The first player to be named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of both the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), Robinson 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.
A 14-time All-Star, Robinson batted .300 nine times, hit 30 home runs 11 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). 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]
After managing the Indians, Robinson went on to manage the San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, and Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals. 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]
Robinson made his major league debut on April 17, 1956 at the age of 20.[7] After posting 11 consecutive losing seasons, the Reds surprised their opposition by jumping to first place at the mid-point of the 1956 season. Robinson led the team with 18 home runs at mid-season, earning him the role as starting left fielder for the National League in the 1956 All-Star Game.[1][8] The Reds stayed in the pennant race until the last day of the season, ending up with a 91–63 record, two games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers.[9]
Robinson ended the 1956 season with a .290 batting average and 83 RBI, and his 38 home runs tied the Major League Baseball record for home runs hit by a Rookie player previously set by Wally Berger in 1930.[7][10] His rookie home run record stood for 31 years when it was broken by Mark McGwire's 49 home runs in 1987.[10] His impressive power hitting display earned him the 1956 National League Rookie of the Year Award.[11]
Frick allowed Robinson to remain on the team while Bell and Post were replaced on the NL starting roster by outfielders Hank Aaron and Willie Mays.[12] Bell remained as a reserve player, but Post was removed from the roster altogether.[12] Subsequently, Frick suspended fans' All-Star game voting rights until they were eventually restored in 1970.[12] The Reds faltered after the All-Star break and dropped to fourth place in the season final standings.
Robinson earned the 1957 Associated Press National League Sophomore-of-the-Year award by improving his batting average to .322, tying him with Hank Aaron for third place in the 1957 NL batting championship race behind future Hall of Fame members Stan Musial (.366) and Willie Mays (.333).[13][14] He credited manager, Birdie Tebbetts for his performance saying, "He kept after me all year and that's what a young ball player needs."[13] In 1958, Robinson would win the only Gold Glove Award of his career however, his batting average dropped to .269 as the Reds fell to last place in the National League, prompting Tebbetts to announce his resignation on August 14.[7][15][16] In 1959, Robinson improved to a .311 batting average along with 36 home runs and 125 RBI in 146 games.[7] He also enjoyed a productive 1960, batting .297 with 31 home runs and 83 RBI in 139 games. That year, Robinson led the major leagues in slugging percentage (.595) and on-base plus slugging (1.002), and also ranked first in the NL in hit by pitches (nine).[7]
Robinson with the Reds in 1961
In 1961, Robinson moved to right field and produced another strong offensive season.[1] In July he batted .409, hit 13 home runs, and drove in 34 runs to win NL Player of the Month Award, and finished the season with a .323 batting average with 37 home runs and 124 RBI in 153 games, helping to propel the Reds to the 1961National League pennant.[7][17] His performance earned him the 1961 National League Most Valuable Player Award.[18] In the 1961 World Series against the New York Yankees, Robinson had a lackluster performance, producing only three hits as the Reds fell to the Yankees in five games.[19]
Robinson hit a career-high .342 in 1962, just four points behind the NL batting champion, Tommy Davis.[20] He also led the league in runs scored (134), doubles (51), on-base percentage (.421), slugging percentage (.624) and on-base plus slugging (1.045).[20] Robinson's season totals for runs scored, doubles, RBI (136) and on-base percentage were also career-highs.[7]
Robinson was noted as a fiercely aggressive player. He spikedJohnny Logan in 1957, causing Logan to miss six weeks. In a game against the Milwaukee Braves on August 15, 1960, Robinson slid hard into third base, prompting a fistfight with Milwaukee's future Hall of Fame third baseman, Eddie Mathews.[21]
Baltimore Orioles (1966–1971)
On December 9, 1965, Reds owner Bill DeWitt traded Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitcherMilt Pappas, pitcher Jack Baldschun, and outfielder Dick Simpson.[7] The trade turned out to be very lopsided. DeWitt, who had a slew of successful trades including his time as general manager in Detroit and 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.[22] In Robinson's first year in Baltimore, he won the Triple Crown, leading the American League with a .316 batting average (then the lowest ever by a Triple Crown winner), 49 home runs (the most ever by a right-handed Triple crown winner) and 122 RBI in 155 games.[7] On May 8, 1966, Robinson became the only player ever to hit a home run completely out of Memorial Stadium.[23] 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.[24]
