R.I.P. Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson, who followed up a Hall of Fame career as a baseball player by becoming the 1st African American manager in major league history, died at age 83 on February 7th, 2019.

Robinson began his major league career in 1956 as a 20 year old with the Cincinnati Reds, and it was quite a debut. He hit 38 home runs, drove in 83 runs, hit .290, and led the National League with 122 runs scored. That performance earned him Rookie of the Year honors. In 1961, Robinson led the Reds to the National League pennant, and led the league in slugging percentage (.611) and OPS (1.015). He hit .323 with 37 homers and 124 RBIs, and stole 22 bases, and won the NL MVP award. In 1962, Robinson was arguably even better, leading the NL in runs (134) doubles (51), on base percentage (.421), slugging (.624) and OPS (1.045) while hitting .342 and driving in 136 runs (both career highs) and hitting 39 home runs. Robinson finished fourth in the MVP voting however, behind Maury Wills, Willie Mays, and Tommy Davis.

After the 1965 season, Robinson was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. In his first year with his new team, Robinson won the Triple Crown and became the first, and to date only player to win the MVP award in both leagues. Robinson hit .316, with 49 homers and 122 RBIs; he also led the AL in runs (122), on base percentage (.410), slugging (.637), OPS (1.047), total bases (367), and even sacrifice flies (7). He also led Baltimore to a World Series championship, as the Orioles swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in four games. He played on three more pennant winners with the Orioles (1969, ’70, and ’71) and was a World Series champion again in 1970.

After the 1971 season, Robinson was traded to the Dodgers; a year later he was sent to the California Angels, and then to the Cleveland Indians in September of 1974. In 1975, Robinson was named manager of the Indians, the first African American to manage at the major league level. He not only managed the team, he was a player manager before retiring as a player after the 1976 season. Robinson also managed the Giants, Orioles, and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals franchise.

Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, his first year of eligibility.