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Baltimore Orioles: Remembering a legend, Frank Robinson

By Tim Smart

Former major league baseball player Frank Robinson watches the unveiling of his bronze sculpture before a baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and Oakland Athletics at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 28, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Former major league baseball player Frank Robinson watches the unveiling of his bronze sculpture before a baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and Oakland Athletics at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 28, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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The baseball world lost a legend yesterday with the passing of former Baltimore Orioles great, Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson played for the Baltimore Orioles for just six years, and managed in Baltimore for four more, but he left his mark on this franchise and the city, and he won’t soon be forgotten.

Nicknamed The Judge, Robinson’s playing days were the stuff of legend. He’s an inner circle Hall of Famer with 2,943 hits, 586 home-runs, two MVP awards, a Rookie of the Year award, and 14 All-Star appearances.

From 1956-1965, Robinson was a star in Cincinnati, leading the National League in OPS in three straight seasons, from 1960-1962, and helping the Reds to a World Series appearance in 1961.

The Baltimore Orioles traded for Robinson after the 1965 season and in the ’66 season that followed, Robinson won the American League triple crown and his second MVP title, along with the World Series MVP trophy, en-route to the first World Series championship in Orioles’ history.

Robinson was an integral part of the 1970 World Series championship Orioles team as well, posting an .892 OPS with 3 home-runs in the postseason.

Robinson remains the only player to have won MVP titles in both the American League and the National League, and his 586 home-runs are good for 9th all-time.

Though Robinson played in Baltimore for just six seasons, he has the 12th most fWAR in Orioles history, and his .944 OPS is good for third.

In 1975, the Cleveland Indians hired Robinson, who became the first African-American manager in MLB history. Robinson managed four different teams over 16 seasons, amassing a 1065-1176 record.

In 1989, he led the Orioles to an 87-75 record, a 33 win improvement over the previous year, and earned the American League Manager of the Year award.

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Robinson also served in the MLB front office as the Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, taking over the post in 2012 after Jimmie Lee Solomon was fired.

Many words have been written over the past 24 hours, with writers and baseball personalities remembering Frank Robinson.

Nelson Barnes wrote an excellent piece about him at Call to the Pen yesterday, which you should take the time to read.

Camden Chat’s daily links column has a list of articles remembering Robinson as well, though if you’re only going to read one, Ken Rosenthal’s piece for the Athletic yesterday is about as heartfelt and thoughtful as they come (they removed the paywall, it’s free for everyone).

You can also find him at number two on our all-time Baltimore Orioles Hall of Famers list.

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The baseball world lost a Hall of Famer yesterday, but it also lost an exceptional person. We’ll mourn the loss of Frank Robinson, but his legacy will live on.

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