Yesterday, the 2016 American League Central Division Champion Cleveland Indians Manager Terry Francona, on behalf of the entire Indians clubhouse, announced the creation of The Larry Doby Youth Fund at the Cleveland Foundation, and a donation of one million dollars to provide assistance to the underserved youth of the City of Cleveland.
Every player on the Cleveland Indians roster, the club’s coaching staff, all members of the Tribe’s support staff, and Owner Paul Dolan and Minority Owner John Sherman, have generously donated to this important initiative.
The fund is named in honor of Hall of Fame Cleveland Indian Larry Doby, who was the first African-American to play in the American League. The Fund will be administered by the Cleveland Foundation, and work with youth-focused community organizations to provide educational assistance and resources to help curb youth violence. The Cleveland Foundation will announce the grant application process for nonprofit organizations in January 2017.
“Larry Doby is an icon in our community, and the Cleveland Indians are true champions for continuing his civic legacy at all levels of the organization,” said Ronn Richard, President and CEO, Cleveland Foundation. “By giving back to Cleveland and serving their youngest fans, the Cleveland Indians and their uniformed personnel in this instance demonstrate once again why we are proud to root for the home team.”
