Robin Roberts (baseball)

Did You Know?

• During baseball off-seasons, Roberts toured with the Robin Roberts All-Stars basketball team, which played against squads such as the Harlem Globetrotters.
• Roberts was president of the Gold King Seafood Company in Philadelphia, even during his playing career.
• He co-wrote two books about his baseball experiences: The Whiz Kids and the 1950 Pennant (1996) and My Life in Baseball (2003).

Early life and education

Roberts was born in Springfield, Illinois, the son of an immigrant Welsh coal miner. He attended Lanphier High School and later Michigan State College, where he played basketball and earned three varsity letters. After his second basketball season, he tried out for the baseball team and became a pitcher because that position was most needed. He played summer ball in Vermont with the Barre–Montpelier Twin City Trojans before being signed by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Professional career

Roberts debuted with the Phillies on June 18, 1948. In 1950, he helped the young Phillies, known as the Whiz Kids, win their first National League pennant in 35 years, starting three games in the final five days and defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers in a season-ending 10-inning game for his 20th victory. He started Game 2 of the 1950 World Series, allowing two runs in ten innings in a 2–1 loss. From 1950 to 1955, Roberts won at least 20 games each season, leading the National League in victories from 1952 to 1955.

He led the league in games started six times, in complete games and innings pitched five times, and once pitched 28 consecutive complete games, one lasting 17 innings. His 28 wins in 1952 earned him The Sporting News MLB Player of the Year award and were the most in the National League since 1935. His best season by wins above replacement was 1953, when he posted a 23–16 record, led the league with 198 strikeouts, walked only 66 batters in 346⅔ innings, and had a 2.75 ERA.

On May 13, 1954, he gave up a lead-off home run then retired 27 consecutive batters for a one-hit, 8–1 win. Over his Phillies tenure, his winning percentage (.5404) consistently exceeded the team's (.4731). After the 1961 season, he was sold to the New York Yankees for slightly more than the $20,000 waiver price.

Coaching career

Roberts coached the Germantown Academy boys varsity baseball team from 1971 to 1975; the 1972 team went 22–1 and won the Inter-Ac League championship. After one season as a Phillies color commentator in 1976, he coached the University of South Florida baseball team from 1977 to 1985, leading them to their first NCAA Tournament in 1982 and six conference titles. He was named Sun Belt coach of the year each season from 1978 to 1982. His uniform number 36 was the first retired by the team.

Legacy

In 19 seasons, Roberts compiled a 286–245 record, 2,357 strikeouts, a 3.41 ERA, 305 complete games, 45 shutouts, and 4,688⅔ innings pitched. He holds the major league record for most consecutive opening day starts for the same team (12, from 1950 to 1961) and is second for home runs allowed by a pitcher (505). As a switch hitter, he batted .167 with 55 doubles, 10 triples, 5 home runs, and 103 RBIs. He is the only pitcher to defeat the Braves franchise in Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta.

His home run record is attributed to his durability and tendency to pitch inside the strike zone; he walked 1.7 batters per nine innings and struck out 4.5 per nine. The Phillies retired his number 36 in 1962. He was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1966. In 1969, fans voted him the only right-handed pitcher on the Phillies all-time team, and he was honored as the greatest Phillies player of all time.

In 1978, he became the first Phillie inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame. In 1983, he was one of two right-handed pitchers on the Phillies Centennial Team. In 1992, he was inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. In 1998, the Wilmington Blue Rocks retired his number 36.