Hall of Famer Frank Robinson
Only Player to Win MVP in Both Leagues; Game's First Black Manager
Frank Robinson won two MVP awards, a Triple Crown, and became the game's first African-American manager in 1975.
Robinson's Great Rookie Year
Robinson broke into the majors in 1956, and he did it with a big bang, tying the rookie home run record with 38 dingers. His record stood until 1987 when Mark McGwire (years before he is alleged to have taken steroids) hit 49 homers in his rookie campaign. Robinson also hit .290 and knocked in 83 runs, and won the American League Rookie of the Year award.
Robinson continued to develop in the late 1950s and by 1961, he was arguably the best player in the National League. He hit .323 with 37 home runs and 124 RBI, and won his first MVP award in unanimous fashion. 1961 was also the first season that Robinson played in a World Series; the Reds had won the National League by four games over the Dodgers. Unfortunately, Cincinnati had to face the New York Yankees, who had won 109 games that year and had the game's greatest home run hitting tandem in Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. The Yankees won the Series in five games, but Robinson played well, hitting a home run and driving in four runs.
Although Robinson continued to have impressive years from 1962 through 1965, the Reds traded him to the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher Milt Pappas before the start of the 1966 season. This was a very controversial trade. Robinson had hit .296 with 33 home runs and 113 RBI in '65. Although Pappas was a good pitcher (13-9, 2.60 ERA in 1965), Robinson was a perrenial All-Star who still seemed very much in his prime. But Reds general manager Bill De Witt defended the trade by saying that Robinson was "an old 30."
Robinson responded by winning the American League Triple Crown (.316 BA, 49 HR, 122 RBI) and the MVP award, which made him the first player in baseball history to earn the title in both leagues. He still holds that distinction today. The Orioles also went on to sweep the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1966 World Series. Against Dodger pitching that included Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, Robinson hit .286 with 3 home runs and 3 RBI in 14 at-bats.
Robinson continued to prove his old general manager wrong, having many more productive seasons for almost a full decade after being declared to old for the Reds.
In 1969, he led the Orioles to another American League pennant by hitting .308 with 32 home runs and 100 RBI. His last good season came in 1973, when Robinson was 37 years old and hit 30 home runs and drove in 97 RBI for the California Angels.
His career totals include a .294 batting average, 586 home runs, at total of 1,812 runs batted in, and 2,943 hits in 2,808 games played. When he retired, Robinson's 586 career home runs were the fourth-best in history, though he has since been passed by Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Ken Griffey.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962, which was his first year of eligibility.
Frank Robinson's Managing Career
In 1975, the Cleveland Indians named Robinson player-manager, making him the first black manager in baseball history. He led Cleveland for three seasons, them moved on to manage the San Francisco Giants, the Baltimore Oioles and the Washington Nationals. Frank won the American League Manager of the Year Award in 1989 when he led the Orioles to a second place finish and a record of 87-75, which was a significant improvement from their 1988 record of 54-107.
Robinson retired from managing after the 2006 season with a career record of 1065-1166.
