Bio:
Familiar face to Beltway baseball fans enters 5th season as manager of the
Nationals/Expos...2006 will be 16th season as big league skipper...clubs have
posted 6 winning seasons...current big league managerial record is 994-1,085
(.478)...is 314-334 (.478) at the helm of the Nationals/Expos franchise,
including 233-253 (.479) in 3 seasons as Montreal skipper...is just 6 wins
shy of becoming the 53rd member of the 1000-win club...Frank enters '06 tied
with Alvin Dark for 54th on the all-time managerial list...Bill Virdon ranks
53rd with 995 career managerial victories...despite accepting the Expos
managerial post on February 12, 2002 - just 5 days before the start of Spring
TrainingRobinson has guided the Nationals/Expos to a pair of winning seasons
(2002, '03), a .500 campaign (81-81 in 2005) and just one sub-.500 record
(2004)....Expos announced one-year extension of contract on December 15,
2005...enters sea-son 70 years young...is MLB's 2nd-oldest manager...only
Felipe Alou (3.5 months) is shorter in the tooth...994 career victories rank
6th among active managers, behind only Tony LaRussa, Bobby Cox, Joe Torre,
Dusty Baker and Mike Hargrove...2006 is the 50-year anniversary of Frank
Robinson's 1956 NL Rookie of the Year season...despite having never played in
the big leagues (true rookie), hit .290 with 122 runs, 27 doubles, 38 home
runs and 83 RBI for a 91-win Reds club...has served baseball in nearly every
conceivable position: player, player/manager, coach, front-office executive,
administrator.
2005 in Washington:
Piloted Nationals during MLBs return to nations capital after 33 summers
without baseball...the Nationals finished 5th in the NL East, 9.0 games
behind ATL, and 8.0 games behind HOU in the NL Wild Card...Wash-ington led
the competitive NL East as late as July 20 and remained in the Wild Card
chase until mid-September...in all, Washington was in sole possession of
first place in the NL East, or tied for the top spot, 63 days...Washingtons
81-win campaign resulted in 14 more victories than the season prior...led
club to magical first half...the Nationals peaked at 19 games above .500 on
July 3 and July 5...however, Washington went just 30-49 (.398) in its final
79 games starting July 6...due to a string of injuries, the 05 Nationals
employed the services of a MLB-leading 55 players, trumping the former club
mark, 49, set by the 2000 Expos...25 pitchers toed the rubber for the
Nationals in 2005...Washington went 40-41 on the road, including wins in 17
of its final 27 road contests dating to July 31...from May 30-June 12, the
Nation-als completed their longest homestand of the season with an astounding
12-1 record...Washingtons 12-1 homestand was matched by PHI, who capped an
identical 12-1 stand of their own during the same 2-week period...according
to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 12 wins recorded by Washington and PHI
matched the most wins by any club on a single homestand the last 35
years..during the record-setting stand, the Nationals matched a franchise
record with a 10-game winning streak, June 2-12...the 10-game run matched the
longest winning streak in MLB in 05 (NYY also posted a 10-game winning
streak)...Washington went 12-6 in interleague play, and the 12 interleague
wins paced the NL...was ejected from 3 games: April 30 vs. NYM (arguing that
game should be halted by rain, Hallion), May 17 vs. MIL (arguing balls and
strikes, Hirschbeck) and Sept. 13 at NYM (arguing balls and strikes, Nelson).
