Books and articles about Frank Robinson

Robinson came out of nowhere in 1956 to win the Reds' left-field job. Crowding the plate, challenging pitchers, and sliding hard, he tied Wally Berger's rookie record of 38 homers, made the NL All-Star team, led the league with 122 runs scored, and was hit by pitches a rookie-record 20 times. The Reds as a team hit a NL-record 221 homers that season, improving 16 games in the standings to finish just two games out of first place. For the next ten seasons, Robinson was their undisputed leader. Batting .322 as a sophomore, Robinson was one of eight Reds elected to the NL All-Star starting lineup in 1957, and was the only outfielder who wasn't removed by Commissioner Ford Frick after the details of a ballot-stuffing campaign by Cincinnati management was exposed.

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Recurring arm trouble caused Robinson to slump to .269 in 1958, as he experimented at first and third bases while winning a Gold Glove in left field. Shifted to first base full-time in 1959, Robinson sat on the bench during the first of that year's two All-Star Games. Seething, he came back with three straight hits, including a homer, in the second game. A few days later, he slid hard into Braves third baseman Eddie Mathews, precipitating one of the most memorable brawls in baseball history and the first between black and white stars. Booed intensely, Robinson responded with a grand slam against the Braves and took off on a batting tear climaxed by three homers against the Phillies on August 22. He finished with 36 HR, 125 RBI, a .311 batting average, and 106 runs. Despite more arm pain, Robinson won his first of three straight NL slugging titles with .595 in 1960. The angry young civil-rights advocate began carrying a gun in self-defense in response to numerous death threats. He was eventually arrested for brandishing it at a short-order cook who had refused to serve him.

In 1961 Robinson led the Reds to their first pennant since 1940 with his first MVP season, hitting .323 with 37 HR, 124 RBI, and 117 runs. His .611 slugging percentage led the NL, and he stole 22 bases in 25 attempts to lead in stolen base percentage. He was especially torrid in the stretch run. So dangerous was Robinson after being brushed back that Phillies manager Gene Mauch began fining any of his pitchers who worked Robinson inside. Robinson's third straight slugging title came in 1962 (.624), when he also led the league with 51 doubles and 134 runs. He hit .342 with 39 HR and 136 RBI, and missed leading in total bases and batting average when, respectively, Willie Mays of the Giants and Tommie Davis of the Dodgers surpassed him during the three-game playoff after Los Angeles and San Francisco were tied at the end of the regular schedule.

Playing through injuries in 1963, Robinson saw his offensive output plummet. He broke his slump by choking up two inches on the bat, chopping at the ball. His speed garnered him a career-high 26 steals. Returning to form in 1964, Robinson hit .306 with 29 HR and 96 RBI, and followed with a .296 average, 33 HR, and 113 RBI in 1965. But Reds GM Bill DeWitt traded Robinson to the Orioles with outfield prospect Dick Simpson for pitchers Milt Pappas and Jack Baldschun. The deal was immediately the most unpopular in Reds history, and attendance, offense, and morale all dropped sharply until Johnny Bench assumed the leadership and cleanup roles three years later. DeWitt, who defended the deal by calling Robinson "an old thirty," eventually lost his job. In 1966 Robinson led the Orioles to the first pennant and a World Series upset sweep of the Dodgers. The first Triple Crown winner since Mickey Mantle in 1956, Robinson led the AL with 49 HR, 122 RBI, a .316 batting average, a .637 slugging percentage, and 122 runs. He capped his season with two home runs off Don Drysdale in the World Series. When he was voted MVP, he became the first man to win the award in both the NL and AL. He appeared to be headed toward a second straight Triple Crown in 1967 until he was hurt late in the season. Carl Yastrzemski won the Triple Crown instead, while Robinson finished second in batting (.311) and slugging (.576), third in RBI (94), and fourth in HR (30) while playing only 129 games. Injuries continued to hamper him in 1968, but he rebounded in 1969, leading the Orioles to the AL pennant while hitting .308 with 32 HR, 100 RBI, and 111 runs.

