CLEVELAND, Ohio – Jackie Robinson, the first Black player in Major League Baseball, died before Frank Robinson became Major League Baseball’s first Black manager for the Cleveland Indians on April 8, 1975.
Frank Robinson’s managerial debut was a historic moment in a city accustomed to Black achievement. On July 5, 1947, Larry Doby became the first Black player in the American League and the second Black player in Major League Baseball when he took the field for the Indians. In 1967, Cleveland’s Carl Stokes became the first Black mayor of a major city.
In September of 1974, the Cleveland Indians acquired Robinson in a trade with the California Angels. During the offseason, he’d sign as player/manager.
Robinson made his debut as player/manager in the spring of 1975, becoming one of many firsts in Black honors for Cleveland. Then-eighth grader Delvis Valentine craved to experience the historical moment.
“There was a lot of Black empowerment in Cleveland and we had a swell of Black pride, even among the kids,” said Valentine, now 63. “So when it was announced Frank Robinson as the new manager of the then Indians, we were all excited.”
There was so much excitement that many of the Cleveland public schools allowed any good-standing student to leave school early for the afternoon season opener with signed permission from their parents.
Valentine and his best friend jumped at the chance. The two students took a bus to downtown Cleveland, journeyed through Public Square and made their way to Cleveland Municipal Stadium.
“We were loud and giddy on the bus, and I know we irritated people on the bus,” Valentine said. “But we were happy that we were about to see a Black man make history.”
The duo paid $3 each for two bleacher seats in left field, and joined nearly 57,000 fans with a game-time temperature of 40 degrees. It was a game against that season’s eventual World Series champions New York Yankees.
Rachel Robinson, the widow of Jackie Robinson, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Former Indians pitcher Mudcat Grant sang the National Anthem.
Not only did Robinson manage, but he was also in the lineup as a designated hitter. In the bottom of the first inning, Robinson, the second batter in the lineup, hit a solo home run to left field in an area near the cheering Valentine.
“I can’t even tell you who won the game,” said Valentine, sports director at WOVU-FM. “Because in my eyes, Cleveland won when Frank Robinson hit that home run. You couldn’t have written a better script. It was the most historic thing I’ve seen in sports personally. Nothing else is close.”
Robinson led the Indians to a 5-3 victory over the Yankees.
Robinson, who died in 2019, also managed the San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Montreal Expos, and Washington Nationals. He won American League Manager of the Year in 1989.
As a player, he was elected into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1982. He won the triple crown in 1966, became the first player to win MVP in both leagues and his 26-walk-off hits are the most in baseball history.