Tenure in Montreal:
2004 SEASON: In 14th season as big league manager, guided the Expos to a
67-95 (.414) record in 3rd season with the club...Expos were again burdened
with a split schedule that featured only 59 true home games at Olympic
Stadium...played 21 games in Puerto Rico, going 7-14...also battled slew of
injuries to key personnel, including every starting pitcher minus Livan
Hernandez...after winning 83 games in both 2002 and 2003, 67-win campaign was
Mon-treals first losing season since 2001...the Expos were absent from the
post-season hunt for the first time since 2001, due largely to 5-19 mark in
April...pocketed 900th career managerial victory with 6-3 win on August 25
vs. LA...became the 58th manager to reach 900 wins...at the time of Franks
900th, active managers on the 900-win list included STLs Tony LaRussa, ATLs
Bobby Cox, NYYs Joe Torre, NYMs Art Howe, CHIs Dusty Baker and FLAs Jack
McKeon...joins Fred Clarke, Cap Anson, Joe Cronin, Lou Boudreau, Frankie
Frisch, Hughie Jennings, Red Schoendienst and Frank Chance as Hall-of-Famers
who also won at least 900 games as a manager...was ejected from just one
game: June 16 vs. MIN...was thrown out by first-base umpire Mike Fichter for
arguing Luis Rivas game-winning home run to left field, which replays later
showed was actually a foul ball...on July 13 at Minute Maid Park in Houston,
was honored during All-Star Game festivities as one of 14 living members of
the 500-home run club.
2003 SEASON: Guided the Expos to a 2nd 83-79 mark (.512) in his 2nd season
while navigating the clubs historic split-home schedule which featured 59
games in Montreal and 22 in San Juan, PR...the winning season -- the clubs
14th in 35 NL campaigns -- was Franks 6th in 13 years as a big league
manager...with identical 83-79 marks the last 2 years, Montreal recorded
consecutive winning campaigns for the first time since a 3-year stretch,
1992-94...despite a rash of injuries (10 different players spent 721 games on
the Disabled List), the Expos fell below .500 just once all season (at 72-73
with a 4-3 loss vs. CHI on September 9 in San Juan)...a 4-game home sweep of
the Phillies, August 25-28, pulled the Expos into a tie for the NL Wild
Card...was ejected from 2 games in 2003...(May 9 vs. LAD and May 16 at COL
(both for arguing balls and strikes)...on September 26, the Reds unveiled a
bronze statue like-ness of Frank Robinson outside Great American Ball Park on
the Crosley Terrace...the statue, sculpted by local artist Thomas Tsuchiya,
was the 3rd in a series of 4 that augment the Reds new home...all 4
immortalsTed Kluszewski, Joe Nuxhall and Ernie Lombardi being the other 3are
from the clubs Crosley Field era...after the season, Robinson managed the
2003 USA Baseball Olympic Qualifying Team, which attempted to secure a berth
in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games...however, Robinsons USA club was stunned by
Mexico in the quarterfinals, thus clearing the way for Canada to clinch a
spot.
2002 SEASON: Robinson was officially appointed Expos field manager only 5
days before the opening of Spring Training...became the franchises 11th
manager...did a commendable job in putting together a coaching staff and
bringing confidence and pride to a team threatened by contraction since
November...led the Expos to a 2nd-place finish in the NL East with an 83-79
recordMontreals best season since 1996and 15 wins better than the previous
year...finished 3rd in the BBWAAs NL Manager of the Year voting (behind Tony
La Russa and Bobby Cox)...was the recipient of Baseball Americas inaugural
Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of his career as a player, manager
and executive...the award was presented to him during the Baseball Meetings
in December in Nashville...reached the 700-win plateau as a manager on May 12
at Olympic Stadium with a 4-2 victory vs. SFG...was invited by Bob Brenly to
serve as a coach at the 2002 All-Star Game July 9 at MILs Miller Park...as a
player, participated in 12 All-Star games and was MVP of the 71 Classic as a
member of the Orioles.
Joined CLE as a player on September 12, 1974 and 3 weeks later, on October 4,
became baseballs first African-American manager when he replaced Ken
Aspromonte...made a dramatic debut as player-manager on April 8, 1975,
homering in his first at-bat...after a slow start in 1977, was released on
June 19 and succeeded by Jeff Torborg...for the rest of that year, coached
with CAL...was named manager of SFG on January 14, 1981 and led the club to
its first consecutive winning seasons in a decade...was dismissed on August
4, 1984...replaced Cal Ripken at BALs helm, April 12, 1988...at the time, was
working for the club as a front office official for the first time in his
career as special assistant to the president...took over the team at 0-6 and
lost his first 15 games snapping the record start-of-the-season losing streak
at 21 on April 29...won all 4 of the major AL Manager of the Year awards from
BBWAA, The Sporting News, AP and UPI in 1989, after directing his team to a
32.5-game improvement over the previous year...was in his 4th season as
manager of BAL in 1991 when he was replaced by Johnny Oates on May 23...a
short time later, he accepted the position of Assistant GM with BAL under
VP/GM Roland Hemond...stayed in the Orioles front office until 1995...became
Vice-President of on-field operations for Major League Baseball in 1999...one
of his primary duties was to maintain order, including dealing with players
who participate in on-field brawls...has twice served as All-Star Game coach
(76 with CLE and 03 with Montreal).
