Frank Robinson paved the way for athletes, managers, and coaches of color in Major League Baseball. Not only was he the first African American manager in the MLB, but he was also a great ballplayer for three decades.
Before baseball became the sport he was best known for, Robinson grew up in Oakland, California, where he was the captain of a state championship basketball team. His basketball teammate was Bill Russell, who became the first black head coach in the NBA.
Later in Life: Bill Russell (L) and Frank Robinson (photo courtesy Grunge)
Robinson made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 1956. Robinson hit 31 home runs during his rookie season, which led him to become the Rookie of the Year for the National League. In 1958, Robinson won his only Gold Glove Award. In 1961, Robinson won his first MVP award and led the Reds to their first pennant in 21 years. The Reds appeared in the World Series, but lost to the New York Yankees.
He continued to play for the Reds until 1965, and then he joined the Baltimore Orioles in 1966. He showed that he still had the strength and prowess even as he approached his 30s. Robinson won the Triple Crown and bolstered the Orioles to their first World Series title. Overall, his first season with the Orioles was exceptional, with 49 home runs, 122 RBIs, a .316 batting average, and 122 runs. Robinson retired from playing baseball in 1976.
He helped the Orioles win their second World Series in 1970 against his former team, the Cincinnati Reds. His final years as a player included stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the California Angels, and the Cleveland Indians. A great hitter, Robinson was also a great baserunner, sliding spikes high whenever it was needed. “The baselines belong to the runner, and whenever I was running the bases, I always slid hard,” Robinson said.
On April 8, 1975, Robinson became the first African American manager in MLB while still playing for the Indians. He remained the manager for the Indians until he got fired in 1977. He served as manager for three other teams, including the San Francisco Giants and the Baltimore Orioles. He was the last manager of the Montreal Expos and the first manager of the Washington Nationals.
Robinson as Orioles manager (photo courtesy PressBoxOnLine.com)
Robinson was named the American League Manager of the Year with the Baltimore Orioles in 1989. During his many years as a manager, Robinson never made the postseason.
Robinson was fortunate enough to have many awards and honors during and after his baseball career. Robinson was the only player to win the MVP in both leagues. In 1982, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility. In 2005, Robinson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush.
Overall, his career stats spoke volumes for a Hall of Fame career. He had a .294 batting average, 586 home runs, 1,812 runs batted in, and 2,943 hits. As a manager, he had a 1,065-1,176 record. He is only one of seven managers to win 1,000 games without making the postseason.
Frank Robinson died in 2019 at the age of 83.
In his own words, Frank Robinson knew he would encounter challenges as the league’s first African American manager. However, he took advantage of the opportunity and saw that it would leave a lasting impression on his legacy.
Frank Robinson: They said it was the chance to break that barrier; open the door and let more African Americans have the opportunity to come through it.
They were right.
