Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson was a groundbreaking player and manager for multiple teams in a long and outstanding career.
Robinson joined the Cincinnati Reds in 1956 when he was 20 years old, and he led the league in runs scored as a rookie, while also tying the rookie home run record, which was 38 (broken by Aaron Judge last season). That solid debut season earned him the Rookie of the Year Award.
He maintained that level of play for several seasons, before exploding in 1961, when he led the league with a .611 slugging percentage to go along with 117 runs and 124 RBI's. That season he led the Reds to the pennant, which resulted in a World Series loss to the Yankees, but he was awarded his first MVP award for the stellar season.
The next season he improved in nearly every single category, and had arguably his best season, when he hit .342, led the league with 134 runs and 51 doubles, and set career highs with 208 hits and 136 RBI. He only finished 4th in the MVP voting that year, even though he was even more deserving than the year before.
After 3 more years with the Reds, the team decided to move on from Robinson, trading him to the Orioles, and in his first season in Baltimore he had a season for the ages. He won the Triple Crown with 49 home runs, 122 RBI, and a .316 average, while also leading the league in runs and total bases, earning another MVP, and becoming the only player ever to win an MVP in each league.
The Orioles advanced to the World Series that year, and Robinson was named the MVP after hitting 2 home runs in the 4-game sweep of the Dodgers, including a solo shot to score the only run in the decisive final game. In a series dominated by pitching, Robinson was the offensive constant that made the difference.
From 1969 to 1971, the Orioles made 3 more playoff appearances, reaching the World Series each time, and they won the title in 1970 against Robinson's old team, the Reds, earning him a second championship ring. After the 1971 season, he was traded to the Dodgers, then to the Angels the following season.
Around this time Robinson decided that he wanted to become a manager, and because of that desire, he was traded to the Indians, where he was installed as player/manager, making him the first black manager in league history. Several years later, when he was hired to manage the Giants, he became the first black manager in the NL as well.
At the time of his retirement as a player, Robinson was #4 in home runs, behind Ruth, Aaron, and Mays, and has since fallen back to #10. His number was retired by Cincinnati, Baltimore, and Cleveland, making him one of only 2 players (along with Nolan Ryan) to have his number retired by 3 teams. He is still the only player to win an MVP in each league, a rare batting Triple Crown winner, a World Series MVP, and one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
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