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SPORTS Friday 8 February 2019

This is a May 19, 1966, file photo showing Baltimore Orioles’
Frank Robinson at bat.
Associated Press
Frank Robinson

Continued from Page 17 Medich and the crowd
went crazy, cheering the
“Frank Robinson’s resume whole April afternoon as
in our game is without Cleveland beat the Yan-
parallel, a trailblazer in ev- kees.
ery sense, whose impact The Reds, Orioles and Indi-
spanned generations,” ans have retired his No. 20 In this Nov. 9, 2005, file photo, President Bush awards baseball legend Frank Robinson the Presi-
Commissioner Rob Man- and honored him with stat- dential Medal of Freedom Award in the East Room of the White House in Washington.
fred said in a statement. ues at their stadiums. Associated Press
Robinson hit 586 home runs Robinson later managed Born Aug. 21, 1935, in Beau- as fierce competitor who scored a league-high 122
— he was fourth on the ca- San Francisco, Baltimore mont, Texas, Robinson at- combined hard work with times and was voted NL
reer list behind only Hank and Montreal. He became tended McClymonds High natural talent. He planted Rookie of the Year.
Aaron, Babe Ruth and Wil- the first manager of the School in Oakland, Califor- himself near the plate, Robinson was the 1961 NL
lie Mays when he retired Washington Nationals af- nia, and was a basketball yielding to no pitcher, and MVP after batting .323 with
and now ranks 10th. An ter the franchise moved teammate of future NBA didn’t seem to care about 37 homers and 124 RBIs for
MVP with Cincinnati and from Montreal for the 2005 great Bill Russell. But it was being brushed back or get- the pennant-winning Reds,
Baltimore, he led the Ori- season — the Nationals put on the diamond, rather ting hit by a pitch 198 times. and reached career highs
oles to their first World Series him in their Ring of Honor. than court, where fame “Pitchers did me a favor in runs (134) and RBIs (136)
championship in 1966. More than half the major awaited Robinson. when they knocked me in 1962.
“Frank Robinson and I were league teams have had Former Orioles pitcher Jim down,” Robinson said. “It All-time hits leader Pete
more than baseball bud- black managers since his Palmer, who also gained made me more deter- Rose joined the Reds the
dies. We were friends. Frank debut with Cleveland. first-ballot entry into the mined. I wouldn’t let that next year.
was a hard-nosed baseball Robinson later spent sev- Hall, once called Robin- pitcher get me out.” “He had a huge influence
player who did things on eral years working as an son, “the best player I ever And opposing pitchers no- on me when I first came up
the field that people said executive for MLB and for saw.” ticed. in ‘63,” Rose told The As-
could never be done,” a time oversaw the annual Starting out in an era when “Frank Robinson might sociated Press by phone.
Aaron posted on Twitter. Civil Rights Game. He ad- Mays, Aaron, Mickey Man- have been the best I ever “Frank was a really aggres-
“Baseball will miss a tre- vocated for more minori- tle and Ted Williams were saw at turning his anger sive, hard-nosed player,
mendous human being,” ties throughout baseball the big hitters, Robinson into runs. He challenged and it rubbed off on ev-
he said. and worked with former more than held his own you physically as soon as erybody. Frank was the
An All-Star outfielder in 12 Commissioner Bud Selig to over 21 seasons — if any- he stepped into the bat- one who took me under his
seasons and a first-ballot develop the Selig Rule, di- thing, many who watched ter’s box, with half his body wings, so to speak. ... Frank
selection to Cooperstown, recting teams to interview Robinson felt he never got hanging over the plate,” consistently talked to me
Robinson also was a Rookie at least one minority can- his full due as an all-time Hall ace Bob Gibson once about playing the game
of the Year, a Gold Glove didate before hiring a new great. He finished with wrote. “As a rule, I’m reluc- the right way,” he said.
outfielder and a bruising manager. 1,812 RBIs and hit .294 — he tant to express admiration Robinson was an All-Star,
runner. For all he did on and off the played in the World Series for hitters, but I make an too, in 1965, but Reds own-
But his place in the sport’s field, Robinson was present- five times, and homered in exception for Frank Robin- er Bill DeWitt decided Rob-
history extended far be- ed the Presidential Medal each of them. son,” Gibson wrote. inson was an old-ish 30 and
yond the batter’s box and of Freedom by George W. Robinson was the only play- Robinson carried a similar time to make a move.
basepaths. Bush in 2005. er to hit a ball completely philosophy as a baserun- That December, Robinson
Robinson fulfilled his quest Hall of Fame manager Joe out of old Memorial Stadi- ner, unapologetically slid- was the centerpiece in
to become the first African- Torre played against and um in Baltimore and once ing spikes high whenever what would ultimately be
American manager in the worked with Robinson for connected for grand slams necessary. one of the most lopsided
big leagues when he was years. in consecutive innings of “The baselines belong to trades in baseball histo-
hired by the Cleveland In- “He was a tough nut,” Torre a game. But he didn’t just the runner, and whenever ry, going to Baltimore for
dians. His impact was im- recalled at the owners’ slug away, as evidenced I was running the bases, I pitchers Milt Pappas and
mediate and memorable. meetings in Orlando, Flori- by a .389 on-base average always slid hard,” Robinson Jack Baldschun and out-
The Indians opened at da. “He never lost that feisti- boosted by 1,420 walks declared. fielder Dick Simpson.
home that year and Rob- ness, which puts a smile on against 1,532 strikeouts. Ex- Robinson broke in with a Robinson became an in-
inson, still active, batted your face ... He was always tremely alert on the bases, bang as a 20-year-old big stant hit with the Orioles in
himself second as the des- that guy that commanded he had 204 steals. leaguer. He tied the first- 1966 as the unanimous AL
ignated hitter. In the first in- a lot of respect and he had Robinson played the game year record with 38 home MVP and a Triple Crown
ning, he homered off Doc a presence about him.” with grace, yet was known runs for Cincinnati in 1956, winner.q