Robin Roberts (baseball)

Infobox MLB retired
name=Robin Roberts


width=
position=Pitcher
bats=Both
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1926|9|30
city-state|Springfield|Illinois
deathdate=
debutdate=June 18
debutyear=by|1948
debutteam=Philadelphia Phillies
finaldate=August 26
finalyear=by|1966
finalteam=Chicago Cubs
stat1label=Win-Loss record
stat1value=286-245
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=3.41
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=2,357
teams=
* Philadelphia Phillies (by|1948-by|1961)
* Baltimore Orioles (by|1962-by|1965)
* Houston Astros (by|1965-by|1966)
* Chicago Cubs (by|1966)
highlights=
* 7x All Star selection (1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956)
* 2x NL TSN Pitcher of the Year (1952, 1955)
* 1962 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award
* Philadelphia Phillies #36 retired
hofdate=by|1976
hofvote=86.86%

Robin Evan Roberts (born September 30 1926) is an American former Major League Baseball starting pitcher whose years with the Philadelphia Phillies (1948-61) led to his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Roberts also pitched for the Baltimore Orioles (1962-65), Houston Astros (1965-66) and Chicago Cubs (1966).

Before the Phillies

Roberts was born in Springfield, Illinois. After World War II, Roberts returned to Michigan State University—where he had attended an Army Air Corps training program—to play basketball, not baseball. [http://www.educ.msu.edu/neweducator/Fall02/roberts.htm A Man for All Seasons] , a Fall 2002 "New Educator" article from a Michigan State University website] Almost by accident he became a baseball pitcher for MSU. After playing for MSU and spending his second summer playing in Vermont with the Barre-Montpelier Twin City Trojans, he was signed by the Phillies. [http://www.thevermontmountaineers.com/robinroberts.htm Robin Roberts, Twin City Trojans 1946–1947] from the Vermont Mountaineers website]

With the Phillies

Roberts had his major league debut on June 18, 1948.

In by|1950 he led his Phillies "Whiz Kids" team, the youngest major league baseball squad ever fielded, to its first National League pennant in 35 years. Roberts started three games in the last five days of the season, defeating the heavily favored Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field, in a pennant-deciding, 10-inning game. It was his 20th victory, becoming the Phillies' first 20-game-winner since Grover Cleveland Alexander did it in by|1917. Since then, the 1950 Phillies have been known as the "Whiz Kids."

Between 1950 and 1955 Roberts won 20 games each season, leading the NL in victories from 1952 to 1955. Six times he led the league in games started, five times in complete games and innings pitched, and once pitched 28 complete games in a row. During his career, Roberts never walked more than 77 batters in any regular season. In addition, he helped himself as a fielder as well as with his bat, hitting 55 doubles, 10 triples, and five home runs with 103 RBI.

His 28 wins in 1952, the year he won the The Sporting News Player of the Year Award, are the most in the National League since by|1935, the year Dizzy Dean also won 28 games.

Despite his 28 victories in by|1952, Roberts enjoyed his best season in by|1953, posting a 23-16 record and leading the NL pitchers in strikeouts with 198. In a career-high 346⅔ innings pitched he walked just 66 batters, and his 2.75 ERA was second in the league behind Warren Spahn's 2.10, narrowly missing the Triple Crown.

One of the most memorable highlights of his career occurred on May 13, by|1954, when Roberts gave up a lead-off home run to Cincinnati Redleg Bobby Adams and then retired 27 consecutive batters to win 8-1, on a one-hit game.

After the Phillies

After the conclusion of the 1961 season, Roberts was released by the Philadelphia Phillies. Roberts then tried out in spring training with the New York Yankees but was released shortly after the season began. After that the Baltimore Orioles picked him up and he had several successful seasons for the Orioles, going 42-36 in 3½ seasons before moving on to the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs to conclude his career.

His final major league game was on September 3, 1966 but he pitched in the minors during 1967.

Legacy

In his 19-season career, Roberts compiled a 286-245 record with 2,357 strikeouts, a 3.41 ERA, 305 complete games, 45 shutouts, and 4,688⅔ innings pitched in 676 games. He holds the Major League record for home runs allowed by a pitcher (505). He holds the major league record for most consecutive "Opening Day" starts for the same team with 12, between 1950 and 1961.

Roberts was the only pitcher in major league history to defeat the Boston Braves, the Milwaukee Braves and the Atlanta Braves.

Robin Roberts was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in by|1976. [ [http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers/detail.jsp?playerId=121283 Robin Roberts] at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum website]

In by|1999, he ranked number 74 on "The Sporting News"' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. The Phillies have honored him with the retirement of his uniform number 36 and a statue outside the first base gate of Citizens Bank Park.

On July 21, 2003, Roberts returned to Montpelier, Vermont to accept two honors: The Vermont Mountaineers retired his number from his playing days with the Barre-Montpelier Twin City Trojans, and Governor Jim Douglas presented him a proclamation that made the day "Robin Roberts Day" in the State of Vermont.

Career statistics

* 7-time All-Star (1950-56)
* 5-time Top 10 MVP (1950, 1952-55)
* 6-time won 20 or more games (1950-55)
* 4-time led league in won games (1952-55)
* Twice led the league in strikeouts (1953-54)
* Led league in shutouts (1950)
* 6-time led the league in games started (1950-55)
* 5-time led league in complete games (1952-56)
* 5-time led league in innings pitched (1951-55)
* 6-time pitched over 300 innings (1950-55)
* Ranks #27Update after|2009|1|1 on the all-time wins leaderboard
* Holds the record for most home runs allowed by a pitcher, with 505
* Holds five Philadelphia Phillies team records as of 2008Update after|2009|1|1: most complete games pitched, most games pitched, most innings pitched, most hits allowed, and most losses

Career as author

Roberts has written two books about his baseball experiences: "The Whiz Kids and the 1950 Pennant" (1996, ISBN 156639466X) [ [http://www.temple.edu/tempress/titles/1269_reg_print.html The Whiz Kids and the 1950 Pennant] from the Temple University Press website] , and "My Life In Baseball" (2003, ISBN 1572435038), both with C. Paul Rogers, III, a law professor at Southern Methodist University.

Further reading

*cite book |coauthors= The editors of the Sporting News |title= Baseball A Doubleheader Collection of Facts, Feats, & Firsts |year= 1992|publisher=The Sporting News Publishing Co. |location=St. Louis, Mo. |isbn=0-88365-785-6

References

External links

* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/R/Roberts_Robin.stm Robin Roberts] from BaseballLibrary.com
* [http://www.thebaseballpage.com/players/roberro01.php Robin Roberts] from TheBaseballPage.com
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_11_61/ai_92521923 1950: When Philadelphia's Whiz Kids won the NL pennant] , a 2002 "Baseball Digest" article via findarticle.com