Next
up in my fun “Minor League Days” 1971 thread, the great Frank Robinson,
quite possibly the most underrated Major League legend the game has
ever seen.
Here he is as a 17-year-old with the Ogden Reds in 1953, just about to have one of the greatest careers in major League history:
The fresh-faced kid hit .348 that year, with 17 home runs in just 72
games before embarking on a 21-year Big League career that saw him win
Rookie of the Year in 1956 when he smashed a then record-tying 38 home
runs as a rookie, win the NL MVP in 1961 when he helped the Cincinnati
reds make it to the World Series, then become the first player to win
the award in both leagues when he helped the Baltimore Orioles shock the
world by sweeping the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers in 1966.
Oh yeah, he also won the Triple Crown that year, leading the American
League in runs, homers, RBIs, batting, on-base-percentage, slugging
percentage and total bases.
Just a killer year for a guy that was already established as one of the best players in the game.
Funny thing is that this was arguably NOT even his best season as a big leaguer at that point!
Just look at some of his season’s slugging and hitting his way through the first ten years of his career with the Reds!
Though he won the National League MVP in 1961, I always thought his 1962
season was the best of his career, when he hit .342 while collecting
208 hits, leading the league with 134 runs scored and 51 doubles,
hitting 39 home runs and driving in 136, while throwing in 18 stolen
bases and leading the league with a .421 OBP and .624 slugging! HUGE!
And to think that was only good for FOURTH in MVP voting that year, behind winner Maury Wills, Willie Mays and Tommy Davis.
Incredible.
But that 1966 season was extra special because it also gave Robinson a
World Championship, as the Orioles and their young pitching staff went
on to surprise everyone and SWEEP the defending champion Los Angeles
Dodgers in the World Series.
Nevertheless, his Big League resume: 586 home runs, 1812 ribbies, just
under 3000 hits, Rookie of the Year, and two M.V.P. awards (one in each
league). You know his resume, I'm sure.
I was just too young to really be following the papers back then, but I
wonder if there was any talk about continuing as a player to get to the
3000 hits. Anyone out there know?
2943 was so enticingly close to the magic hit number, but I'm assuming
he really didn't have much left in the tank after only 53 hits his final
three seasons.
