Frank Robinson
Birth Name:
Frank Robinson
Birth Place:
Beaumont, Texas, United States
Profession
Actor
Fast Facts
- Was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982
- In 1989, he was named American League Manager of the Year
- In high school, he played baseball with future major leaguers Curt Flood and Vada Pinson
- Played high school basketball alongside future NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell
- Signed with the Cincinnati Reds out of high school for a $3,500 bonus in 1953
- Quote: "Pitchers did me a favor when they knocked me down․ It made me more determined․ I wouldn't let that pitcher get me out․ They say you can't hit if you're on your back, but I didn't hit on my back․ I got up․"
- Quote: "The baselines belong to the runner, and whenever I was running the bases, I always slid hard․ I wanted infielders to have that instant's hesitation about coming across the bag at second or about standing in there awaiting a throw to make a tag․"
- An MLB player best known as a right fielder for the Cincinnati Reds
- Was one of the most feared baserunners in the MLB during his era
- Was the first African-American to manage a major league club, a feat he accomplished when he was named the Cleveland Indians' player-manager in 1975