CaliSports News

Former Angel and Dodger Frank Robinson Has Died at age 83

Frank Robinson was a Baseball legend on and off the field. He will always be remembered for being the first African-American manager in MLB history in both leagues, and the only MVP award winner in both the National and American Leagues. Robinson died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles, at the age of 83.

In 1956, Robinson was named the National League Rookie Of The Year for the Cincinnati Reds. After he turned 30 years old, the Reds traded him to the Baltimore Orioles in 1966. He led the Orioles to their first World Series title and won the Triple Crown in the process. In 1972, he was traded again to the Los Angeles Dodgers and midway through the season, he was traded again, this time to the California Angels. After a season and a half, he dealt again to the Cleveland Indians.

In 1975, three years after the passing of Jackie Robinson, Frank got his chance to manage the Indians. In
Jackie Robinson’s last public appearance, he called on Commissioner Bowie Kuhn to hire a Black man to manage and his dream came true when Frank Robinson was the skipper of the team. Robinson managed the Indians to a 79-80 record. After Cleveland, he spent five seasons in San Francisco. In 1988, He was named the manager of the Baltimore Orioles but the season wasn’t good at 54-101. After three seasons as the manager of the Montreal Expos, he was the first manager of the Washington Nationals in their inaugural season in 2005.

Robinson was the ultimate baseball player, the five tools of hitting, hitting for power and average, fielding and baserunning was his forte. In his career, he hit 586 home runs and when he retired, he was fourth on the all-time home run list, he now ranks tenth.

Robinson was a no-nonsense, hard-nosed player, that was one of the most underrated ballplayers in his era. He played with Hall Of Famers Brooks Robinson and Jim Palmer in Baltimore the same time when Aaron, Mantle, Clemente, and Mays were still active players in their prime.

We at CaliSports News send our deepest condolences to the Robinson family in this time of loss. He was a great man on and off the field.

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