Word emerged today that legendary former ballplayer and manager Frank Robinson has passed away at 83 years of age. MLBTR extends its condolences to the Hall of Famer’s family, friends, and many acquaintances around the game.
On the field, Robinson was one of the game’s most-feared sluggers for a nearly unfathomable stretch, with his first All-Star nod coming in his Rookie of the Year season of 1956 and his final one occurring in 1974, his final full campaign. In between, Robinson made a dozen additional All-Star appearances and won Most Valuable Player awards in both the National League (with the Reds in 1961) and American League (in 1966, his first season with the Orioles).
A paragon of consistency, Robinson’s worst seasons were the stuff of dreams for most MLB players. He ultimately appeared in 21 campaigns, compiling an eye-popping .294/.389/.537 lifetime batting line in 11,742 trips to the plate. Robinson not only racked up 586 career home runs — still tenth-most in history — but struck out only 789 times while drawing 698 walks.
Robinson’s legendary run as a player only tells part of his story. He finished out his time on the field as a player-manager of the Indians, making him the first African American manager in the history of baseball. Even while breaking barriers, Robinson’s supreme talent and determination showed through. In his first season leading the dugout, which was also his age-39 campaign as a player, he posted a 153 OPS+ and drew 29 walks against 15 strikeouts in 149 trips to the plate.
Robinson went on to run the dugouts of the Giants (becoming the first black manager in the National League), Orioles, and Expos/Nationals. Though he did not have a standout run of success in that job, with a 1065-1176 lifetime record as a skipper, Robinson later went on to take a prominent role in MLB operations and remained a highly respected member of the baseball community throughout. All told, his ongoing service cemented his legacy as one of baseball’s all-time lifers.
Robinson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982. He has had his number 20 retired by the Reds, Orioles, and Indians. And he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
RIP Mr Robinson. You were an inspiration to so many of us.
Absolutely one of the best on the field and from what I’ve read an even better person.
He was not the first African American managerin the history of baseball, he was the first in The MLB, however.
Unfortunately if you played baseball in the Negro Leagues you weren’t credited with playing baseball. It’s unfortunate blacks abandoned their own league to help propel MLB into the powerhouse it is today only to see their own institution whither away. Now blacks have zero ownership and zero economies of scale to employ their own people.
RIP to a great player and pioneer. Thoughts and prayers with his family.
Are you really an Angel fan? I suspect you are not a long time Angel fan. Read up on the Angels and Frank Robinson’s history with them.
I don’t know how it’s possible to be a knowledgeable Angel fan and a Frank Robinson fan.
I know his history with the Angels. He was a player with them before I was alive but I do remember the managerial flare up.
He was still an incredible player and a pioneer and I can appreciate that.
One of the best players of all time and still underrated. As a player, he was beyond great.
I was there the night he homered in his first AB as an Angel. I was sitting one seat away from sitting President Richard Nixon. I use to play ball in front of Robinson’s house in Casiano Estates. Kim Richards use to come out and watch us from time to time. I frequently saw Robinson driving his car with his MVP 61 License Plate. I’m just saying I remember him very very well.
In 1974 he tore the Angels clubhouse apart and forced a trade. He first tried to get Winkles fired so he could become manager and then forced a trade when Dick Williams became manager. The Angels traded Messerschmidt for him and after two GREAT seasons, got nothing back for him. But he got his wish, He became manager of the Indians at the expense of the Angels.
In 1989 he threatened to walk away as manager of the Orioles, playing the race card that umpires were out to get him. The Angels came into Baltimore and what followed was the worst umpired series of all time. All in favor of the Orioles.
And of course the Jose Guillen/Frank Robinson Nationals brawl in 2005.
I don’t know how an Angel fan can know these things and be a Frank Robinson fan.
Why don’t you drop a deuce on his grave since you’re so perfect.
Wow, great response. He was one of the greatest players of all time and a complete jerk.
His death does not make him a great guy.
Macstruts…. great insight. Thanks for the info
An Angel fan should appreciate that he was a great player and a pioneer in the game while realizing that, like all men, he wasn’t perfect.
