Frank Robinson has passed

[Frobby]

I will make every effort to be at the game where Frank is honored.    

[Old#5fan]

I regret that many younger Os fans never got to watch Frank in action as a player. He was as good as they come, Best Orioles hitter to ever don the uniform bar none. I recall fondly as a kid when he arrived in the greatest trade in Orioles history how unbelievably awesome he was. He imo was as good as Aaron or Mays but just wasn’t as heralded for some reason. When he won the Triple Crown I was in awe and it seemed to cement my young mind that the National League was superior as they more superstars than the AL and Frank’s performance demonstrated it clearly even more so in his clutch homers in the WS sweep of the Dodgers against their HOF pitchers. May he RIP as one of my greatest sports heroes ever. Up there with Brooks, Johnny U, Jim, Gino, Cal, Ray, Lenny,  and Eddie. 

[OFFNY]

On 2/7/2019 at 4:42 PM, OFFNY said:

o

 

I remember reading in one of his biographies when I was a kid that Robinson was beaned in the head early in his career when he played for the Reds. Robinson said that for the first time in his life, he actually had a problem with being afraid of the ball (pitch) immediately upon returning to the lineup after the beaning. Fortunately for him, he was able to overcome the fear by simply forcing himself to stand in the batter's box, and the fright gradually dissipated over time.

 

A side-note to Robinson's beaning ...... before the game, Robinson promised a sports reporter that he would give him a post-game interview.

Not wanting to renege on his promise, Robinson actually went to said sportswriter's office after being released from the hospital that night, and gave the interview to the man, who was absolutely stunned to see Robinson walk through the door and say, "Are you ready for the interview?"  )  

 

Fear is Banished

(The Milwaukee Journal, 1961)

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19610803&id=P2AaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-yYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7404,1454817&hl=en

 

o

o

 

There was something else in that biography that I read that pertained to Robinson finishing anything that he possibly could in which he deemed was important ........ it was the night that he got into an altercation with a cook at a diner that he was eating dinner at early in his career.

 

According to Robinson, the cook was making threatening motions toward him with a knife. Robinson retaliated by drawing a gun that he carried with him to defend himself in such situations. The cook immediately started screaming for help, and that this "crazy man" was trying to kill him.

 

Frank was subsequently arrested for carrying a concealed weapon, and released on his own recognizance ........ and then promptly went back to that same diner to finish his dinner.

 

o

[TonySoprano]

 

[Redskins Rick]

 

[Frobby]

Just watched some of the Frank tribute from yesterday.   Boog Powell told a funny story about how one day when he was at his barbecue pit on Eutaw Street, Frank opened up a window on the second floor of the Warehouse and asked Boog for a pit beef sandwich.   Boog made him one, wrapped it up and tossed it to Frank through the window.    A minute later Frank tossed it back down and when Boog asked what was wrong, Frank said it needed barbecue sauce.    So Boog put the barbecue sauce and some Tabasco on and tossed it back up. I would have loved to witness that.

Boog also said that when he played for Frank in Cleveland, once during a losing streak Frank made out the batting order by having the players draw numbers out of a hat.   Boog drew no. 1, so when he led off the game he dropped a bunt down the 3B line that went for a single.   Chris Davis, take note!

[Frobby]

8 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Boog also said that when he played for Frank in Cleveland, once during a losing streak Frank made out the batting order by having the players draw numbers out of a hat.   Boog drew no. 1, so when he led off the game he dropped a bunt down the 3B line that went for a single.   Chris Davis, take note!

Great story, but fictitious.   Boog went 0 for 4 in that game.   https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TEX/TEX197506140.shtm

Sometimes it’s better not to look things up.  

[NashLumber]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Great story, but fictitious.   Boog went 0 for 4 in that game.   https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TEX/TEX197506140.shtm

Sometimes it’s better not to look things up.  

I was sure you were going to say the sandwich part was made up. 

[OFFNY]

On 4/7/2019 at 7:36 AM, Frobby said:

 

I just watched some of the Frank tribute from yesterday. Boog Powell told a funny story about how one day when he was at his barbecue pit on Eutaw Street, Frank opened up a window on the second floor of the Warehouse and asked Boog for a pit beef sandwich. Boog made him one, wrapped it up and tossed it to Frank through the window. A minute later Frank tossed it back down and when Boog asked what was wrong, Frank said it needed barbecue sauce. So Boog put the barbecue sauce and some Tabasco on and tossed it back up. I would have loved to witness that.

Boog also said that when he played for Frank in Cleveland, once during a losing streak Frank made out the batting order by having the players draw numbers out of a hat. Boog drew no. 1, so when he led off the game he dropped a bunt down the 3B line that went for a single. Chris Davis, take note !!!

 

 

 

On 4/7/2019 at 7:43 AM, Frobby said:

 

Great story, but fictitious. Boog went 0-for-4 in that game.   

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TEX/TEX197506140.shtm

 

Sometimes it’s better not to look things up.  

 

o

 

In 1977, Billy Martin allegedly picked a lineup out of a hat when the Yankees were struggling.

I'm not sure that I buy it, though.

I think that it's more than just a coincidence that Willie Randolph wound up leading off instead of Mickey Rivers. Randolph was the second fastest Yankee on the team, and was the next logical choice to bat lead-off in the event of a change.

Also, Reggie Jackson batting 3rd instead of 4th, Craig Nettles (power hitter) batting cleanup instead of 3rd or 5th ........ with the exception of Mickey Rivers batting 5th and Chris Chambliss batting 8th, it just seems too sane of a lineup to have been randomly picked out of a hat.

I think that if Martin had REALLY picked the lineup out of a hat, we would have seen something like Munson leading off, Bucky Dent batting cleanup, Reggie Jackson batting 8th or 9th, etc.

 

Martin's "Hat-Picked" Lineup:

 

Willie Randolph - 2B

Thurman Munson - C

Reggie Jackson - RF

Graig Nettles - 3B

Mickey Rivers - CF

Roy White - LF

Carlos May - DH

Chris Chambliss - 1B

Bucky Dent - SS

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA197704210.shtml

 

o

[TonySoprano]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

Just watched some of the Frank tribute from yesterday.   Boog Powell told a funny story about how one day when he was at his barbecue pit on Eutaw Street, Frank opened up a window on the second floor of the Warehouse and asked Boog for a pit beef sandwich.   Boog made him one, wrapped it up and tossed it to Frank through the window.    A minute later Frank tossed it back down and when Boog asked what was wrong, Frank said it needed barbecue sauce.    So Boog put the barbecue sauce and some Tabasco on and tossed it back up. I would have loved to witness that.

Boog also said that when he played for Frank in Cleveland, once during a losing streak Frank made out the batting order by having the players draw numbers out of a hat.   Boog drew no. 1, so when he led off the game he dropped a bunt down the 3B line that went for a single.   Chris Davis, take note!

The whole ceremony is linked here.  Even though it was on FB, you don't need an account to watch it.

 

 

[weams]

https://www.mlb.com/video/bill-ripken-on-frank-robinson-c2522579483

[bobmc]

More Frank Robby memorabilia (interesting how choked up on the bat he was in the beginning)

 

[Redskins Rick]

On 4/7/2019 at 7:43 AM, Frobby said:

Great story, but fictitious.   Boog went 0 for 4 in that game.   https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TEX/TEX197506140.shtm

Sometimes it’s better not to look things up.  

According to BBREF, Boog started at the top of the order for 1 game.

Batting 1st	2	1	5	5	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	.200	.200	.400	.600	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.250	29	66