Quote:
Originally Posted by cgjackson222
On Larry Doby's first day in the Major Leagues with the Indians, several teammates refused to shake Doby's hand. Bob Feller is believed to be one of those teammates.
However, in an interview with Larry Doby in 1979, Doby says that Feller changed for the better, even if it took him some time (starting at 1:30:19).
https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/...han068_ohm.xml
I think the accusations some have made in the press that Feller was racist are overblown. |
Very interesting, had not really been aware of these accusations, nor the Doby interview. Didn't listen to the entire thing, focused more on the racism parts and the conversation surrounding Feller though. Also did some searching regarding the alleged refusal of Feller to shake Doby's hand.
What is funny (and sad) is how a lot of the BS from back then is virtually no different than the half-truths, innuendos, and sometimes outright lies that different sides continue to hurl at each other to this day, and will continue to occur and do so as long as there are still humans on this planet.
As I kind of expected, I couldn't find any definitive or collaborative evidence to support that Feller actually did refuse to shake Doby's hand. I'm going to guess that came about when some heard about Feller's supposed racist comments, and so immediately assumed he must have been one of those that had snubbed Doby, and of course those same people then use Feller's name to pass on the message because he's the biggest name/star tied to the incident and will therefore bring the most notice and attention to what they just said. It is just like all the online, media and other platforms spewing crap back and forth today, before any of these current ones existed.
Interestingly in the interview, the question of Feller shaking hands is never asked nor addressed by Doby. Are there any known interviews or quotes where Doby definitively states that Feller did refuse to shake hands with him that day? Also in the interview it talks about something(s) Feller apparently said that are interpreted as racist, but Doby never actually states exactly what it is that Feller said that was so bad. He almost purposely does it, it seems, so no one can directly come back to ever refute him and what he was saying. I'm assuming it has to do with comments attributed to Feller making at one time that he didn't think any Negro League players were good enough to play in the white ML, and/or that he didn't think Jackie Robinson was all that good (too muscle bound, couldn't turn on an inside pitch) and that had he been white, he likely wouldn't have been called up to the majors. Was that being racist, or was that Feller simply stating his opinion on the baseball abilities and talents, in relation to a specific game played at a specific level that he was infinitely familiar with, of certain groups/people?
I'd previously posted that it was Feller entirely behind setting up barnstorming tours where white ML all-stars played against black Negro League all-stars, and took them around the country, to play before both black and white patrons. And along with making money for everyone, it also opened up and presented blacks playing against whites to huge segments of the white population that otherwise may not ever have been exposed to it before, making it more and more acceptable to larger segments of the population. Granted, this was certainly not the first time white MLB players had played against black players, but it was arguably the most orchestrated, hyped, and celebrated up to that point in time. If Feller was truly so racist, why would he have purposely gone to such trouble and effort to play with Negro League players? In fact, it could easily be argued that Feller was exactly the opposite of a racist, and his barnstorming tours actually helped to promote equality and acceptance of Negro League players to larger and larger segments of both the racially divided white AND black segments of the population, and make the coming integration of MLB easier and more accepted than it might have been otherwise.
And for the record, I believe Feller was known to have expressed he felt Doby was a much better player than Robinson. But in regard to comments Feller may have said about thinking blacks in general, or Robinson in particular, maybe not being good enough to play in the MLs, is it possible that people weren't really looking at this from Feller's point of view to see him treating the black players just like he would any other rookies coming up to a MLB team? Remember, any rookie coming in was likely replacing and taking food out of the mouth of someone else whom the remaining veteran players may have become attached to and friends with after playing together for years, and as a result weren't going to be too happy to see them replaced by someone they didn't know. Hazing and trials of rookies back then to see if they could prove themselves worthy, and earning a spot on a team before being fully accepted by their teammates, may have been more prevalent than many care to admit. In which case it is wholly possible that Feller was merely being the polar opposite of racist, and treating players like Doby just like he would any other rookies, white or black, riding them and questioning them and their talents before finally accepting them as teammates only after having proven themselves at the ML level. And for all Feller's comments about who he thought was or wasn't talented enough to play MLB, instead of being racist, maybe he really just had a lousy eye for talent after all. Don't remember anyone ever offering him a job as a scout, do any of you?
Feller was outspoken, opinionated, and honest, the kind of person to mean what he said, and say what he meant. But sincerely doubt he was ever a racist. Always thought Feller reminded me of Clint Eastwood's character in the movie Gran Torino.