You know, like I did in my initial post., where I clearly defined him as a great player and pioneer.
To question my fandom over the fact I have compassion is odd.
Frank won the MVP in both leagues … no one has done that? Did he play the race card then? How about the MVP in the world series? Rookie of the year back when that was really, damned tough to win for an African American.
And you’re worried about Frank’s personality as a manager? Of the Angels? Really???? I guess he isn’t the smartest politician as he didn’t get another managers jobs until the MLB bought the Expos from Loria and moved them to DC. I guess there’s always two sides to every story, maybe someday we’ll hear his. You know its not like the Angels are the best run NL franchise either is it?
That you use the phrase “playing the race card” should instantly make your petty criticisms suspect
@Mac while I don’t share your opinion that he was a jerk I do remember some of those shady moments that I guess we all have kind of forgotten.
I don’t expect us Yankee fans for instance, to remember Pedro Martinez fondly especially after he tossed Don Zimmer like a puppy.
I kinda hate all the garbage pitchers the Yankees acquired in the 00’s.
I guess it’s all about perspective.
I suspect you don’t know how to behave like an adult because you can’t even restrain yourself on the day of this man’s death.
Maybe HalosHeavenJJ doesn’t know the history, So what? Therefore, Frank Robinson cannot be appreciated and honored by any Angels fan? Do you seriously not understand how stupid that sounds? Do you yourself know that Frank Robinson’s history is more than just his moments with the Angels? Do you know what this guy went through as a young player?
And what if HHJJ does know about the history? He’s not acting like a 5-year-old and can honor a man who deserves to be honored and not unduly ridiculed like you’ve done here, child.
May God bless Frank Robinson and give you the ability to show a little mercy and humility in the future.
Great response Charles Russell, macstruts should be ashamed of himself
Charles, I knew most of the story. The trade demands, the wish to be manager, and I definitely watched the 2005 game.
But, my mama raised me right and I have respect for people and can pay those respects fully aware that the man was not perfect.
@Charles Did he say he was popping a bottle of bubbly or something? He posted an opinion, and while not popular it’s still his to share. Getting butthurt at every comment that doesn’t rate well on your “morality meter” belongs on one of the news sites and not here.
RIP
RIP
One of the best. RIP Mr. Robinson.
F
RIP Frank, it’s a sad day for baseball. Unbelievable player, you will be missed.
wow, what a loss. I’m so sad.
RIP FRANK, You were loved by many.
One of the greatest O’s ever.
RIP
RIP
We remove our caps out of deep respect.
Great player. Great man.
this isn’t a rumor, leave it for CNN to report
It’s baseball news. That’s what this site reports. Move on with your life.
Wait the Clinton News Network reports on stuff other than Fake News?
Poor ignorant child
People still say “fake news”? 2016 called.
Is that you Nancy?
The Reds traded Robinson when he was 30, because they thought players don’t do anything after 30. He put up hall of fame number for the O”s. One of the worst trades in history. Robinson one of the greatest hitters in history. RIP.
An all-time Orioles legend. You’ve done our team so proud—our sense of greatness started with you!!—and you’ll always be remembered for that, and you’ll be remembered for so so much more too! God bless!
RIP Frank
RIH De(half)Witt, for trading Robbie
RIP
Why do you have to qualify”in his heyday”……….. Robinson was one of the game’s most feared sluggers OF ALL TIME. Great, great Baseball Man.
I think I made that clear with lavish praise. It wasn’t qualifying at all. Doesn’t suggest a comparison only to players of his era. It’s mostly a throwaway phrase … when he was a young guy, when he was still a ballplayer, when he was in his prime. But since it is a throwaway phrase I guess I’ll just tweak it.
Don’t give in to bullies. Especially when they’re coming from a place of ignorance.
“In his heyday” clearly refers to someone in their prime or at their peak and not an era.
The problem here is his, not yours.
RIP Frank. Great player. Always liked his stance in the batters box; he seemed very relaxed with a relaxed grip on the bat; but when he swung, it went.
