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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico
Frank Robinson's passing on Thursday at the age of 83 on February 2019 closed the chapter on any pretense of a youth for this writer.
Robinson, no relation to Jackie Robinson who broke the color line for Major League baseball, was a pioneer none the less. The spindly baseball player out of a mixed race neighborhood in Oakland, California, became the first manager of his race in both leagues. He was a player-manager with the Cleveland Indians in 1975 and the San Francisco Giants in 1981.
Robinson graduated from McClymonds High School in Oakland in 1953, six years after Jackie Robinson debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers. "He blazed the trail for all of us after him," Frank said of Jackie.
He returned the favor although, Robinson would rather be known as the great Hall of Fame player that he became through an intense determination. As a rookie in 1956, he tied the existing rookie record for home runs with 38, winning the Rookie of the Year Award as a 20-year old. Known for crowding home plate and not budging, Robinson also led the league in getting hit by 20 pitches. Robinson was the league leader in being hit by pitches in nine seasons. The feared slugger on an improving Cincinnati Reds team, preceding the Big Red Machine.
Robinson was the favorite player of most kids born in the 1950's in Cincinnati. Elsewhere in the baseball world, he played in the shadows of Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Hank Aaron.
My memories of Robinson from an early age was getting angry when pitchers like Don Drysdale and Bob Gibson would knock him down with close pitches. Even a youngster could see the determination in face as he dusted himself off. I can remember where I was when Robinson slid hard into Milwaukee Braves third baseman, Eddie Mathews. Robinson was trying to stretch a double into a triple but was thrown out at third. Mathews who was a boxer in his youth knocked Robinson down with a hard right. Both players were ejected (Robinson was replaced by Gus Bell, the grandfather of the current Reds' manager, David Bell.)/ Robinson came back to hit a home run and a double in the second game of the doubleheader that day as the Reds swept the Braves.
I was 12 the day that I got news in late 1965 that my favorite player was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Milt Papas, Jack Baldschun and Dick Simpson. I was furious. Reds' owner Bill DeWitt traded him because Robinson was an "old 30" in DeWitt's opinion. I still can't look at DeWitt's picture without a little anger slipping in. Robinson responded to the challenge by winning the American League Triple Crown for home runs, runs-batted-in and batting average. He won the MVP and led the Orioles to a World Series win over the hated Don Drysdale and the Los Angeles Dodgers. As a further insult to me, they gave Simpson, Robinson's number 20 which was retired later.
Robinson's statistics are glowing he finished his career fourth on the all-time home run list with 586, behind Aaron, Babe Ruth and Mays. He is the only man to win the Rookie of the Year, the Most Valuable Player in both leagues and a Manager of the Year Award.
Robinson was born in Beaumont, Texas on August 31, 1935 to Frank Robinson and Ruth Shaw. He was the youngest of 10 children. His parents divorced and his mother moved the family to Oakland in a racially mixed tenement. He attended McClymonds with National Basketball Association great Bill Russel, playing on the high school basketball team. Robinson signed with the Reds out of high school for $3,500 by Bobby Mattick. McClymond's baseball and basketball coach George Powles, who also coached Robinson on the National Champion American Legion team Bill Erwin Post. Powles was hired by the Reds as a "bird dog", a man who recommended players to full time Major League scouts. Powles also helped the Reds sign Vada Pinson and Hall of Famer Curt, Flood. Pinson was Robinson's teammate with the Reds. Flood was traded to St. Louis and is famous for challenging baseball's reserve clause.
It was the high quality competition that sharpened Robinson's competitive nature.
Later Robinson was determined to manage in the Major Leagues. When told he needed managerial experience to become one, Robinson while still an active player removed the excuse by managing teams in the Puerto Rican Winter Leagues.
He was selected to manage the Indians in 1975, then held the reigns of the San Francisco Giants, the Baltimore Orioles and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals.
It was in my days of covering the Reds for SportsTicker that I finally got to meet my childhood hero.
The first time I got to meet Robinson was during his work for the National League president Bill White. I was behind a group of dignitaries waiting for the elevator at Riverfront Stadium. I didn't realize that they were planning just going to allow the league officials on it but Robinson waved me on to ride with them.
Later when Robinson came back as the manager with the Montreal Expos, I was in his pre-game press meeting. I introduced myself, as is my habit, "Gary Schatz, SportsTicker." Robinson shot back as if I needed his introduction, "Frank Robinson, Montreal Expos, number 20." I smiled and said, "Oh they gave you, a number that's retired here. I think Dick Simpson wore it." I proceeded to explain how I hated that Simpson got Robinson's number after the trade.
In 2004 while covering a game between the Expos and Reds, Robinson's team tied the game in the ninth off pitcher Danny Graves. The game went to 10 innings with the Reds' Todd Jones pitching the top of the 10th. Robinson let his ace closer Chad Cordero bat with the bases empty and two outs in the top of the 10th. Adam Dunn's three-run home run off Cordero won the game for the Reds.
Jones said, "Tell Frank, congratulations on a great career as a player,"
It was then that I saw the determined fighter that Robinson was all his life.
