Frank Robinson has passed

[wildbillhiccup]

I never had a chance to see him play (a bit before my team), but truly one of the all time greats. Condolences to his friends and family and hoping they can find some peace in knowing that his legacy will live on forever. 

[Tx Oriole]

On 1/25/2019 at 10:03 AM, weams said:

Send up your prayers. My favorite Oriole. 

Goodness that's so sad. Prayers to his friends and family. 

[O's84]

Very sad news, my condolences to his family.

[tntoriole]

Frank and Brooks came to my elementary school in 1967 and I remember Frank and Brooks calling each other the Robinson brothers and hugging each other..a lot...an important and powerful statement to us kids on race.

Frank was always willing to sign balls and take photos after games at Memorial Stadium...He was an AMAZING player...his menancing, glowering, right on top of the plate stance led to leading baseball in being hit by pitches...he never rushed a pitcher, he would usually hit a homerun the next time up.

He is an amazing trailblazer as manager and as executive....we mourn his passing, but honor and celebrate his amazing life!   God bless his family and keep 5hem in prayers in coming days. 

[HOF19]

Sad...….sad day...……… My alltime favorite Oriole  Thoughts and prayers to his family .

[OFFNY]

o

 

One of my earliest memories in baseball was when I became an Orioles fan, in October of 1971 when I was in 1st grade ........  it was Game Six of that season's World Series.  My family was rooting for the Pirates in the World Series because they liked Roberto Clemente, so I rooted for the Orioles.)I remember that we won Game 6 when an Orioles runner slid home underneath the Pirates' catcher who had leaped in the air for the throw ........ I later learned that it was Frank Robinson sliding underneath Manny Sanguillen. I remember all of the Orioles hugging each other at home plate immediately afterward. I also later learned that Robinson almost single-handedly won that game for the Orioles in that final inning, hustling from 1st base to 3rd base on a single in which he had no business doing so, and then doing the same thing by scoring on a Sac-Fly on a very shallow fly ball to centerfield ....... Robinson's hustle on both plays was the biggest factor as to why there would be a Game Seven played the next day (the Orioles had been down 3 games to 2 prior to that Game Six.)

 

O

[TonySoprano]

Jim Palmer is on MLB right now and he notes Frank had been fighting bone cancer for a number of years.  You can hear Jim tearing up, very emotional.
 

 

[NashLumber]

6 minutes ago, OFFNY said:

o

 

One of my earliest memories in baseball was when I became an Orioles fan, in October of 1971 when I was in 1st grade ........  it was Game Six of that season's World Series.  My family was rooting for the Pirates in the World Series because they liked Roberto Clemente, so I rooted for the Orioles.)I remember that we won Game 6 when an Orioles runner slid home underneath the Pirates' catcher who had leaped in the air for the throw ........ I later learned that it was Frank Robinson sliding underneath Manny Sanguillen. I remember all of the Orioles hugging each other at home plate immediately afterward. I also later learned that Robinson almost single-handedly won that game for the Orioles in that final inning, hustling from 1st base to 3rd base on a single in which he had no business doing so, and then doing the same thing by scoring on a Sac-Fly on an extremely shallow fly ball to leftfield ....... Robinson's hustle on both plays was the biggest factor as to why there would be a Game Seven played the next day (the Orioles had been down 3 games to 2 prior to that Game Six.)

 

O

Seared into my memory. I remember being glued to the TV as a 9 year old when it happened. All alone in my grandma's den, no one else was interested in watching. My favorite Frank memory that I recall seeing in real time. And the baseball card from that game with the leaping Sanguillen was one of my favorites ever. 

 

[Moose Milligan]

 

[Number5]

Thanks for the joy you brought, Frank.

RIP

[Frobby]

There is so much I could say.    But for now, I'll just quote from a thread I did on Frank's 75th birthday.

