PATERSON, N.J. – A No. 14 is emblazoned in center field, and white lettering stretches along the foul lines beyond the coaches’ boxes: “LARRY DOBY FIELD.” These are just a few of the flourishes unveiled on Wednesday morning when this city rededicated a ballfield named for the barrier breaker and Hall of Famer after a $2.8 million rehabilitation.
Doby, who endured prejudice and discrimination while becoming the first Black player in the American League just three weeks after Jackie Robinson’s debut in 1947, grew up in Paterson and played baseball (and football, basketball and track) at Eastside High School, which plays its home games on this field named for the Hall of Famer. Now the city’s young ballplayers have a state-of-the-art playing surface on which to chase their dreams.
“Here we are today celebrating an icon, a Paterson pioneer who had the courage on July 5, 1947, to break the color barrier in the American League, becoming the first African American to do so,” Paterson mayor Andre Sayegh said in his opening remarks. “So we want to pay proper tribute to Larry Doby, who stepped up to the plate for civil rights. Who stepped up to the plate for equal rights. Who stepped up to the plate for human rights and hit a home run. So today for anyone – especially someone playing at Eastside High School – whenever they step up to the plate, they’ve got to think about Larry Doby – his legacy, his leadership, his courage – and hit a home run, too.”
Baseball has been played in Paterson’s Eastside Park going back to Doby’s high school years from 1938-42. In 1998, the year Doby was inducted into the Hall of Fame, the baseball field was named in his honor and shifted into its current orientation. Four years later, a six-foot statue titled “Larry At Bat” was dedicated near the first-base stands.
“It’s a wonderful tribute to my dad, and it’s hard to believe … that it was over 20 years ago that we were here and actually dedicating this field for the first time,” Larry Doby Jr. said on Wednesday. “But the reason why it’s important is because Paterson was a magical city to him and my mother growing up. He met my mother at Eastside High School, married, and had five children – we all were born in Paterson hospitals. And the coaches and teachers that took an interest in him enabled him to achieve the things that you guys honor him for today.”
The rehabilitation includes a new synthetic playing surface that replaces the original natural grass and dirt and will allow for more teams to use the field more often. It was the first thing MLB Network’s Harold Reynolds – an “honorary Patersonian,” Sayegh says – touched upon in his remarks.
“Now I spent 13 of my 14 years playing on Astroturf in Seattle, so I’m partial to turf,” Reynolds said. I grew up in Oregon – the best grass and trees in the country, except for maybe New Jersey. But we could never play because of the rain. Now we experienced that here this week, and so I’m excited because my kids got to play this week on the Astroturf at their high school, while others were rained out. This is going to give you an opportunity to play all the time.”
New fences surround the playing surface, and a bullpen in right field will allow Eastside Ghosts pitchers to warm up away from the action. Their first home game is scheduled for next Wednesday.
Twenty-seven years after it first opened with its namesake on hand, Larry Doby Field is a history lesson now ready to serve the next generation of Paterson athletes. They’ll walk past the statue beneath the trees and onto the playing surface that spells out the Hall of Famer’s name. The center fielder will stand inside a circle with the number 14, ready to run down the next fly ball.
“This is very important [for the youth of Paterson],” Larry Jr. said after helping to cut the ribbon. “This is where they learn life lessons, and hopefully, you know, feel safe and play kids games, but make friendships that last forever. So, [my father would] be thrilled that they've renovated it and it looks as good as it does.
“I’m a natural grass guy, but it's beautiful. You can't ask for much more than this. They did a great job. On a day like this, where else would you want to be but playing baseball? So, yeah, I'm very happy that they took it to this degree, and it looks like they didn't spare any expense. It looks very good, and hopefully some kids can make some memories here.”