Frank Robinson

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For other people named Frank Robinson, see Frank Robinson (disambiguation).

Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson 1961.jpg
Robinson in 1961
Outfielder / Manager
Born: (1935-08-31)August 31, 1935
Beaumont, Texas
Died: February 7, 2019(2019-02-07) (aged 83)
Los Angeles, California
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 17, 1956, for the Cincinnati Redlegs
Last MLB appearance
September 18, 1976, for the Cleveland Indians
MLB statistics
Batting average.294
Hits2,943
Home runs586
Runs batted in1,812
Managerial record1,065–1,176
Winning %.475
Teams
As player
As manager
As coach
Career highlights and awards
Member of the National
Empty Star.svg Empty Star.svg Empty Star.svg Baseball Hall of Fame Empty Star.svg Empty Star.svg Empty Star.svg
Induction1982
Vote89.2% (first ballot)

Frank Robinson (August 31, 1935 – February 7, 2019) was an American professional baseball outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for five teams, from 1956 to 1976. The only player to be named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of both the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), he was named the NL MVP after leading the Cincinnati Reds to the pennant in 1961 and was named the AL MVP in 1966 with the Baltimore Orioles after winning the Triple Crown; Robinson‘s 49 home runs (HR) that year tied for the most by any AL player between 1962 and 1989, and stood as a franchise record for 30 years, he helped lead the Orioles to the first two World Series titles in franchise history in 1966 and 1970, and was named the Series MVP in 1966 after leading the Orioles to a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1975, Robinson became the first black manager in big league history, as the Cleveland Indians’ player-manager.

A 14-time All-Star, Robinson batted .300 nine times, hit 30 home runs eleven times, and led his league in slugging four times and in runs scored three times. His 586 career home runs ranked fourth in major league history at the time of his retirement, and he ranked sixth in total bases (5,373) and extra-base hits (1,186), eighth in games played (2,808), and ninth in runs scored (1,829),[1] his 2,943 career hits are the most since 1934 by any player who fell short of the 3,000-hit mark. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1982.[2]

Robinson went on to manage the San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, and Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals.[2] For most of the last two decades of his life, Robinson served in various executive positions for Major League Baseball, concluding his career as honorary President of the American League.[3]

Early life[edit]

Robinson was born on August 31, 1935 in Beaumont, Texas, he was the youngest of ten children born to Frank Robinson and Ruth Shaw. His parents divorced when he was an infant, and his mother moved with her children to Alameda, California, and then to the West Oakland neighborhood of nearby Oakland,[4] he attended McClymonds High School in Oakland, where he was a basketball teammate of Bill Russell. He was a baseball teammate of Vada Pinson and Curt Flood,[5] he also played American Legion Baseball.[4]

Playing career[edit]

Minor leagues[edit]

In 1953, Bobby Mattick, a scout for the Cincinnati Reds, signed Robinson to a contract worth $3,500 ($32,775 in current dollar terms),[4] he made his professional debut for the Ogden Reds of the Class C Pioneer League. He batted .348 with 83 runs batted in (RBI) in 72 games played. He was promoted to the Tulsa Oilers of the Class AA Texas League in 1954, but was demoted to the Columbia Reds of the Class A South Atlantic League, he returned to Columbia in 1955.[4]

Robinson with the Reds in 1961

Cincinnati Reds (1956–1965)[edit]

Robinson made his major league debut in 1956. In his rookie year with the Reds, Robinson tied the then-record of 38 home runs by a rookie and was named Rookie of the Year; the Reds won the NL pennant in 1961, and Robinson won his first MVP (in July he batted .409, hit 13 home runs, and drove in 34 runs to win NL Player of the Month), the last time the NL played a 154-game schedule. The Reds lost the 1961 World Series to the New York Yankees.[4] In 1962, Robinson hit a career-high .342 with 39 home runs, 51 doubles, and 136 RBIs.[4]

Robinson was noted as a fierce player, he spiked Johnny Logan in 1957, causing Logan to miss six weeks. He also got into a fistfight with Eddie Mathews in 1960.[6]

Baltimore Orioles (1966–1971)[edit]