Quote

 

Superman Turns 75

 

http://www.baltimoresun.com/media/photo/2010-06/54568212.jpg

 

Imagine that you are a 9 year old boy and a diehard baseball fan.

Your team has been pretty good for a while, but they lack that one great player they need to put them over the top. So they go get a 30-year old outfielder, one of the best hitters in the game, but have to trade one of their best pitchers and two other players to get him. You have high hopes for what the new player might do, but you really don't know.

After much anticipation, the season finally begins. One Opening Day, the new player hits a home run and your team wins. The next day, he hits another home run. The next game, another. Before you know it, April is over and your team is 11 -1. The new guy is hitting .463/.585/.976.

May rolls around and, on May 8th, the new guy hits a ball that, amazingly, flies completely out of the stadium, a feat never before accomplished and never again replicated. Your team sweeps a doubleheader as the new guy homers in both games.

On June 21, your team is playing the hated Yankees. They are winning 7-5 with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, but the Yanks have two runners on base. The batter hits what looks like a home run, but the new guy leaps at the wall, catches it, and literally disappears over the fence. From the other side, he holds the ball aloft, the ump calls the out, and the win is preserved.

When the regular season ends, your team has coasted to the AL pennant, spending the final 113 games of the season in first place. The new guy? All he's done is win the Triple Crown, hitting 10 more homers than his closest competitor and setting a team record. Oh, and scoring 23 more runs than anyone else in the league and knocking in 12 more than anyone else as well.

The World Series opens, and in his first at bat, the new guy hits a 2-run homer to lead his team to victory. After two more wins, your team leads the Series 3-0. With an opportunity to clinch the World Series, the new guy hits a home run for the only run of the game, and your team wins 1-0 to bring home its first ever World Series title.

If you were 9 years old when this happened, wouldn't you think this guy was Superman?

Frank Robinson turns 75 today. But in my mind's eye, he's still a 30-year old Superman, and I'm still a 9-year old kid.

Happy Birthday, Frank.

 

A huge piece of my childhood died today.

[NashLumber]

The New Year's Day MASN showing of several of the '70 World Series games are still on my DVR. I may watch as much of them in the coming days as I can. Thanks for the reminder, Moose, with that Game 3 HR clip. 

[Tx Oriole]

18 minutes ago, backwardsk said:

When I was a young kid a stood in line with his baseball card waiting for an autograph.  A grown man pushed me away to get in front of me.  Frank Robinson wouldn't sign for that guy, but told me that one day I'd get big enough to push that guy back.

The Orioles are very fortunate to have him as part of their family.

Back in 88 or 89 I was in Arlington, Tx with a baseball bat. I'm disabled. I saw Frank and asked him if he sign my bat? He did but another guy came up asking for his autograph. Frank refused to sign for this guy. Made me wonder if Frank felt sorry for me as the reason he signed the bat or maybe he had compassion for someone. He will be missed. 

[Palmoripken]

16 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Dammit.  RIP.

Unfortunately I'm too young to have seen him play, but my first memories of him are being the manager of the 1989 team.  And seeing his smile on the cover of the video that I have watched probably hundreds of times and have committed to memory:

And I remember meeting him after that season at an autograph session at a mall in Rockville, got his autograph and Gregg Olson's autograph, too.  I still have that picture of him somewhere.

A truly great ambassador to the game and one of the all time greats.  He is missed.  

I thought about it and I’m reasonably sure he was manager of the first game I went to. One Opening Day either in ‘88, ‘89, or ‘90, a bunch of my family members rented a bus and we went to the game. I’m inclined to think it was 89 or 90 since I would have been not even 9 months in 1988. Unfortunately I don’t know who we played. He really was a great guy and baseball man. And I think underrated. Not by those who know baseball but the casual fan. He’s a lot more closer to Mays, Mantle, & Aaron than he’s nkt.

[BamaOsFan]

What a player. What an idol. What a man. What great memories.

RIP #20!

Prayers for his family, his friends, my fellow Oriole and MLB fans.