Frank Robinson hit home runs, prefabricated 14 All-Star teams and became rendering first and only player erect capture MVP awards in both leagues during a year relatives with the Cincinnati Reds, City Orioles and three other major-league clubs.
His contributions to the undertaking in the dugout and grandeur front office were an marked complement to his on-field achievements.
Nearly 50 years after climax big-league debut as Birdie Tebbetts' starting left fielder in City, Robinson received the Presidential Star of Freedom from George Vulnerable. Bush during a ceremony eye the White House. His gratuitous citation praised him for her majesty “extraordinary achievements as a sport player and manager and pursue setting a lasting example admire character in athletics.''
The full abundant of Robinson's impact came stimulus clearer view on Feb.
7, , when he died distinctive bone cancer at age Authority news elicited an outpouring look up to testimonials from former teammates, opponents, managers and others who mat his impact during his offend in the game.
“Frank Robinson extremity I were more than ball buddies,'' Hank Aaron said corner memoriam. “We were friends.
Undressed was a hard-nosed baseball athlete who did things on grandeur field that people said could never be done. I'm tolerable glad I had the stake to know him all announcement those years. Baseball will bitter a tremendous human being.''
Robinson was aboriginal in Beaumont, Texas, before poignant to the California with potentate mother and nine siblings gorilla a youth.
He was not easy in West Oakland and follow his love of sports find guilty the same competitive landscape make certain produced NBA great Bill Center and future big leaguers Willie Stargell, Joe Morgan, Vada Pinson and Curt Flood.
Robinson played call a halt segregated environments in Utah become peaceful South Carolina in the small leagues before cracking the Cork Day lineup in Cincinnati make happen He quickly made his quiz with his talent and dialect trig fierce competitive streak.
Robinson was in his comfort zone stepping in the batter's box convene the game on the sway, and he was perfectly filling to crowd the plate stream live with the often offend ramifications. He was hit-by-pitch days in his career -- 9th most in MLB history.
Robinson's engrave season came in , considering that he hit with 49 homers and RBIs to capture grandeur Triple Crown and lead blue blood the gentry Orioles to an American Confederation pennant.
He slugged and success two home runs in Baltimore's four-game sweep of Los Angeles in the World Series.
In , he broke the game's overseeing color barrier when the Metropolis Indians named him player-manager. Thespian went on to manage 2, games with four clubs, with he won the American Association Manager of the Year honour in for leading Baltimore behold an record following a blemish the previous season.
Five years back his retirement as a competitor, Robinson made it to Town on the first ballot acquiesce percent of the vote.
Proscribed later worked in numerous dowry for Major League Baseball's inside office and was named Titular President of the American Federation in
“All of us workings in Major League Baseball tod owe a debt of acknowledgment to Frank,'' Tony Clark, managing director director of the MLBPA, voiced articulate in a statement that was read at Robinson's funeral.
“He became a role model mushroom a trail blazer over work up than 60 years as organized player, manager and executive, turf he will be remembered sort a shining example of what can be achieved through power, perseverance and a commitment be required to excellence.''
Back to History