On June 26, 1970 Robinson hit grand slams in consecutive innings. He finished the year with 25 HR, 78 RBI, and a .306 batting average, his last .300 average. After 28 HR, 99 RBI, and a .281 BA in 1971, Robinson was sent to the Dodgers in a six-man deal. He hit only .251 for Los Angeles, with 19 homers in 103 games, before moving on to the Angels in a seven-man trade the next winter. Robinson rebounded to .266 with 30 HR and 97 RBI. By this time Robinson was managing in winter ball, making no secret of his ambition to become the first black manager in the major leagues. When the Indians, well out of contention, acquired him on waivers late in 1974, rumors of a managerial change soon surfaced.

After the season, in which Robinson hit 22 homers, the Indians appointed him playing manager for 1975. Cleveland's ace pitcher Gaylord Perry, a South Carolina native, promptly questioned Robinson's ability to manage. Gaylord's brother Jim was also the Indians' second-best pitcher. Robinson settled the issue in characteristic style, homering to give Gaylord the Opening Day victory. Shortly afterward, he traded both Perrys. Easing himself out of the lineup, Robinson led the Indians to their first winning record (81-78, fourth place) since 1968 and only their third .500-plus season since 1959 in 1976, but he was fired when they started slowly in 1977. He coached for the Angels the balance of 1977, coached for the Orioles and managed at Rochester through 1980, and then managed the Giants from 1981 through August 1985, contending in 1981 and 1982 and finishing only two games out in 1982 despite having only a few talented players.

In 1986 Robinson returned to the Orioles as a coach. Early in 1988 he was installed as manager after Cal Ripken, Sr. had lost the first six games. The streak extended to a record 21 losses from the start of the season before the Orioles finally won. Robinson turned the club around in 1989, guiding the Orioles to first place at the All-Star break and second place at the end of the season; Baltimore wasn't eliminated until the final series of the season, against Toronto. When the Orioles faced the Blue Jays, managed by Cito Gaston, on June 27, 1989, it was the first ML game in history to feature a pair of black managers. (MC)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » April 28, 1956: Redlegs rookie LF Frank Robinson hits the first HR of his 586 lifetime blasts, off Cub P Paul Minner in Crosley Field. The Cubs lose the opener 9-1. Cincinnati OF Wally Post hits 4 HRs in a doubleheader sweep for the Redlegs. » May 30, 1956: Gus Bell, Ted Kluszewski, and Frank Robinson hit consecutive homers for the Reds against the Cards' Vinegar Bend Mizell. The homers do little however, as they come with two outs in the 9th and the Reds trailing, 9–0. » August 18, 1956: Redlegs OF Bob Thurman hits three consecutive HRs; Ted Kluszewski and Frank Robinson add two each, and Wally Post, one, in a 13-4 win over Milwaukee at Crosley Field. The eight HRs tie a major-league record. » September 11, 1956: Frank Robinson ties the NL record for HRs by a rookie with 38 in an 11-5 Redlegs win over New York. » December 1, 1956: Cincinnati slugger Frank Robinson is unanimously voted the National League Rookie of the Year. White Sox SS Luis Aparicio is voted American League Rookie of the Year with 22 points, beating out Oriole Tito Francona and Indian Rocky Colavito. » April 18, 1959: The Phils get 15 hits, including a grand slam by pinch hitter Gene Freese, to outslug the Reds, 14-9. Don Newcombe loses for the 2nd time to the Phils this year, with the win going to reliever Al Schroll. The Reds get homers from Frank Robinson, Roy McMillan and pinch hitter Jerry Lynch. » May 2, 1959: Frank Robinson of the Reds hits for the cycle, in a 16–4 rout of the Dodgers. » August 14, 1959: Reds teammates Vada Pinson and Frank Robinson go 5-for-6 in the first game of a doubleheader as Cincinnati outlast the Phils 15–13. The Reds trail 11–3 after three innings, and score five in the 9th to win. » August 22, 1959: The Reds Frank Robinson hits three home runs in a row against St. Louis, as the Reds win 11–4. Robby has six RBIs. » May 13, 1960: At Cincinnati, the Reds are down 9–1 when P Raul Sanchez starts a brawl by plunking three of four Phils batters in the 8th inning, the last batter