Sad News-- Eddie Robinson
 

I just saw that the oldest living baseball player, Eddie Robinson, passed on this week.

He was a guest as one of my shows and I tell the story of this nice man carrying in the box of books to sell. Well, that nice man was Eddie at age 93 or so carrying in the box himself.

We also had him as a guest speaker at one of our Adat Chaverim brotherhood annual dinners and he told great stories.

I always thought he would go forever, but the memories are wonderful

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports...254779077.html

That is very sad news. He was in great shape when he signed autographs at my one-and-done show promoting. He was such a super nice gentleman. RIP Mr. Robinson..

Very sad news.

Underrated player, and sounds like maybe an underrated guy. Wish I could've met him.

Oh a happier note, I don't know if the title passes to Bobby Shantz but we celebrated his 96th birthday at the last Philly show. He was there, as always.

Bobby is currently the 8th oldest living player.

Sorry to hear that. Eddie was a fine gentleman.

RIP Eddie
 

W. Edward "Eddie" Robinson. First baseman with the Washington Senators in 1949-1950. 1,146 hits and 172 home runs in 13 MLB seasons. 1948 World Series champion. 4-time All-Star. He debuted with the Cleveland Indians in 1942 and 1946-1948. One of his best seasons was 1952 with the Chicago White Sox as he posted a .382 OBP with 104 RBI's in 681 plate appearances. His career OBP was .353. His final season was 1957 with the Baltimore Orioles.

Eddie's Washington career was brief, all-star caliber, but marred by the fact that he was acquired in a deal that involved sending a prospect named Early Wynn to Cleveland. From Robinson's SABR biography:

Robinson did not get along well with Indians manager Lou Boudreau, who tended to favor veteran players, and after the 1948 season was traded to the Washington Senators with pitchers Joe Haynes and Eddie Klieman for pitcher Early Wynn and fellow first baseman Mickey Vernon. Robinson fit in well with his new club and got off to a strong start.

For his efforts, he was named the starting first baseman for the American League in the All-Star Game, played in 1949 in Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. In his first All-Star at-bat, he lined a single to right field off Warren Spahn to drive in Joe DiMaggio, helping the American League to a 11-7 victory. He continued his solid play during the second half of the season and wound up hitting .294 with 18 home runs, 27 doubles, and 78 runs batted in for a last place team that won only 50 games.

After a great spring training in 1950, Robinson caught the flu and got off to a slow start in the regular season. On May 31 he was traded again, this time to the Chicago White Sox in a six-player deal.

https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1633463215
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1633463221

Eddie Played for 7 of the 8 Classic AL Franchises. The only he missed was the Boston Red Sox.

Agreed about him being underrated

Sad to see his passing

Very lucky to have been to his house a few years ago and see all of the pictures and awards he had on the walls. He recanted the story behind every picture like it happened yesterday.

Eddie Robinson
 

GOD Bless Eddie Robinson's soul, and comfort his Family and friends.

As an avid Yankees fan in the 1950's, Eddie was one of my favorites. I saw him hit some long HR's deep into the Right-Center-Field seats (or upper deck) of Yankee Stadium.

Here he is in the centerfold of the 2nd issue of Sports Illustrated (Aug 23, 1954).


https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...llusratedA.jpg



TED Z

T206 Reference
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He was kind enough to sign for me back in December 2014, when I was getting started with my signed 1953 Topps project.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7bbd9537ab.jpg

Rest in Peace Sir!


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RIP Eddie
 

I didn't realize how extensive his MLB career was as a player, manager and GM until I read his obituary. Quite a lengthy career. My only Eddie Robinson card. RIP.

In 2011 I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Robinson at an event sponsored by the Philadelphia A's Historical Society....

For the occasion they had a limited amount of specially made Hartland statues available to have signed:

https://i.imgur.com/7HlahNF.jpg

I echo the sentiments on this post. Since nobody seems to have mentioned it, over the last year Eddie has recorded a podcast sharing stories of his playing days. If you're not familiar with it, do yourselves a favor and seek out "The Golden Age of Baseball with Eddie Robinson"; you won't be disappointed.

Bill that's a really cool Hartland

I discovered his podcast about a month ago, and ive really enjoyed listening to each episode. In fact, I just purchased a 51B to send to him to sign...

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There is an Eddie Robinson obituary in today's Wash. Post. Here's the link to it (there may be a firewall): https://www.washingtonpost.com/local...e52_story.html

Here are two excerpts from this obit that I found interesting:

(1) In 1948, when Mr. Robinson was with Cleveland, he had a role in one of the most memorable moments in baseball history: Ruth’s final visit to Yankee Stadium. The ailing slugger dressed one last time in his Yankee pinstripes, with his familiar No. 3 on the back, and walked onto the field from the Indians’ dugout on June 13, 1948. “He talked in a very raspy voice,” Mr. Robinson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 2016. “I could tell he needed some help. He was going to walk out to home plate without any crutches. I just reached into the bat rack and pulled out a bat and gave it to him.” (The bat belonged to Feller, the team’s star pitcher.) “He carried that bat up to home plate,” Mr. Robinson recalled. “And that famous picture of him facing out with him standing with that bat — I got the bat and had him autograph it.” Nat Fein, a photographer for the New York Herald Tribune, stood behind Ruth, who looked across the diamond and steadied himself with the bat. Two months later, Ruth was dead. Fein’s enduring image was the first sports photograph to win the Pulitzer Prize.

(2) In 1977, Mr. Robinson returned to his home state as general manager of the Texas Rangers. During spring training of his first year on the job, manager Frank Lucchesi benched infielder Lenny Randle in favor of another player. An enraged Randle attacked the manager before a game, breaking his cheekbone and some ribs. Lucchesi spent several days in the hospital, and Randle was promptly traded. Later that season, Mr. Robinson fired Lucchesi as manager because of the team’s lackluster performance, hiring the pugnacious Eddie Stanky as his replacement. Stanky lasted just one game before returning home to Alabama. After the dust settled — and Mr. Robinson ultimately hired Billy Hunter — the Rangers were led by four managers in eight days. While the drama was unfolding, Mr. Robinson received a call from Berra, his former teammate on the Yankees. “Yogi, what are you calling me for?” Mr. Robinson recalled years later to the Star-Telegram. Berra was trying to congratulate Stanky on his new job, but his call was transferred to the wrong Eddie. “Yogi, you won’t believe this,” Mr. Robinson said, “but Stanky just quit. You want the job?” Without hesitating, Berra said, “Hell, no.”

While I am already on record as saying I think he was underrated, Ted never met a contemporary player that wasn't the greatest ever. Dom DiMaggio, George Kell, and on and on. It is either a generous nature, or he figured he looks even better if everyone he played against was an all-time great and yet he was many times greater.