Prior to the 1966 season, Reds owner Bill DeWitt traded Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitcher Milt Pappas, pitcher Jack Baldschun and outfielder Dick Simpson; the trade turned out to be rather lopsided. DeWitt, who had a slew of successful trades including his time as GM in Detroit and in the early 1960s rebuilding the Reds, famously referred to Robinson as "not a young 30" after the trade; the Reds led the NL in offense in 1965 and needed pitching. Pappas, who was a consistent performer in Baltimore, was a major disappointment in Cincinnati while Robinson had continued success in Baltimore.[7] In Robinson's first year in Baltimore, he won the Triple Crown, leading the American League with a .316 batting average (the lowest ever by a Triple Crown winner), 49 home runs (the most ever by a right-handed Triple crown winner) and 122 runs batted in. On May 8, 1966, Robinson became the only player ever to hit a home run completely out of Memorial Stadium; the shot came off of Luis Tiant in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians, and the home run measured 541 feet (165 m). Until the Orioles' move to Camden Yards in 1992, a flag labeled "HERE" was flown at the spot where the ball left the stadium.[8]

The Orioles won the 1966 World Series, and Robinson was named World Series Most Valuable Player. In the Orioles' four-game sweep of the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, Robinson hit two home runs--one in Game One (which Baltimore won 5–2), and one in Game Four (the only run of the game in a 1–0 series-clinching victory). Robinson hit both home runs off of Don Drysdale.[9]

On June 26, 1970, Robinson hit back-to-back grand slams in the fifth and sixth innings in the Orioles' 12–2 victory over the Washington Senators; the same runners were on base both times: Dave McNally was on third base, Don Buford was on second, and Paul Blair was on first.[10]

The Orioles won three consecutive American League pennants between 1969 and 1971. Before the 1969 World Series, Robinson said, "Bring on the Mets and Ron Gaspar!" He was then told by his teammate Merv Rettenmund, "It's Rod, stupid." He then retorted by saying, "OK. Bring on Rod Stupid!"[11] Baltimore won the 1970 World Series over the Reds.[4]

Final years as a player (1972–1976)[edit]

On December 2, 1971, the Orioles traded Robinson and Pete Richert to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Doyle Alexander, Bob O'Brien, Sergio Robles and Royle Stillman;[12] the 1972 season was his first season in the National League since playing with the 1965 Reds. He played 103 games, while compiling a .251 batting average, 59 RBIs, 86 hits, and 19 home runs. In November of that year, he was traded along with Billy Grabarkewitz, Bill Singer, Mike Strahler and Bobby Valentine to the California Angels for Ken McMullen and Andy Messersmith.[13] In his time with the Angels, he became their first designated hitter while also being teammates again with Vada Pinson, he played 147 games in 1973 and 129 in 1974. In his tenure with the Angels, he hit for a .259 average while having 50 home runs, 249 hits, and 160 RBIs.[14]

On September 12, 1974, the Angels traded Robinson to the Cleveland Indians for Ken Suarez, cash and a player to be named later (Rusty Torres). Three weeks later, the Indians named him their manager, and persuaded him to continue playing. In his first at bat as a player/manager for Cleveland in 1975, he hit a home run off of Doc Medich of the Yankees, he injured his shoulder in 1975 and did not play often. He retired from playing after the 1976 season, after batting .226 with 14 home runs in 235 at bats for Cleveland from 1974 through 1976.[15]

During a 21-year baseball career, he batted .294 with 586 home runs, 1,812 runs batted in, and 2,943 hits. At his retirement, his 586 career home runs were the fourth most in history (behind only the records of Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays), he is second on Cincinnati's all-time home run leaders list (324, behind Johnny Bench) and is the Reds' all-time leader in slugging percentage (.554).[16]

Manager[edit]

Robinson, circa 1974

Managing career[edit]

Robinson managed in the winter leagues late in his playing career.[17] By the early 1970s, he had his heart set on becoming the first black manager in the majors; the Angels traded him to the Cleveland Indians midway through the 1974 season due to his open campaigning for the manager's job. In 1975, the Indians named him player-manager, giving him distinction of being the first black manager in the Majors;[18] the Indians had a 79–80 record, and had a 81–78 record in 1976. Cleveland started the 1977 season 26–31, and fired Robinson on June 19, 1977.[15]

Robinson managed the San Francisco Giants from 1981 through 106 games of the 1984 season, when he was fired,[4][17] he finished the 1984 season as the hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers, on a contract worth $1.[19] In 1985, he joined the Orioles front office, he was named the manager of the Orioles for 1988. He was awarded the American League Manager of the Year Award in 1989 for leading the Orioles to an 87–75 record, a turnaround from their previous season in which they went 54–107.[20]