being P Gene Conley. Phils manager Gene Mauch then charges the mound to tackle Sanchez. Both dugouts empty with fights all around. The most cinematic is 2B Billy Martin, 5'11" taking on the 6'11" Conley, though future Hall of Famers Frank Robinson and Robin Roberts is a close second. It takes 12 minutes to restore order. The Phils romp 14–3, then lose 5–1 in the doubleheader. » August 15, 1960: In the first of two games at Crosley Field, Frank Robinson and Eddie Mathews exchange punches after Robbie slides in hard at 3B in the 7th inning. Robbie comes out on the short end with a swollen eye, bloody nose, and jammed thumb, but comes back in the nitecap with a double and homer to lead the Reds to a 4–0 win. Bob Purkey wins the shutout, despite allowing 11 hits. » September 7, 1960: At Crosley Field, Frank Robinson homers in the 15th inning as the Reds edge the Dodgers, 4–3, Marshall Bridges is the winner in relief, pitching six innings of shutout, and allowing two hits while striking out 7. » March 3, 1961: Frank Robinson is indicted in Cincinnati for carrying a concealed weapon. He was arrested on February 8th when he was discovered to be carrying a .25 caliber pistol. The discovery occurred after an incident in a restaurant where Robinson was eating with two friends. He was fined $250 for it. » May 7, 1961: Trailing Milwaukee, 4-0 after seven innings, the Reds unleash the fire power. They score three runs in the 8th on homers by Frank Robinson and Wally Post, and two more in the 9th, on homers by Leo Cardenas and Gordy Coleman, to win 5–4. » July 9, 1961: At Los Angeles, Frank Robinson has a pair of homers, a double and single to drive in seven runs and the Reds coast over LA, 14–3. » July 26, 1961: At Milwaukee, the Reds muscle three runs in the 8th inning to beat the Braves, 3–2. Gus Bell rings a pinch homer and Frank Robinson clubs a two-run homer for the Reds. » August 15, 1961: At L.A., the 2nd-place Reds Joey Jay (17-7) gives up three singles and two runs in the first and just three hits after that in subduing the first-place Dodgers, 5–2. Losing pitcher Sandy Koufax (13-8) almost adds another hit but is thrown out at 1B by RF Frank Robinson. Announcer Vin Scully says, "Sandy forgot to run." » September 26, 1961: Cincinnati clinches its first National League pennant since 1940. Homers by Frank Robinson and pinch hitter Jerry Lynch, a tie breaker in the 8th, give the Reds a 6–3 win at Chicago. » November 22, 1961: RF Frank Robinson is the first Reds player in 21 years to win the National League MVP, taking 219 of 224 possible votes. » May 12, 1962: At Crosley Field, the Reds' Joey Jay and the Pirates' Al McBean match goose eggs for nine innings before the Bucs push across two runs in the 10th. The Reds come back with three runs to win, 3–2. Frank Robinson drives in the winning run with a single. » May 26, 1962: The Reds manage just two hits off Cal Koonce, but beat the Cubs, 2–1. Frank Robinson hits a 4th inning double to drive in both runs. » June 24, 1962: Led by a grand slam from Hank Foiles and four RBIs on two home runs from Frank Robinson, the Reds outslug the Dodgers, 12–10 at Dodgers Stadium. » August 16, 1962: For the 2nd night in a row, Frank Robinson clouts two homers to power the Reds to a 7–1 win over the Braves. Robby now has nine homers in eight games 11 in the last 12. Lee Maye's home run off Maloney is the only Braves score. » August 20, 1962: At Crosley Field, Frank Robinson connects for a grand slam in the 10th inning as the Reds defeat the Dodgers, 7–3. » September 7, 1963: In the Reds, 4–2 win, Frank Robinson suffers a spike wound requiring 30 stitches when Mets 2B Ron Hunt lands on his left arm. » June 4, 1964: At Milwaukee, Frank Robinson bangs a three run homer in the 9th as the Reds beat the Braves, 6–3. » September 19, 1964: In the 1st game of a doubleheader, the Reds stun the Cardinals 7–5 when Frank Robinson connects for a 3-run 9th inning home run off Bob Gibson. The Cards take the 2nd, 2–0, scoring both runs on C Don Pavletich's throwing error on a double steal. Ray Sadecki wins his 18th. » September 21, 1964: John Tsitouris hurls a 1–0 shutout for the Reds over Art Mahaffey and the first-place Phillies, launching a 10-game Phils' losing streak. Rookie Chico Ruiz scores the only run when, with Frank Robinson at bat, he steals