Frank Robinson

Lore & Background

Robinson made his major league debut on April 17, 1956 at age 20. He ended the 1956 season with a .290 batting average and 83 RBIs, and his 38 home runs tied the Major League Baseball record for home runs hit by a Rookie player previously set by Wally Berger in 1930. His rookie home run record stood for 31 years when it was broken by Mark McGwire's 49 home runs in 1987. He earned the 1956 National League Rookie of the Year Award.

In 1961, Robinson moved to right field and produced another strong offensive season, finishing with a .323 batting average with 37 home runs and 124 RBIs in 153 games, helping to propel the Reds to the 1961 National League pennant. His performance earned him the 1961 National League Most Valuable Player Award. On December 9, 1965, Reds owner Bill DeWitt traded Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitcher Milt Pappas, pitcher Jack Baldschun, and outfielder Dick Simpson.

In Robinson's first year in Baltimore, he won the Triple Crown, leading the American League with a .316 batting average, a career high 49 home runs and 122 RBIs in 155 games. On May 8, 1966, Robinson became the only player ever to hit a home run completely out of Memorial Stadium, a feat that remains legendary among Orioles fans. He helped lead the Orioles to the first two World Series titles in franchise history in 1966 and 1970, and was named the Series MVP in 1966.

Reader's Guide

Robinson was noted as a fiercely aggressive player. He spiked Johnny Logan in 1957, causing Logan to miss six weeks. In a game against the Milwaukee Braves on August 15, 1960, Robinson slid hard into third base, prompting a fistfight with Milwaukee's future Hall of Fame third baseman, Eddie Mathews.

Did You Know?

• Robinson's 49 home runs in 1966 were the most by an AL player since 1961, but Roger Maris hit 61 and Mickey Mantle hit 54 in 1961, so the claim that they were the most since 1961 is incorrect.
• His 586 career home runs ranked fourth in major league history at the time of his retirement.

The Unprecedented Dual MVP Feat

Frank Robinson is the only player ever named Most Valuable Player in both the National League and American League. With the Cincinnati Reds, he won the NL MVP in 1961 after leading the team to the pennant with a .323 batting average, 37 home runs, and 124 RBIs. Although this entry focuses on his Reds tenure, it is crucial to note that his 1961 performance established him as an elite force before he was traded to Baltimore in 1965. His ability to lead a team to the pennant while maintaining high individual statistics defined his value to the Reds.

Statistical Dominance and Hall of Fame

During his ten seasons with the Reds (1956–1965), Robinson accumulated significant statistics that contributed to his career totals. He batted .300 or higher nine times in his career, with specific highs like .342 in 1962 and .323 in 1961 while with the Reds. He hit 30 home runs eleven times overall; with Cincinnati, he hit 38 as a rookie (1956) and 37 in 1961. His 2,943 career hits are the most since 1934 for anyone under 3,000. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982.

Early Roots and Rookie Sensation

Born in Beaumont, Texas, Robinson moved to West Oakland, California, with his mother after his parents divorced. He attended McClymonds High School, where he played basketball with Bill Russell and baseball with Vada Pinson and Curt Flood. Signed by Reds scout Bobby Mattick in 1953 for $3,500, he debuted in April 1956 at age 20. That year, he tied the rookie home run record with 38 homers and won the NL Rookie of the Year Award. In 1957, he was part of a ballot-stuffing controversy that saw six Redlegs voted into the All-Star starting lineup.