Eddie Robinson, a four-time All-Star and the oldest living former major leaguer, died Monday at his home in Texas. He was 100.
“The Texas Rangers are incredibly saddened with the passing of the legendary Eddie Robinson, who spent nearly 70 years in professional baseball as an All-Star player and respected executive,” the Rangers said in a statement. “He began a 13-year Major League career with the Cleveland Indians in 1942 and went on to serve as General Manager of both the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers during an incredible career.”
Robinson broke into the big leagues with Cleveland as a 21-year-old in 1942, though he missed the 1943-45 seasons while serving in the military. He returned in 1946 and settled into the lineup full-time in 1948. From 1949-53, Robinson was one of the best power hitters in the game, authoring a .282/.370/.456 line with 112 home runs.
With the White Sox in 1951, Robinson had a career year, hitting 29 home runs and earning MVP votes. He went to the All-Star Game in 1949, 1952, 1953, and 1954. Robinson won the World Series with Cleveland in 1948, the franchise’s last championship, and also with the Yankees in 1955. He retired as a career .268/.353/.440 hitter with 172 homers following 13 big league seasons.
Robinson played with every American League franchise except the Red Sox (those were the days of the eight-team league), and following his playing career, he got into coaching and scouting, and later moved into the front office. He worked under George Steinbrenner with the Yankees and was still scouting for the Red Sox as recently as 2004.
Robinson is survived by his second wife, Bette, and his four sons, Robby, Marc, Paul and Drew.