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 1 (which Baltimore won 5–2), and one in Game 4 (the only run of the game in a 1–0 series-clinching victory). Robinson hit both home runs off of Don Drysdale.[25]
During the 1969 season, Robinson brought some humor to the Orioles' clubhouse by presiding over their kangaroo court, held after every Oriole win. As the judge, he would hear arguments from both sides and give out fines for minor infractions (such as one dollar per lady talked to during a game) and "awards", named after people notoriously bad at a certain skill and involving a prop the "winner" had to display until the next court session. For instance, Jim Palmer once won the John Mason Baserunning Award, a smelly, decrepit baseball cleat presented for baserunning gaffes. Palmer credited the kangaroo court for helping the Orioles bond as a team.[26]
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.[27]
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 told by his teammate Merv Rettenmund, "It's Rod, stupid." He then retorted by saying, "OK. Bring on Rod Stupid!"[28] Baltimore won the 1970 World Series over the Reds.[1]
Final years as a player (1972–1976)
Robinson, circa 1973
Robinson was traded along with Pete Richert from the Orioles to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Doyle Alexander, Bob O'Brien, Sergio Robles and Royle Stillman at the Winter Meetings on December 2, 1971.[29] When the 1972 Major League Baseball strike occurred, Robinson was one of three Dodgers out of thirty who voted against it. When the vote was announced, he said, "I don't believe in the strike, and I voted against it. But I was voted down, so now I'm on your side. I'm with you guys."[30] 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 RBI, 86 hits, and 19 home runs.[7] Teammate Tommy John said, "Frank didn't have a great year in 1972, but he played hard all year...He set a positive role model for the team."[30]
Robinson's only season with the Dodgers ended when he was dealt along with Bill Singer, Bobby Valentine, Billy Grabarkewitz and Mike Strahler to the California Angels for Andy Messersmith and Ken McMullen at the Winter Meetings on November 28, 1972. The transaction was the result of Robinson's request for regular playing time, something Dodgers general manager Al Campanis wanted for the team's younger prospects. It also reunited him with Angels general manager Harry Dalton who had worked in a similar capacity when both were with the Orioles.[31] 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 posting 50 home runs, 249 hits, and 160 RBI in 276 games.[7]
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).[7] 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.[32] His final at-bat in the majors came against Baltimore on September 18, where he pinch-hit in the eighth inning and collected an RBI base hit in a 3–2 loss.[1][33]
Career statistics
During a 21-year baseball career, he batted .294 with 586 home runs, 1,812 runs batted in, and 2,943 hits.[7] 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 third on Cincinnati's all-time home run leaders list (324, behind Johnny Bench and Joey Votto) and is the Reds' all-time leader in slugging percentage (.554).[34][35]
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).[36] (The current record would be set by Pete Alonso in 2019.) 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.[37]
Robinson won the 1966 American League Triple Crown (.316 batting average, 49 home runs, 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.[38]
Robinson managed in the winter leagues late in his playing career.[39] 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. He was appointed player-manager by the Indians on October 2, 1974, giving him the distinction of being the first black manager in the Majors.[40] Robinson had a rocky time in Cleveland, as general manager Phil Seghi generally liked to second guess his manager along with trying to push for him to play alongside managing (the result was that he played roughly 80 games as manager). Disagreements with players such as Gaylord Perry did not help matters (he went to the press saying he wanted to be paid a dollar more than Robinson's $173,500 salary). The Indians had a 79–80 record, and had an 81–78 record in 1976, their first winning record in eight years. Cleveland started the 1977 season 26–31 and fired Robinson on June 19, 1977.[32][41]
Robinson managed the San Francisco Giants from 1981 through 106 games of the 1984 season, when he was fired.[1][39] He finished the 1984 season as the hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers on a contract worth $1.[42] In 1985, he joined the Orioles' front office. On April 12, 1988, Robinson was named manager of the Orioles, replacing Cal Ripken Sr. after an 0–6 start to the season.[43] 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, and the division title came down to the final three-game series between Baltimore and the Toronto Blue Jays, but the Jays would win the first two games to clinch the division.[44] It would be the closest Robinson ever came to managing a team to the postseason.
