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Frank Robinson on Baseball HOF Candidates



When a Hall of Famer sounds off about their respective Hall and those hoping to get inducted, it is always news to us.

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, Frank Robinson spoke on “Outside the Lines”, the popular ESPN program which was documenting the 40th Anniversary of Robinson becoming the first African-American Manager in the history of Major League Baseball.  When asked about his former teammate, Pete Rose and the Baseball Hall of Fame, Robinson did not sugar coat his opinion:

“Nothing.  Lifetime ban means lifetime.  Pete Rose broke a sacred rule in baseball by gambling on baseball and gambling on his own team.  And one time I remember hearing him say that he wasn’t aware of that rule, rule 21.  It’s right plastered in the clubhouse of every major league team, minor league team.”

Rose and Robinson were teammates in Cincinnati from 1963 to 1965.

Robinson’s stance on Rose is not necessarily the most popular one, but his opinion on PED users, such as Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez shares far more support from many current Baseball fans.  Specifically, Robinson names Hank Aaron as the true Home Run King, and added the following:

“I don’t think Hank Aaron had any help.  He did it naturally, and I really don’t think that Barry Bonds did it naturally.  I can’t sit here and say I have proof.  I don’t, but I have eyes.  I played the game.  I know what it takes to hit Home Runs.”

Frank Robinson entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982 and in his career, Frank Robinson hit 586 Home Runs, which currently puts him ninth all-time.  Of the eight ahead of him, three (Bonds, Alex Rodriguez and Sammy Sosa) have been linked to Performance Enhancing Drugs.  As for A-Rod, Robinson bluntly refers to him as a “disgrace”.

We may not completely agree (though many of you may) with Frank Robinson, but we are reminded again why we love retired athletes; they give much better interviews!


Last modified on Thursday, 19 March 2015 18:47
Committee Chairman

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