Hall of Fame:
A 12-time All-Star (appeared in 11 Mid-Summer Classics) and the only man ever
named MVP in both leagues...was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982
in first year of eligibility...was inducted along with Hank Aaron...began his
professional career in CIN in 1956 and spent 10 seasons in a Redsf
uniform...although donning a BAL cap on his Hall-of-Fame plaque, posted
superior statistics in his 10 years with CIN...from 1956-65, hit .303 with
324 homers and 1,009 RBI for the Reds...in e61 en route to CINfs first NL
flag in 21 years, was named NL MVP...following the 1965 season, was traded to
BAL for pitchers Milt Pappas and Jack Baldschun and outfielder Dick
Simpson...went on to win the ALfs MVP award in 1966 after winning the
prestigious Triple Crown with a .316 average, 49 homers, and a
franchise-record 122 RBI...played for CIN, BAL, LAD, CAL and CLE...586 home
runs rank 5th all-time behind only Aaron, Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds and Willie
Mays...his uniform No. 20 has been officially retired in both BAL and
CIN...played 21 major league seasons...appeared in 5 World Series and 3 other
championship series...blasted 10 career post-season home runs in 35 playoff
contests.
Playing Highlights:
After 3 minor league seasons, spent 10 full years with CIN...was NL Rookie of
the Year in 1956...hit 2 or more home runs in a game 54 times, including 3 on
August 22, 1959 vs. STL...won the Triple Crown and MVP Awards in AL and World
Series in 1966...tied league record for homers by a rookie (38, set by Wally
Berger of the Braves) and set a rookie mark by being hit by pitched balls 20
times...hit his first career home run April 28, 1956 at CHI off Paul
Minner...in World Series play with the Os, hit 2 key homers in 1966 vs. LAD,
both off Don Drysdale, to win the MVP SPORT Magazine sports car...hit 7
career grand slams (5 in the NL)...was MVP in the 1971 All-Star game at DET
thanks to game-winning 2-run homer in the 3rd inning off Dock Ellis...hit the
2 AL slams in successive plate appearances, August 20, 1970 at RFK Stadium
off Joe Coleman and Joe Grzenda...helped lead the Os to 3 straight pennants,
1969-71...in 1969, set a then-MLB record by hitting 10 home runs in the month
of April...was acquired by LAD in December 1971 with pitcher Pete Richert for
pitchers Doyle Alexander and Bob OBrien, catcher Sergio Robles and 1B Royle
Stillman...after one year in LAD, was traded to CAL with Billy Grabarkewitz
and Bobby Valentine, and pitchers Bill Singer and Mike Strahler for 3B Ken
McMullen and pitcher Andy Messersmith on November 28, 1972...with CAL, played
nearly 2 years under Bobby Winkles and Dick Williams...with CLE, played his
last game on September 18, 1976 vs. BAL, pinch-hitting in the 8th
inning...produced an RBI single...hit his last home run at CAL on July 6,
1976 off Sid Monge...Monge would later relinquish Tony Gwynns first career
hit.
Personal:
Frank and his wife Barbara Ann have 2 children: Frank Kevin and
Nichelle...graduate of McClymonds High School in Oakland, where he also
played football and basketball...was a high-school hoops teammate of
basketball Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell...attended Xavier University in
Cincinnati...one of 10 children...enjoys playing golf...has been a Los
Angeles Lakers season-ticket holder since 1967-68 season.