Frank Robinson was one of the greatest baseball players of the 20th century. He was Rookie of the Year for the Cincinnati Reds in 1956, won the Triple Crown in 1966, led the Baltimore Orioles to four World Series appearances, and is the only player in baseball history to be voted Most Valuable Player in both the American and National leagues. When his playing career was over, he became the first black manager in both leagues and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982. Amid these accomplishments, he continually strived for recognition—as if he had something to prove—and as a manager demanded respect from his players and his bosses. This is a biography of a man who “crowded the plate” in all aspects of his baseball life.

John C. Skipper, a political reporter for the Mason City (Iowa) Globe Gazette, has written numerous books on politics and baseball, including a history of the The Iowa Caucuses and acclaimed biographies of Grover Cleveland Alexander, Dazzy Vance and Charlie Gehringer.

John C. Skipper
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 220
Bibliographic Info: 20 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2015
pISBN: 978-0-7864-7561-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1696-4
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents

Preface 1
Introduction 5
1 E Something to Prove 9
2 E Uncanny Instinct for Baseball 18
3 E The Big Leagues 29
4 E High and Inside 42
5 E Guns, Hutch and Hoopla 54
6 E Transitions 68
7 E The Trade 78
8 E New Beginnings 84
9 E Falling from Grace 97
10 E Movin’ on Up 105
11 E Another Transition 121
12 E Cleveland 133
13 E San Francisco 146
14 E Back to Baltimore 157
15 E The Front Office 166
16 E Back in Uniform 174
17 E Been There, Done That 184
Chapter Notes 187
Bibliography 197
Index 203

“Compelling…Skipper’s best yet.”—W. Terry Lindley, Union University