During Black History Month, the Baltimore Orioles have reflected on the legends who shaped the franchise, but few loom larger than National Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Frank Robinson.
Robinson arrived in Baltimore already a star. Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, he debuted on April 17, 1956, won National League Rookie of the Year honors and tied the rookie home run record with 38. Over 10 seasons in Cincinnati, he earned six All-Star selections and the 1961 NL MVP, establishing himself as one of the league’s most feared hitters.
On December 9, 1965, Reds owner Bill DeWitt traded Robinson to the Orioles for Milt Pappas, Jack Baldschun and Dick Simpson, famously remarking that Robinson was “not a young 30.”
Robinson responded with one of the great seasons in baseball history, capturing the 1966 American League Triple Crown and MVP Award while leading Baltimore to a World Series title. In doing so, he became the first player to win MVP honors in both leagues.
Robinson was central to Baltimore’s dominance from 1969 to 1971, when the club won three consecutive AL pennants and averaged 106 victories per season, culminating in the 1970 World Series title. During his six seasons in Baltimore, he helped cement the Orioles as a powerhouse and had his No. 20 retired in 1972.
Beyond the field, Robinson became active in the Civil Rights movement, joining the NAACP and speaking out against housing segregation and discriminatory real estate practices he encountered in Baltimore. His influence extended well past the batter’s box.
After being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1971, Robinson later played for the California Angels and Cleveland Indians, serving as baseball’s first Black manager as a player-manager in Cleveland. He returned to Baltimore as a coach, manager and assistant general manager before concluding his managerial career with the Washington Nationals in 2006.
Robinson was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982 as an Oriole and remains one of the game’s defining figures. At retirement, he ranked fourth all-time in home runs behind Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays, set the record with eight Opening Day home runs and totaled 2,943 hits.
Robinson died on February 7, 2019, of bone cancer, leaving behind a legacy as a transformational hitter, trailblazing manager and enduring voice for progress.
Frank Robinson will forever be a player that helped to push the game of baseball forward, but will always be a significant source of what “The Oriole Way” is all about. We celebrate him and his contributions to Birdland this Black History Month.
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