Robinson managed the Orioles through 1991, and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals franchise from 2002 through 2006.[4] After Robinson had spent some years known in baseball as the Director of Discipline, he was chosen by Major League Baseball in 2002 to manage the Expos, which MLB owned at that time;[21] the Expos, who had losing records in the five previous seasons, finished the 2002 and 2003 seasons with 83–79 records. The Expos then next slumped to a 67–95 record in 2004.[22]

In a June 2005 Sports Illustrated poll of 450 MLB players, Robinson was selected the worst manager in baseball, along with Buck Showalter, then manager of the Texas Rangers. In the August 2006 poll, he again was voted worst manager with 17% of the vote and 37.7% of the NL East vote.[23]

On April 20, 2006, with the Nationals' 10–4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, Robinson got his 1000th win, becoming the 53rd manager to reach that milestone,[24] he had earned his 1000th loss two seasons earlier.[14]

During a game against the Houston Astros on May 25, 2006, Robinson pulled Nationals catcher Matt LeCroy during the middle of the seventh inning, violating an unwritten rule that managers do not remove position players in the middle of an inning. Instead, managers are supposed to discreetly switch position players in between innings. However, LeCroy, the third-string catcher, had allowed Houston Astros baserunners to steal seven bases over seven innings and had committed two throwing errors. Although the Nationals won the game 8–5, Robinson found the decision so difficult to make on a player he respected so much, he broke down crying during the post-game interviews.[25]

On September 30, 2006, the Nationals' management declined to renew Robinson's contract for the 2007 season, though they stated he was welcome to come to spring training in an unspecified role. Robinson, who wanted either a front office job or a consultancy, declined.[26] On October 1, 2006, he managed his final game, a 6–2 loss to the Mets, and prior to the game addressed the fans at RFK Stadium.[27] Robinson's record as a manager stood at 1,065 wins and 1,176 losses.[28]

Managerial record[edit]

Team From To Managerial record
G W L Win %
Cleveland Indians 1975 1977 375 186 189 .496
San Francisco Giants 1981 1984 541 264 277 .488
Baltimore Orioles 1988 1991 515 230 285 .447
Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals 2002 2006 810 385 425 .475
Total 2241 1065 1176 .475
Ref.:[28]

Honors[edit]

FrankRobinson20.png
Frank Robinson's number 20 was retired by the Baltimore Orioles in 1972.
CincinnatiReds20.png
Frank Robinson's number 20 was retired by the Cincinnati Reds in 1998.
Indians20 FrankRobinson.png
Frank Robinson's number 20 was retired by the Cleveland Indians in 2017.

In addition to his two Most Valuable Player awards (1961 and 1966) and his World Series Most Valuable Player award (1966), Robinson was honored in 1966 with the Hickok Belt as the top professional athlete of the year in any sport.[29][30]

In 1982, Robinson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a Baltimore Oriole.[31] Robinson is also a charter member of the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame (along with Brooks Robinson), and a member of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, being inducted into both in 1978, he was named to the Washington Nationals Ring of Honor for his "significant contribution to the game of baseball in Washington, D.C" on May 9, 2015, he was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame in 2016. The Reds, Orioles, and Indians have retired his uniform number 20, he is one of only two major league players, the other being Nolan Ryan, to have his number retired by three different organizations.[32]

Robinson being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom

In 1999, Robinson ranked 22nd on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players,[33] he was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.[34]

Three teams have honored Robinson with statues:

President George W. Bush awarded Robinson the Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 9, 2005.[37] On April 13, 2007, Robinson was awarded the first Jackie Robinson Society Community Recognition Award at George Washington University.[38]

In his career, Robinson held several major league records. In his rookie season, he tied Wally Berger's record for home runs by a rookie (38).[18] (The current record would be set by Aaron Judge in 2017.) Robinson still holds the record for home runs on opening day (8), which includes a home run in his first at bat as a player-manager.[39] Robinson won the American League Triple Crown (.316 BA, 49 HR, 122 RBI) – only two players (Carl Yastrzemski and Miguel Cabrera) have since won the award in either league – and the two MVP awards, which made him the first player in baseball history to earn the title in both leagues.[40]