home with two out in the 6th inning. » December 9, 1965: OF Frank Robinson is traded from Cincinnati to the Orioles for pitchers Milt Pappas and Jack Baldschun and OF Dick Simpson. The Reds Bill DeWitt defends the trade by labeling Robinson "an old 30,"a concept that Robinson will quickly prove wrong. » April 12, 1966: In his first American League at bat, Frank Robinson is hit by a pitch from Boston's Earl Wilson. Brooks Robinson then follows with a homer. Frank will later add a homer as the visiting O's win in 13 innings, 5–4, on a walk by Jim Lonborg. » April 13, 1966: The Robinsons -- Frank Robinson and Brooks Robinson -- hit back-to-back homers in the first inning to lead the Orioles to an 8–1 win over the Red Sox at Fenway. » May 8, 1966: Orioles RF Frank Robinson hits the first ball ever hit completely out of Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, a 451-foot shot, ending Luis Tiant's scoreless-innings streak at 27. Baltimore wins 8–3 and ties Cleveland for first place. » June 21, 1966: In the first game of a twinbill, There are two on and two outs in the 9th inning when Frank Robinson makes a spectacular catch against New York's Roy White, diving into the stands over the short right field fence and disappearing from view. He emerges with the ball and it is ruled a catch, preserving a 7–5 Baltimore victory, rather than 8-7 defeat. Robby will do it again on August 11th. » August 11, 1966: It is deja vu all over again, as Frank Robinson makes another game-saving catch against the Yankees. Robby dives into the stands to rob Clete Boyer of an 11th-inning homer, preserving a 6-5 Orioles' win. Robby did it two months earlier. » August 22, 1966: At a private party for the Orioles, Frank Robinson falls into a swimming pool and is saved from drowning by Andy Etchebarren, who dives in to rescue his teammate. » September 22, 1966: The Orioles beat the host Kansas City A's 6–1 to clinch their first American League pennant. Both Brooks Robinson and Frank Robinson have two RBI. Frank Robinson will end the year as the Triple Crown winner, the first to achieve the feat since Mickey Mantle in 1956. He clinches with a batting average of .316, 49 home runs, and 122 RBI. » October 5, 1966: With first-inning home runs by Frank Robinson and Brooks Robinson and 11 strikeouts from relief P Moe Drabowsky, the Orioles win Game One of the World Series 5–2. » October 9, 1966: Dave McNally wraps up Baltimore's brilliant pitching display, and a World Championship, with a 4-hit, 1–0 win. Frank Robinson's home run off Don Drysdale gives Baltimore a surprising sweep of the defending champion Dodgers. The 33 consecutive scoreless innings pitched by Baltimore are a World Series record. » November 8, 1966: Frank Robinson of the Orioles is the unanimous choice as American League MVP. He is the first player to win the award in both leagues. Teammates Brooks Robinson and Boog Powell follow in the voting. » May 17, 1967: The Orioles become the 8th club in American League history with four or more home runs in one inning when Andy Etchebarren, Sam Bowens, Boog Powell, and Dave Johnson connect in a 9-run 7th. Also homering for Baltimore is Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson and Paul Blair, the only time seven teammates have each homered. Those home runs make the difference in a 12–8 Baltimore win over the Red Sox. Boston's Carl Yastrzemski hits two homers, one coming in the bottom of the 7th; the total of five in one inning equals the ML record. Rounding out the round trippers is Don Demeter for Boston. » May 24, 1967: The Yankees top Baltimore, 2–0. Mickey Mantle's 3rd inning drive to the wall is caught by Frank Robinson but the ball pops out and over the fence for a home run. » June 27, 1967: Baltimore RF Frank Robinson is hurt in a 2B collision with Al Weis, as the White Sox beat the Orioles 5–0. Robinson suffers double vision and will miss 28 games. » July 5, 1968: Against Detroit in the 5th inning, Baltimore's Paul Blair is on 3B with Frank Robinson at bat. Robby swings and his bat sails over the third baseman's head. The 3B coach jogs out to retrieve the bat, not having called timeout, as Blair slowly strolls back to the bag, Tiger C Bill Freehan, with ball in hand, starts walking up the line, then runs behind Blair and tags him out. Blair and Earl