Frank Robinson made history in AL and NL

Another candidate loomed as a strong possibility, even though he remained an active player. Frank Robinson, one of the lynchpins of the great Baltimore Orioles teams of the late 1960s and early 70s, seemed like a logical choice, based on his status as the team’s emotional leader. Fiery and hard-charging, Robinson played the game as intensely as anyone, particularly in the way that he took out middle infielders on potential double plays.

Off the field, Robinson garnered respect from all corners of the clubhouse. For example, Robinson ran the Orioles’ “Kangaroo Kourt,” a mock form of justice employed by several major league teams. Meant to keep the Orioles players relaxed and loose, The Kourt assessed players small fines for anything from baserunning mistakes to wearing their uniforms improperly to maintaining a slovenly appearance in their street clothes. Appointed “The Judge” of The Kourt, Robinson wore a large white mop atop his head during “trials” and ruled with a combination of humor and toughness (with an emphasis on the humor). The comedic setting of The Kourt gave Orioles players an enjoyable way to blow off steam during the long grind of the season.

Even more importantly, Robinson had accrued real experience as a manager. By 1974, Robinson had put in several seasons as a manager in the Winter League, where he oversaw teams that featured a mix of veterans and younger prospects. Robinson drew praise for his tough but fair approach, and his ability to teach the game to the younger generation.

At one point, Robinson seemed destined to make history by becoming the manager of the Oakland A’s. In the aftermath of the A’s winning the 1973 World Series, Dick Williams resigned, leaving the position vacant for the entire winter. One of the persistent wintertime rumors had the A’s making a trade to acquire Robinson, the ex-Oriole who has since been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers and California Angels. Robinson would become the Athletics’ player/manager, filling two roles as the team’s skipper and primary designated hitter. He still hit with power, even at the age of 37, and would strengthen a position that had been a source of instability for the A’s in 1973.

Assuming that the A’s could adequately compensate the Angels, the addition of Robinson made perfect sense for Oakland. His combination of smarts, work ethic and on-field fire made for a superior managerial resume. And as an added bonus, Robinson had grown up in the Bay Area, becoming a star player at McClymonds High School in Oakland.

On another front, the hiring of Robinson as baseball’s first Black manager would have represented a public relations coup for Charlie Finley. The Oakland owner’s meddling during the World Series drove Williams to depart, upsetting the A’s players and their fan base. At least one of the A’s players – as a matter of fact, their most famous player – seemed to believe that the hiring of Robinson could happen.

“Knowing Charlie Finley, it’s possible that Frank Robinson could be hired,” said Reggie Jackson in an interview with Black Sports Magazine. “Finley wants to be first in everything and the fact that he likes the publicity wouldn’t hurt either.”

On April 8, 1975, Robinson officially made his debut. On a cold, snowy afternoon, the Indians hosted the Yankees at Municipal Stadium, playing before a crowd of over 56,000 fans. To add to the atmosphere, Major League Baseball invited Rachel Robinson, the widow of Jackie Robinson, to throw out the first pitch. As per Opening Day custom, the Indians’ PA announcer introduced all of the players, along with the managers and coaches. As Robinson wrote in his book, Frank: The First Year, the fans received him royally. “I hurried up out of the dugout and jogged toward home plate. I couldn’t believe the ovation. I’ve had a few big ovations in my career but this was the biggest and best.”

To make the day even more eventful, Robinson inserted himself into the lineup as the Opening Day DH. That prompted his general manager, Phil Seghi, to pull Robinson aside that morning and jokingly suggest that he hit a home run in his first time at-bat. Reacting with mock anger, Robinson responded, “You’ve got to be kidding!”

Remarkably, Seghi’s challenge would turn prophetic. In the first inning, after a pop-out by Oscar Gamble, Robinson stepped in against Yankees right-hander George “Doc” Medich. With the count at 2-and-2, Medich threw a low fastball, which Robinson promptly walloped into the left field stands. As Robinson rounded the bases, the fans at Municipal Stadium treated him to a standing ovation. The Indians went on to win the game, 5-3, capping off a storybook start to the managerial career of the 39-year-old Robinson.

Opening Day represented one of the highlights to Robinson’s first season in the dugout. Another came on May 21, when he blasted two home runs to lead the Indians to a victory over the California Angels. But it was a season that featured a cascade of tumultuous moments, marred by frequent confrontations with umpires. A fiery player, Robinson brought the same intensity to managing, resulting in numerous arguments and three ejections in 1975. Robinson believed that racism played at least a part in his difficult relationship with the American League umpires, all of whom were white. Some umpires bristled at that charge, claiming that Robinson was overly combative and too quick to seek confrontation over controversial calls.

One of Robinson’s low points with the umpires occurred on May 17, when veteran umpire Jerry Neudecker failed to call fan interference on a ball hit to right field. Robinson came onto the field, argued the decision and gave Neudecker a shove. The umpire ejected Robinson from the game. American League President Lee MacPhail later hit Robinson with a three-game suspension.