Front office and media career[edit]

Robinson in January 2014

Robinson served as an assistant general manager for the Orioles through 1995, when he was fired,[41] he worked for MLB as Vice President of On-Field Operations from 1999 to 2002, responsible for player discipline, uniform policy, stadium configuration, and other on-field issues.[42]

Robinson served as an analyst for ESPN during spring training in 2007;[43] the Nationals offered to honor Robinson during a May 20 game against his former club the Baltimore Orioles but he refused.[44]

In 2007 Robinson rejoined the MLB front office, serving as a Special Advisor for Baseball Operations from 2007 to 2009, he then served as Special Assistant to Bud Selig from 2009 to 2010, and then was named Senior Vice President for Major League Operations from 2010 to 2011. In June 2012, he became Executive Vice President of Baseball Development.[42] In February 2015, Robinson left his position as Executive Vice President of Baseball Development and was named senior advisor to the Commissioner of Baseball and Honorary American League President.[45]

Personal life[edit]

While playing for the Reds in the late 1950s, Robinson attended Xavier University in Cincinnati during the off-seasons.[46] While in Baltimore, he became active in the Civil Rights Movement, he originally declined membership in the NAACP unless the organization promised not to make him do public appearances. However, after witnessing Baltimore's segregated housing and discriminatory real estate practices, he reconsidered and became an enthusiastic speaker on racial issues.[18]

Robinson met his wife, Barbara Ann Cole, in 1961, they married that year,[4] and lived in Los Angeles, where Barbara sold real estate.[41] They had two children.[32]

On February 7, 2019, Robinson died of bone cancer in Los Angeles at the age of 83.[47].

See also[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

  • Robinson, Frank (1968). My Life Is Baseball. with Al Silverman. Doubleday. ISBN 9997502442.
  • Robinson, Frank (1976). Frank: The First Year. with Dave Anderson. Holt, Rinehart and Winston. ISBN 0030149517.
  • Robinson, Frank; Stainback, Barry (1988). Extra Innings. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0070531838.

References[edit]

