Floyd Robinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Floyd Robinson |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: May 9, 1935 Prescott, Arkansas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 10, 1960, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 1968, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .283 | ||
| Home runs | 67 | ||
| Runs batted in | 426 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Floyd Andrew Robinson (born May 9, 1935) is a former professional baseball player. He was an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Floyd played for the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics, and Boston Red Sox. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
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Starting His Baseball Journey
Floyd Robinson grew up in San Diego, California. He went to San Diego High School. There, he was a star in both baseball and football. He was even offered a scholarship to play football at the University of Arizona. But Floyd chose to play professional baseball instead.
He signed with the San Diego Padres in 1954. This team was part of the Pacific Coast League. Later, in 1960, the Chicago White Sox acquired him. This was when they started working with the Padres.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Floyd Robinson made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on August 10, 1960. He was 24 years old. He played for the Chicago White Sox. His first hit came on September 18, 1960. It was a single against Jim Bunning of the Detroit Tigers. In the same game, he got his first run batted in (RBI).
Working with Great Managers
For most of his time with the White Sox, Floyd was managed by Hall of Famer Al López. Floyd had a lot of respect for López. In 1966, Eddie Stanky managed the White Sox. This was Floyd's last year with the team.
A Strong Start in the Majors
Floyd's first full year in the major leagues was 1961. It was a great season for him. He finished tied for third place in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. He had a .310 batting average. He also hit 11 home runs and had 59 runs batted in.
Leading the League in Doubles
In 1962, Floyd continued to play very well. He finished 10th in the American League MVP voting. He had 187 hits and a .312 batting average. This was the third-best in the league. He led the league with 45 doubles that year. He was also fourth in the league with 109 RBIs.
On July 22, 1962, Floyd made baseball history. He got six hits in six at bats in a nine-inning game. All of his hits were singles. He is one of only 35 players in the American League to do this.
Chasing the World Series
In 1964, Floyd's team, the White Sox, came very close to reaching the World Series. They won 98 games. However, they finished just one game behind the New York Yankees. This was one of three years in a row where his team finished second in the American League. Floyd never played on a team with a losing record during his career.
Later Career and Injury
Floyd's highest number of home runs in a season was 14. This happened in 1965. He also had 66 RBIs that year. After 1965, his offensive numbers began to decline.
In December 1966, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. He played one season with them. Then, in November 1967, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics. He played 53 games for them. On July 31, 1968, he joined the Boston Red Sox. He played his final career game on September 29, 1968. A knee injury in 1967 shortened his career.
Over his nine seasons in Major League Baseball, Floyd Robinson had a .283 batting average. He hit 67 home runs and had 426 RBIs. He also had 140 doubles, 36 triples, and 42 stolen bases. He scored 458 runs. As an outfielder, he had a .981 fielding percentage.
Life After Baseball
Floyd Robinson is a cousin of another former major league outfielder, Tommie Reynolds. Tommie played for eight years in the majors.
After his baseball career, Floyd and his wife, Sandra, became business partners. They invested in real estate and apartment buildings. They also owned a small grocery store for a while. One of their buildings is called the Golden Age Garden. It provides affordable housing for senior citizens in San Diego. This is the same neighborhood where Floyd grew up. In 2007, they started the Floyd Robinson Foundation. This is a nonprofit organization.
In 2009, Floyd Robinson was honored by the San Diego Hall of Champions. He was inducted into the Breitbard Hall of Fame. This hall celebrates San Diego's best athletes. Floyd is also of partial American-Indian heritage, from the Blackfoot Nation.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
