No story about the good old days of the Orioles franchise can be told without Frank Robinson, whose acquisition before the 1966 season powered the O’s to immediate prominence and the franchise’s first championship. The news that he has passed away at his California home at age 83 makes this a sad day for Baltimore sports.
Baltimore isn’t the only city that gets to claim a piece of his greatness. He spent ten years with the Reds before ever coming here, winning the Rookie of the Year award in 1956 and the NL MVP in 1961. Robinson’s eventual 1966 AL MVP with the O’s gave him the distinction of winning one in both leagues.