Robin Roberts

Pitcher

Class of 1976

Robin Roberts

Pitcher

Class of 1976
From 1950-1955, Robin Roberts was arguably the most dominant pitcher in the National League.

Games

Birth year

About Robin Roberts

Over the course of his career, Robin Roberts was two distinctly different pitchers.

Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner described the early part of his career best, when he said “Probably the best fastball I ever saw was Robin Roberts. His ball would rise around six or eight inches, and with plenty on it. And he had great control.”

But Roberts was able to last 19 years in the big leagues by transitioning into a craftsman who out-smarted his opponents. And each pitcher was among the most effective in the game.

Roberts first toed the rubber for the Philadelphia Phillies at the age of 21 in 1948, against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He walked the first batter he faced on what he described as “four of the wildest pitches you ever saw.” Roberts settled down though and struck out the next batter using what would become his signature pitch, the hard rising fastball. Roberts went eight innings exhibiting strong command, but took the hard-luck 2-0 loss. He bounced back five days later and earned the first of his 286 career wins a complete game victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

From 1950-1955, Roberts was arguably the most dominant pitcher in the league. He recorded six straight 20-win seasons and in 1950 led the “Whiz Kids” to their first World Series appearance since 1915.

Phillies teammate Curt Simmons recalled: “He was like a diesel engine. The more you used him, the better he ran. I don’t think you could wear him out.”

In 1952, Roberts had his best season, going 28-7 with a 2.59 ERA over 330 innings. He won his last eight starts of the season – all complete games, including a 17-inning performance against the Braves. It was one of 13 straight compete games he pitched against the Boston/Milwaukee franchise from 1952-54. He went 12-1 over that stretch, losing only when the Braves' Jim Wilson no-hit the Phillies on June 12, 1954.

Roberts never missed a start in the 1950s. He led the NL in innings pitched each year from 1951-55 and complete games each year from 1952-56. He amassed a streak of 28 straight complete games during the 1952 and 1953 seasons.

As the decade wore on, Roberts lost velocity on his fastball. His precision control allowed him to reinvent himself as the type of finesse pitcher that Hall of Famer Willie Stargell said “looks like the kind of pitcher you can’t wait to swing at, but you swing, and the ball isn’t where you thought it was.”

Roberts made his last big league appearance in 1966, going 5-3 with a 2.48 ERA in 11 games for the Double-A Reading Phillies at the age of 40 in 1967.

A seven time All-Star, Roberts started five All-Star Games, tied for the most all-time.

He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976 and passed away on May 6, 2010.

The Basics

Year inducted
1976
Birth Place
Springfield, Illinois
Birth Year
1926
Died
2010, Temple Terrace Florida

Career at a Glance

Primary Team
Philadelphia Phillies
Primary Position
Pitcher
Played For
Philadelphia Phillies, 1948-1961
, 1962-1965
Houston Astros, 1965-1966
Chicago Cubs, 1966

Career MLB Stats

Games
676
Wins
286
Losses
245
Winning %
.539
Saves
25
Hits
4,582
Walks
902
Runs
1,962
Games Started
609
Innings Pitched
4,688
Completed Games
305
Shutouts
45
Earned Runs
1,774
Strikeouts
2,357
ERA
3.41
WHIP
1.170

Robin Roberts Stories

Explore the archives and go deep into the lives, careers, and stories of the Hall of Fame's honorees.

Robin Roberts notches 28th straight complete game

Lemon, Roberts enter Hall of Fame together

Roberts’ number retired while still an active player

Roberts completely dominant versus Braves