Weaver go wild. » December 4, 1968: Houston also swaps P Mike Cuellar, and infielders Elijah Johnson and Enzo Hernandez to the Orioles for outfielders Curt Blefary and John Mason. Cuellar, 8-11 this past season, will average 20 wins a year for five years in Baltimore. Except for the Frank Robinson trade, this ranks as the best for the O's. » April 27, 1969: Led by Frank Robinson's eight RBIs, the first place Orioles sweep a pair from the Yankees, 6–0 and 10–5. Robby has two homers and four singles. Mike Cuellar shuts out the Yanks, beating Stan Bahnsen (0-5). » July 5, 1969: AL East leader Baltimore breaks a 3-game losing streak as Dave McNally (12-0) wins his 14th straight game 9–3 at Detroit. Detroit OF Mickey Stanley plays his 220th straight errorless game and C Bill Freehan picks Paul Blair off 3B unassisted. Blair, on third with a triple, strolls too slowly back to the bag after the bat flies out of the hands of Frank Robinson. » July 27, 1969: In the team's biggest shutout victory ever, Baltimore routs the White Sox, 17–0, as Jim Hardin wins over Billy Wynne. Hardin allows just two hits while the Birds bang out 20, good for 39 total bases. Frank Robinson drives in five runs and hits a pair of homers. » September 4, 1969: Down 4–1 in the 9th against the Tigers in Detroit, Baltimore gets consecutive home runs from Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, and Brooks Robinson off Earl Wilson to tie. Tom Timmermann then gives up the winning run on a double, sac fly, and Baltimore chop as the O's win, 5–4. » October 15, 1969: A memorable World Series game pits Tom Seaver against Mike Cuellar. RF Ron Swoboda's questionable dive at Brooks Robinson's sinking liner with runners at 1B and 3B in the 9th inning results in a brilliant catch, even though Frank Robinson tags and scores the tying run. In the 10th, Mets pinch-hitter J.C. Martin, running illegally inside the 1B line after a bunt, is hit on the wrist by P Pete Richert's errant throw, enabling pinch runner Rod Gaspar to score from second as the Mets win 2–1. The game is enlivened by Earl Weaver getting thrown out after protesting ball and strike calls by Shag Crawford. Earl is the 3rd manager to leave early in a World Series, but the first since 1935. » June 26, 1970: Frank Robinson belts two successive grand slams during a 12–2 Oriole romp over the Senators, just the 7th major leaguer to ever accomplish the feat. Dave McNally, the winning pitcher, Don Buford, and Paul Blair trot home ahead of him on each blow. They will be Robby's only grand slams for the O's. The Orioles will lose C Clay Dalrymple tomorrow when he breaks his ankle in a home plate collision with the Nats Mike Epstein. » July 8, 1970: The Orioles again wait until the late innings to beat New York, this time striking in the 9th inning on a Frank Robinson home run and a two-out single by Don Buford. The O's overcome an 8–6 deficit to win, 9–8. » October 1, 1970: The Senators end the season with a 3–2 loss to the host Orioles, and finish the season with 14 straight losses. The O's win their 11th straight, setting a club-record winning streak. Frank Robinson homers for the Orioles, his 475th homer, tying him for 12th on the all-time list with Stan Musial. » October 13, 1970: The Orioles win their 3rd straight over the Reds 9–3, with winning pitcher Dave McNally slugging a grand slam off Wayne Granger, the only one by a pitcher in World Series history. Frank Robinson and Don Buford also contribute homers, and 3B Brooks Robinson continues his excellence with the glove, as he makes two spectacular grabs in the field. » October 15, 1970: For the 3rd time the Orioles overcome a 3–0 deficit to bury the Reds 9–3 and win the World Championship four games to one. Frank Robinson and Merv Rettenmund each homer and drive in two runs. Brooks Robinson, the "human vacuum cleaner," easily wins the World Series MVP award. » July 13, 1971: In an All-Star Game featuring home runs by Johnny Bench, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Reggie Jackson, Frank Robinson, and Harmon Killebrew, the American League triumphs at Detroit 6–4. It is the only AL All-Star victory between 1962 and 1983. Jackson's home run goes 520 feet. » July 30, 1971: Frank Robinson's home run spoils a no-hit bid by the Royals Dick Drago, who loses, 1–0, in a rain-shortened