Former Red Wings Manager Frank Robinson Passes Away
By: Nate Rowan
Tags: Sports, Major League Baseball, Baseball, Minor League Baseball

Frank Robinson, who became the first African-American to manage in the big leagues and later managed the Rochester Red Wings, has passed away. He was 83.

“Frank was an icon in our industry, and a pleasure to know,” Wings President/CEO/COO Naomi Silver said. “We knew him personally as an Oriole and a Red Wing manager, of course, but what we’ll remember about him and appreciate most is for being a gentleman and always the consummate professional. He gave his life to the game and it is better because of him and we will miss him deeply.”

Robinson (R) poses with Willie Mays (L) and Coca-Cola President Harvey Anderson on August 24, 1978. Mays was in town for a Home Run Hitting Contest against Robinson.

Robinson officially took over the Red Wings on May 8, 1978 and led Rochester to a 58–64 record the rest of that season. He remains the only African-American manager in team history. His storied career as a player culminated with an induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, his first year on the ballot.

Robinson gets between Gary Roenicke and an umpire in 1978.

Robinson debuted in the big leagues in 1956 with the Cincinnati Reds and ended that season as the National League Rookie of the Year. He won NL Most Valuable Player with the Reds in 1961 and earned MVP honors in the American League in 1966 for the Baltimore Orioles after winning the Triple Crown. Robinson was named the World Series MVP that year as the Orioles beat the Los Angeles Dodgers. He won another World Series in 1970 as Baltimore beat Cincinnati. Over a 21-year MLB career, Robinson made the All-Star Game 14 times. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush in 2005.

Robinson made history in 1975 as he became the first African-American to manage in the major leagues as a player/manager for the Cleveland Indians. He would manage four other teams in the big leagues including the San Francisco Giants (1981–84), Baltimore Orioles (1988–91), Montreal Expos (2002–04) and Washington Nationals (2005–06). He earned Manager of the Year honors in 1989 with the Orioles.

Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. issued the following statement today:

“Frank Robinson’s résumé in our game is without parallel, a trailblazer in every sense, whose impact spanned generations. He was one of the greatest players in the history of our game, but that was just the beginning of a multifaceted baseball career. Known for his fierce competitive will, Frank made history as the first MVP of both the National and American Leagues, earned the 1966 AL Triple Crown and World Series MVP honors, and was a centerpiece of two World Championship Baltimore Orioles’ teams.

“With the Cleveland Indians in 1975, Frank turned Jackie Robinson’s hopes into a reality when he became the first African-American manager in baseball history. He represented four franchises as a manager, most recently when Baseball returned to Washington, DC with the Nationals in 2005. Since 2000, Frank held a variety of positions with the Commissioner’s Office, overseeing on-field discipline and other areas of baseball operations before transitioning to a senior role in baseball development and youth-focused initiatives. Most recently, he served as a Special Advisor to me as well as Honorary American League President. In 2005, Frank was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award, for ‘setting a lasting example of character in athletics.’

“We are deeply saddened by this loss of our friend, colleague and legend, who worked in our game for more than 60 years. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I send my deepest condolences to Frank’s wife Barbara, daughter Nichelle, their entire family and the countless fans who admired this great figure of our National Pastime.”