  1. ^ D'Imperio, Chuck (February 8, 2019). "Baseball Hall of Fame Remembers One of the Greats: Frank Robinson". cnynews.com. WDOS. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Goldstein, Richard (February 7, 2019). "Frank Robinson, Hall of Fame Slugger and First Black Baseball Manager, Dies at 83". nytimes.com. The New York Times. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Fay, John (February 8, 2019). "Frank Robinson was part of the worst trade in modern Reds history". cincinnati.com. Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Frank Robinson - Society for American Baseball Research". sabr.org. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  5. ^ "Who's Better At Hoops: Bill Russell Or Frank Robinson?". The Baltimore Sun. December 12, 1990. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  6. ^ Sharnik, Morton. "THE MOODY TIGER OF THE REDS". Vault. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  7. ^ "Baseball: More Than 150 Years" by David Nemec and Saul Wisnia. Publications International, Ltd. 1997, page 413
  8. ^ Landers, Charles. "Frank Robinson once took a Luis Tiant fastball 541 feet straight out of Memorial Stadium". MLB. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  9. ^ "1966 World Series - Baltimore Orioles over Los Angeles Dodgers (4-0)". Baseball-Reference.com. January 1, 1970. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  10. ^ "June 26, 1970: Frank Robinson's back-to-back grand slams - Society for American Baseball Research". sabr.org. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  11. ^ "Ultimate Mets Database - Memories of Rod Gaspar". Ultimatemets.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  12. ^ "Rome News-Tribune - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  13. ^ JOSEPH DURSO (November 29, 1972). "Angels Get Dodgers' Frank Robinson - The New York Times". Nytimes.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  14. ^ a b "Frank Robinson Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  15. ^ a b Special to The Plain Dealer (May 25, 2017). "Frank Robinson's debut as Cleveland Indians player-manager was historic (photos, audio)". cleveland.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  16. ^ "Reds All-Time Leaders | Cincinnati Reds". Cincinnati.reds.mlb.com. May 24, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  17. ^ a b Van, Bill. "Frank Robinson, former SF Giants manager and baseball trailblazer, dies". SFChronicle.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  18. ^ a b c "ESPN Classic - Robinson set records and broke barriers". Espn.go.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  19. ^ Sports, FOX 11 (February 8, 2019). "Photo of Frank Robinson in Brewers uniform surfaces". WLUK.
  20. ^ Mike Klingaman; Childs Walker (February 7, 2019). "Baltimore Orioles Hall of Famer Frank Robinson dies at 83". The Baltimore Sun.
  21. ^ MURRAY CHASS (February 13, 2002). "BASEBALL; Minaya, Robinson, Tavares Will Now Run the Expos - The New York Times". Nytimes.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  22. ^ "ESPN Classic - Robinson set records and broke barriers". Espn.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  23. ^ "SI.com – SI Players Poll – Aug 22, 2006". CNN. August 22, 2006. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
  24. ^ "Johnson, Nats give Robinson 1000th win". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  25. ^ Mark Zuckerman (May 26, 2006). "Robinson tearful after win". The Washington Times. Retrieved May 29, 2006.
  26. ^ Svrluga, Barry (January 11, 2007). "Nats Will Not Offer Robinson a Paid Job". The Washington Post.
  27. ^ Sheinin, Dave (October 2, 2006). "Nats' Robinson Bids a Fond Farewell". The Washington Post.
  28. ^ a b "Frank Robinson". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  29. ^ Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p.153, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, ISBN 978-0-451-22363-0
  30. ^ "Frank Robinson". Hickok Belt. August 31, 1935. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  31. ^ "Frank Robinson". Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  32. ^ a b Justice, Richard. "Frank Robinson dies | Baltimore Orioles". Mlb.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  33. ^ "100 Greatest Baseball Players by The Sporting News : A Legendary List by Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  34. ^ Sandomir, Richard (October 31, 1999). "TV SPORTS; All-Century Became All About Rose and Gray". Retrieved February 7, 2019 – via NYTimes.com.
  35. ^ Seidel, Jeff. "O's pay tribute to Robinson at Camden Yards". Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  36. ^ "Cleveland Indians to unveil statues honoring Robinson and Boudreau – Cleveland.com (Cleveland Plain Dealer)". Cleveland.com. January 24, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  37. ^ "President Offers Tributes to Medal of Freedom Honorees". The New York Times. Associated Pres. November 10, 2005. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  38. ^ "Fredericksburg.com – Frank Robinson in town for honor". Archive.today. July 9, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  39. ^ "ESPN.com - Most memorable opening day moments". Sports.espn.go.com. March 31, 2003. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  40. ^ "Tigers' Miguel Cabrera wins AL MVP over Angels' Mike Trout". The Washington Post. November 15, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  41. ^ a b Bamberger, Michael. "HOME AGAIN FRANK ROBINSON IS BACK WHERE HE BELONGS: IN THE GAME". Vault. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  42. ^ a b MLB.com – MLB Executives Bio of Frank Robinson http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/about_mlb/executives.jsp?bio=robinson_frank Retrieved October 6, 2013
  43. ^ "ESPN Hires Frank Robinson As an Analyst". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
  44. ^ Svrluga, Barry (February 16, 2007). "Robinson Declines Celebration in His Honor". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
  45. ^ foxsports (February 2, 2015). "Hall of Famer Robinson to become senior adviser to MLB commish". Foxsports.com. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  46. ^ Moffi, Larry and Kronstadt, Jonathan. Crossing the Line: Black Major Leaguers, 1947–1959. McFarland (1994). pp. 156. ISBN 0-899-50930-4
  47. ^ Waldman, Tyler. "Frank Robinson, Baseball Lifer And Orioles Legend, Has Died". WBAL.com. WBAL. Retrieved February 7, 2019.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]


Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Mickey Mantle 		Hitting for the cycle
May 2, 1959 		Succeeded by
Brooks Robinson
Preceded by
George Altman
Ron Santo 		Major League Player of the Month
July 1961
August 1964 		Succeeded by
Warren Spahn
Bob Gibson
Preceded by
Jim Northrup 		Two Grand Slams in a game
June 26, 1970 		Succeeded by
Robin Ventura
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Jim Frey 		Baltimore Orioles Hitting Coach
1978–1980 		Succeeded by
Ralph Rowe
Preceded by
Jim Frey 		Baltimore Orioles First Base Coach
1980 		Succeeded by
Jimmy Williams
Preceded by
vacant 		Baltimore Orioles Bench Coach
1985–1987 		Succeeded by
vacant
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