game. Play is stopped with one out in the 5th. Robby's homer is the 493rd, tying him with Lou Gehrig for 11th place on the homer list. » September 13, 1971: Frank Robinson of the Orioles homers in each game of a doubleheader split with Detroit, becoming the 11th member of the 500-HR club with his 2nd shot. The O's win the opener, 9–1, behind Dave McNally's 13th consecutive win. The Tigers use 17 hits to win the nitecap, 10–5, for Scherman, who pitches eight 2/3 innings in relief of Joe Niekro. » October 9, 1971: The Orioles win Game One of the World Series over the Pirates 5–3 behind Dave McNally's 3-hitter and Merv Rettenmund's 3-run homer. Frank Robinson also homers, off Dock Ellis, who he homered off of in the All-Star Game -- a first. » October 16, 1971: Brooks Robinson drives in Frank Robinson in the 10th inning to give Baltimore a Series-tying 3–2 win. » November 28, 1971: In a blockbuster interstate trade good for both teams, the Dodgers send Frank Robinson, Bill Singer, Mike Strahler, Bobby Valentine and Bill Grabarkewitz to the Angels in exchange for Andy Messersmith, and Ken McMullen, who returns to the team that signed him. The 37-year-old Robinson will play 147 games, hitting 30 homers and driving in 97 runs in '73, and Singer will combine with Nolan Ryan in 1973 to strike out 674 batters, a 20th Century major-league record for two teammates. Messersmith will win 39 games in the next two seasons for the Dodgers and finish 2nd in the Cy Young voting in 1974. » November 28, 1972: The Dodgers trade OF Frank Robinson, P Bill Singer, and three others to the Angels for P Andy Messersmith and 3B Ken McMullen. » July 1, 1973: At California, the Twins' Jim Kaat fires a one-hitter to beat the Angels, 2–1. Frank Robinson's home run in the 2nd is the only hit. This is the 2nd time in his career that Robby hits a home run to break up a no hitter: he did it July 30, 1971 against KC's Dick Drago. » September 19, 1973: The Angels down the Rangers 6–2 and 9–4 at Arlington Stadium. Frank Robinson homers in the 32nd different park of his ML career—a record. » October 3, 1974: Frank Robinson becomes the first black manager in the major leagues, as the Indians name him to replace Ken Aspromonte for the 1975 season. » April 8, 1975: After Rachel Robinson, widow of Jackie, tosses out the first ball in Cleveland, Frank Robinson, the first black manager in ML history, adds a dramatic touch by homering in his first Cleveland at bat (as a DH) during a 5–3 win over the visiting Yankees. For player-manager Robinson, it is his 8th Opening Day home run, setting a ML record. Starter Doc Medich is the loser, going five innings and giving up all five runs. Gaylord goes all the way to win for the Tribe, while Boog Powell backs him, going 3-for-3 with a double and homer. » June 6, 1975: Cleveland Manager Frank Robinson shows his players how to hit as he connects for two 3-run homers in a 7–5 win over the Rangers. » June 11, 1976: Leading 4–3 in the last of the 11th, White Sox reliever Terry Forster gives up a 2-run pinch homer to Cleveland player-manager Frank Robinson, as the Tribe wins 5–4. This is a turning point for the Sox, as they will go 37–75 for the rest of season and finish last. » July 1, 1976: The Indians paste the Toledo Mud Hens 13–1 in an exhibition game in Toledo. Manager Frank Robinson, hitting as the DH, flies out to CF and, while returning to the dugout, exchanges angry words with Hens P Bob Reynolds. Suddenly, Robby flattens Reynolds with a right-left combination and is quickly ejected from the game. » September 18, 1976: In the first of two, the Indians top the 2nd-place Orioles 5–1. In the nitecap, Cleveland manager Frank Robinson makes his final ML appearance as a player when he pinch-hits in the 8th and singles against the Orioles Rudy May. The O's holds on to win, 3–2. » June 19, 1977: The Indians fire manager Frank Robinson, replacing him with Jeff Torborg. » August 22, 1979: In a 7–2 win over the visiting Expos, Johnny Bench belts his 325th homer, the most ever by a player in a Reds uniform. The previous club record of 324 was held by Frank Robinson. » January 14, 1981: Frank Robinson is named manager of the San Francisco Giants. » January 13, 1982: Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson become the 12th and 13th players elected