William Henry Robinson, Jr. (June 26, 1943 – July 29, 2007) was an American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1966 to 1983 for the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He also played first base and third base during his career. Robinson batted and threw right-handed.
Early Life
Robinson was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, to William Sr. and Nellie Mae Robinson. He attended Elizabeth Forward High School, where he excelled in both basketball and baseball. He received a basketball scholarship offer from Bradley University but chose to sign with the Milwaukee Braves upon graduation in June 1961.
Playing Career
Robinson made his MLB debut for the Atlanta Braves on September 20, 1966, pinch-running for Hank Aaron. Following the 1966 season, he was traded to the New York Yankees for third baseman Clete Boyer. He spent three seasons with the Yankees (1967–1969) but struggled at the plate, batting .206 over that span.
After stints in the minor leagues and a trade to the Chicago White Sox organization, Robinson was acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies in December 1971. His breakthrough came in 1973, when he batted .288 with 25 home runs and 65 RBIs.
In April 1975, Robinson was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He enjoyed his most productive years with Pittsburgh, where he was used as a "super-regular" by manager Chuck Tanner, playing outfield, first base, and third base. In 1976, he batted .303 with 21 home runs and finished 21st in National League MVP voting. In 1977, he posted career highs in batting average (.304), home runs (26), and RBIs (104), finishing 11th in NL MVP voting. He was a key contributor to the Pirates' 1979 World Series championship team, batting .264 with 24 home runs and 75 RBIs during the regular season, and hitting .263 in the World Series victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
Robinson was traded back to the Phillies in June 1982 and played his final season in 1983 before being released on June 9.
Career Statistics
Over 16 MLB seasons, Robinson played in 1,472 games, accumulating 1,127 hits, 166 home runs, 641 RBIs, and a .258 batting average with a .300 on-base percentage and .438 slugging percentage. He also stole 71 bases.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Robinson served as the hitting instructor for the New York Mets from 1984 to 1989, where he was credited as a key mentor to Darryl Strawberry and other young players. He won a World Series ring as a coach with the 1986 Mets. He later worked as a hitting coach for the Florida Marlins, winning another World Series ring with the 2003 Marlins. Robinson also managed in the minor leagues, including the Shreveport Captains (San Francisco Giants affiliate) and the Reading Phillies, and served as a minor league hitting coordinator for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Death
Robinson died on July 29, 2007, at age 64, in a Las Vegas hotel room while visiting the Dodgers' AAA affiliate, the Las Vegas 51s. The cause of death was not publicly determined, though he was known to have diabetes.
Awards and Honors
- 3× World Series champion (1979 as a player; 1986 and 2003 as a coach)
- Received MVP votes in 1976 (21st) and 1977 (11th)
- Won the Roberto Clemente Memorial Award from Pittsburgh sportswriters (1976)