Robinson as manager of the San Francisco Giants in 1983
Robinson was fired by the Orioles in May 1991.[45] After he had spent some years known in baseball as the Director of Discipline, Robinson was chosen by Major League Baseball to manage the Montreal Expos in February 2002, which MLB owned at that time.[46][47] 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, their final season before relocation to Washington, D.C.[36]
In a June 2005 Sports Illustrated poll of 450 MLB players, Robinson was selected as 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.[48]
On April 20, 2006, with the Nationals' 10–4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, Robinson got his 1,000th win, becoming the 53rd manager to reach that milestone.[49] He had earned his 1,000th loss two seasons earlier.[7]
During a game against the Houston Astros on May 25, 2006, Robinson pulled Nationals catcherMatt 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 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 post-game interviews.[50]
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.[51] 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.[52] Robinson's record as a manager stood at 1,065 wins and 1,176 losses. He is one of just seven managers to have won 1,000 games without having made the postseason once, and he is the only one to do it since the Expansion Era began in 1961 (incidentally, five of those managers won pennants in the 19th century, while the sixth was Jimmy Dykes who retired as a manager in 1961).[53]
In 1982, Robinson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a Baltimore Oriole.[56] 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.[57]
"Frank Robinson played the game of baseball with total integrity and steadfast determination. He won Most Valuable Player awards in both the National and American Leagues. He achieved the American League Triple Crown in 1966. His teams won five League titles and two World Series championships. In 1975, Frank Robinson broke the color barrier as baseball's first African-American manager, and he later won Manager of the Year awards in both the National and American Leagues. The United States honors Frank Robinson for his extraordinary achievements as a baseball player and manager and for setting a lasting example of character in athletics."
On April 13, 2007, Robinson was awarded the first Jackie Robinson Society Community Recognition Award at George Washington University.[64]
Front office and media career
Robinson in January 2014
Robinson served as an assistant general manager for the Orioles through 1995 when he was fired.[65] He worked for MLB as vice president of on-field operations from 1999 to 2002. He was responsible for player discipline, uniform policy, stadium configuration, and other on-field issues.[66]
Robinson served as an analyst for ESPN during spring training in 2007.[67] The Nationals offered to honor Robinson during a May 20 game against his former club, the Baltimore Orioles, but he refused.[68]
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 was named senior vice president for major league operations from 2010 to 2011. In June 2012, he became executive vice president of baseball development.[66] In February 2015, Robinson left that position and was named senior advisor to the Commissioner of Baseball and honorary American League president.[69]
Personal life
While playing for the Reds in the late 1950s, Robinson attended Xavier University in Cincinnati during the off-season.[70] 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.[36]
On February 9, 1961, Robinson pulled a .25 caliber pistol during an argument in a Cincinnati restaurant. He pleaded guilty on March 20 to a charge of carrying a concealed weapon and was sentenced to pay a $250 fine (equivalent to $2,549 in 2023).[71]
Robinson met Barbara Ann Cole in 1961; they married that year[1] and lived in Los Angeles where Barbara sold real estate.[65] They had two children.[57] In 2003, he guest starred on an episode of Yes, Dear as himself, along with Ernie Banks and Johnny Bench.[72]
On February 7, 2019, Robinson died of bone cancer in Los Angeles at the age of 83.[73]
^Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p.153, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, ISBN978-0-451-22363-0