to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA in their first year of eligibility. Aaron falls nine votes shy of becoming the first-ever unanimous selection, and his 97.8 election percentage is 2nd only to Ty Cobb's 98.2 percent in the inaugural 1936 election. » August 1, 1982: Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Travis Jackson, and Happy Chandler are inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York. » August 5, 1984: Frank Robinson, who had led his club to a 42-64 record, is fired as manager of the Giants and will be replaced Danny Ozark. » November 27, 1985: Vince Coleman, who stole 110 bases for the Cardinals, joins Frank Robinson, Orlando Cepeda, and Willie McCovey as the only unanimous winners of the National League Rookie of the Year Award. » August 14, 1987: Oakland's Mark McGwire slugs his 39th home run of the season, off Don Sutton in the 6th inning, in a 12-inning 7–6 win over California, breaking the major-league record for rookies shared by Wally Berger and Frank Robinson. McGwire will finish the season with a whopping 49 homers. » April 12, 1988: After leading his club to an 0-6 start, Orioles manager Cal Ripken Sr. is fired and replaced by Frank Robinson. Ripken was 68-101 since taking over for Earl Weaver last season. » June 2, 1989: Eric Davis hits for the cycle in Cincinnati's 9–4 win over San Diego, becoming the first Red to do so since Frank Robinson in 1959. Davis drives in six runs in his 4th straight multi-hit game. » May 23, 1991: Manager Frank Robinson is fired by the Orioles—the 3rd manager in three days to get the ax—and replaced by first-base coach Johnny Oates. » September 4, 1995: Chicago 3B Robin Ventura becomes the 8th player in history to hit two grand slams in a single game, doing so in the 4th and 5th innings of the White Sox 14-3 win over the Rangers. The last to do it was Frank Robinson in 1970. Ventura adds a double and a walk. » May 21, 1996: At Fenway Park, Seattle pounds out 19 hits to beat Boston, 13–7. Ken Griffey, Jr. becomes the 7th-youngest player to collect 200th homers, when he connects in the M's 6-run 4th inning: Mel Ott, Eddie Mathews, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, Frank Robinson and Hank Aaron were all younger. Jay Buhner hits a 2-run shot in the inning, the 5th game in a row he's connected, and Edgar Martinez adds four hits in the game. » February 25, 2000: Hall of Fame OF Frank Robinson is hired by major league baseball to handle on-field disciplinary matters. Previously, such matters were handled by the individual league offices. » July 19, 2001: The Rockies obtain IF Alex Ochoa from the Reds for 2B Todd Walker and minor league OF Robin Jennings. The Reds also call up top OF prospect Adam Dunn, who hit 32 homers in the minors this year. Dunn will clout 19 homers for the Reds including 12 in August, setting the NL rookie record for most home run in any month, with 12. The old mark of 11 was set by Frank Robinson, in August 1956. The only other rookies to hit more home run in a month were Rudy York (18--August 1937), Mark McGwire (May 1987) and Jimmie Hall (13--August 1963). » August 9, 2001: Yankees P Ted Lilly is suspended for six games for hitting Anaheim's Scott Spiezio in the head with a pitch in a game last Sunday. NY manager Joe Torre rips into baseball's dean of discipline Frank Robinson for the decision. Lilly was not thrown out of the game by the umpires when the incident occurred. » September 25, 2001: The hot Oakland A's slug the Angels, 9–3, using an 8-run 7th inning. It's the A's 13th home win in a row. Jeremy Giambi has a 3-run pinch double in the big frame. Angels SS David Eckstein ties the major league rookie record with his 20th HBP, tying the mark set by Frank Robinson, in 1956. » February 12, 2002: Mets assistant general manager Omar Minaya becomes the first Hispanic GM by accepting the position with the Montreal Expos. Frank Robinson is also announced as the manager of the team, which will be run by Major League Baseball for the 2002 season. » February 21, 2002: Bob Watson is named to replace Frank Robinson as Major League Baseball's vice president in charge of discipline. » June 5, 2002: The Giants batter the Padres, 12–2, as Barry Bonds hits his 587th home run to move him into 4th place on the all–time list ahead of Frank Robinson.