series home run. He was the league’s first black All-Star in 1949 and an All-Star every year afterward through 1955. In 1952, he became the first black player to lead the league in home runs (32), and in slugging percentage (.541), and also led in runs scored (104). He batted in 100 or more runs in five seasons. In 1954, when the Indians again won the pennant, he finished second for Most Valuable Player behind Yogi Berra, later a fellow Montclair resident. In 1978 Doby became the second African-American man- ager in the majors, with the Chicago White Sox. Robinson, who died in 1972, helped the Brooklyn Dodgers win the league championship in his first season of 1947, leading the league in stolen bases, and was named Rookie of the Year. During his 10 seasons, the Dodgers won the pennant six times. He was one of base- ball’s most dangerous base-runners, and stole home plate 19 times, setting a league record. In 1949, he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player, leading in both hitting (.342) and stolen bases (37) while knocking in 124 runs. He was a six-time League All-Star with a career batting average of .311. As his Baseball Hall of Fame citation says, Robinson was “a symbol of hope to millions of Americans.” “Thank you for paying tribute to my husband Jack in this very special way,” said Rachel Robinson, the late Larry Doby baseball star’s 91-year-old widow, in her letter to the church. “Jack left us 41 years ago, but we are delighted that our story lives on and continues to resonate in com- munities around the world. I am delighted that you have chosen to honor him and to share with others his endur- ing legacy. Jack was a man of faith and it was his unwav- ering belief in God that sustained us during the most challenging times.” Before 1947, professional baseball was segregated and black players had their own teams. When he joined the Dodgers, Robinson endured verbal abuse and threats from racist baseball fans, but his contributions to the sport changed some minds and led to a great acceptance of black athletes on national teams.