RIP Frank. Great player. Always liked his stance in the batters box; .seemed very relaxed with a relaxed grip on the bat; but when he swung, it went.
I remember his appearance on The Cosby Show.
I guess it wasn’t to slam Cosby’s head into a wall shouting “Don’t…treat….women….like….THAT” like Nic Cage did in Con Air.
Was #4 on all-time homerun list when he retired…
Aaron, Ruth, Mays, Robinson.
Goes to the AL in 1966 at age 30. First year in a new league wins the Triple Crown, MVP and a World Series Title. Not sure if that will ever be duplicated.
His accomplishments in and for MLB could go on, page after page after page.
#RIP
Small note for Jeff: the Ks and BBs you cite are Cinci numbers only, not career.
Heroes live forever but legends never die
Amen
RIP Frank, what a legend!
So sad. RIP
RIP Mr.Robinson. You were truly a remarkable player!
We lost one of the greatest in the history of MLB. The completeness, and consistent performance of his game cannot be matched, except by a minuscule few others. My favorite stories, that Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper tell on the Giant’s broadcasts, are of them playing for him when he managed the Giants. RIP.
I read an interview with Robinson from only a year or two ago where he was talking about his time with the Giants, and after all these decades he still said his greatest accomplishment with the team was breaking up the God Squad, much to my amusement.
nytimes.com/1981/05/10/sports/religion-becomes-an-…
Sad Day. RIP
Rest in peace. I never saw you play but wish i had.
Did the article mention that he won the triple crown in 1966? Now he can talk baseball with Earl again.
HoF, 2x MVP, 14x all-star with 11 of them being when player, coaches, managers selected who player (i.e. when it was really an all star game), AS MVP, Triple Crown, WS MVP, Manager of the Year, RoY and had 8 seasons, including 5 in a row with more BB than K’s, only had one 100K season.
What a player.
RIP Fine Sir
I saw Frank Robinson play in an exciting 1967 game that featured five future Hall of Famers (plus Tony Oliva, Boog Powell, Paul Blair and Davey Johnson):
baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN196708310.shtm…
I saw the only game the orioles lost in the 1970 sereis…
Famous quotes:after game
Reporter: “The Orioles are up 3-1 in the series. what is the plan for tomoorw’s game?”
Sparky Anderson (Reds manager for you young bucks) “Pray for rain…”
I watched Paul Blair on a televised game in Baltimore(Metropolitan stadium ithink). He jumped up on the cement wall in Left, leaned over the pipe railing into the crowd. He brought back a would be 2 run HR of the bat of Kaline. Ironic that Kaline ended his career with 399 homers. Paul Blair’s great play took one off of Kaline’s total.
Probably Memorial Stadium
One of the greatest I ever saw. R.I.P.
RIP to a legend.
One of the true all around greats. Very saddened by this and condolences to his family and friends.
A great baseball player but lacking as a human being. I would call him the only team cancer in Angel history when he pitted black against white in the Angel clubhouse in an effort to be named manager at the expense of Bobby Winkles.
When he became the Baltimore Oriole manager, he labeled umpires racist, and then they bent over backwards to give the Orioles every call. Which they immediately did and what followed was the worst umpired series I’ve ever seen. Including a game ending foul ball Home Run.
As a Nationals manager, against the Angels, he spearheaded one the biggest brawls in Nationals History. Google it.
RIP, but he was not a nice person.
Even though BLATANT all out racism is ALMOST none existed today, he for sure dealt with bad racism towards him in his early and mid life.
Racism exists today still and from “both sides” we’ve just taken to call it social justice in the toxic callout culture we live in today.
In ‘71 WS, said Roberto should shut up and watch him play RF. We all know how that turned out!
so funny how easily dismissed a person can be treated when they speak on how they feel they’re been victimized of racism. how do YOU know that he wasn’t being truthful? i mean racism in the 50s, 60s and 70s…. is it hard to imagine?
I have his autograph on an Wash Senators program.
Great player. Better person.
