Indians Donate $1 Million to Help Inner-city Youth

CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians manager Terry Francona said announcing the team's donation of $1 million to help inner-city youth is the "proudest moment I've had in my entire baseball life."

The club has created the Larry Doby Youth Fund, named in honor of the first black player in the American League, to assist needy kids in Cleveland.

Francona said he got the idea for the donation after watching national anthem protests and speaking with police officers he's met through his years in the majors. Francona talked to his players, who along with the team's coaches, trainers and members of the front office, donated over $500,000 before Indians owner Paul Dolan contributed the rest.

Francona passionately talked about feeling a need to help troubled kids in any way he could, saying "somebody has to start caring about them."

He's proud of the way his team rallied behind the cause.