God bless him and his family.
you really think it’s NEARLY non- existent?
Waning, … but still a looong way to go.
War, sports and the arts — three biggest spikes to the heart of racial ignorance.
Farewell Frank and as the O’s said the last day in Memorial Park
“Thanks for the memories…”
May you reside in your field of Dreams forever…
RIP, Frank.
That Baltimore team was ridiculous. One of the most under the radar mvp’s. An absolute terror on the field. RIP, sir!
In his 1966 triple crown season his salary was $64 thousand. How times have changed.
Why do people think the Reds traded him after a 161 OPS+ season. (led the team)
Why do people think the Orioles traded him after a 162 OPS+ Season. (second on the team)
Why do people think the Dodgers traded him after a 135 OPS+ Season.(led the team)
Why do people think the Angels traded him during a 146 OPS+ Season (led the team)
It’s because he was a jerk. Let’s not pretend Frank Robinson was a great human being. He had a chip on his shoulder the size of the Rock of Gibraltar. Maybe it was warranted. Those were not easy times to live in, but he didn’t make living around him very easy either.
You keep commenting on this. we get it you don’t like him. Stop using a you’re megaphone about it.
Is there a more underrated great player?
There goes one of the greatest.
I remember as a little kid meeting him and Dick Stuart at a KofC autograph show in Massapequa, NY. He spent some time talking to the kids and treated the adults the same way who followed him along his career and we’re in awe. God bless.
One of my childhood heroes. Rest in peace, Mr. Robinson. Thanks for the great memories.
One of the most underrated, underappreciated and overlooked baseball players in history. Amazing career. Wish I could have seen him play in-person.
Brooks Robinson is getting up there also at 81. Sure was one talented team.
Easily one of the most underrated HOF ever. At one point he was 4th on the all time homerun list behind only Aaron, Ruth and Mays. Roid users such as Bonds, Arod and Sosa have diminished his place on the list but still an amazing hitter who fell just short of being a .300/.400/.500 500 hr hitter which is a super exclusive list. RIP.
A true Legend. RIP.
My mom always speaks of the time when she was sitting in the bleachers at the OLD MEMORIAL Stadiium in Baltimore…she was in the bleacher seats WAY up near the top of the outfield by the foul pole (the seats were cheap and on a bench next to each other, and the beer vendors never stopped serving)…
Anyway, Frank Robinson hit the ball over her head and out of Memorial Stadium on the fly for the only Home Run ever hit out of that park, and Memorial was around for a lot of years.
Mr. Robinson may not have been a perfect person, but he was one of the best besabell players ever to step on the field, and he was a demanding, old school, leader of men. He will be missed in many ways, but his life and career should be celebrated.
I saw his first game in Cleveland as the player/manager. One of the greats from my childhood. RIP
Jeff- You need to double check your stats. You said he had “6408 trips to the plate,” but he had a lot more than that.
Here’s to you, Mr. Robinson. RIP pal
God bless you Mr. Robinson, I never saw you play, as a Reds fan I’ve often wondered how you would have been as a part of the Machine.
There’s some Baltimore videos on YouTube. One (2010), 40th anv of 1970 World Series title. Another( 1991 I think) , last game in Memorial stadium. Featured first pitch thrown by Brooks to Cal, and Johnny U throwing a football to the mayor.
And here’s to you Mr. Robinson! A great Red, fierce competitor, gentleman, and credit to MLB. Rest In Peace.
SueJen: A+++++
I remember when Nat’s Manager Frank Robinson moved Alfonso Soriano from 2B to LF. Soriano made it known that he did not want to make the move. He was to become a free agent following the season. I respected Robinson the way he handled it. He was firm and unapologetic. Some Managers would’ve given in.
Soriano’s OF defense was inconsistent but, he lead MLB with 22 OF assists. He was the best hitter on that team.
RIP to a true gentleman of life. Class act and Hall of Famer who set the example for future generations
Class and a real gentleman.
Jackie & Frank Robinson knocked down some big walls, opened the doors for those that followed.