Monday, May 12, 2014

1969 Profile: Bill Robinson

"Bill had a lot of bad luck during his first season in the majors. When he got going, he pulled a hamstring muscle which kept him out for 16 weeks. This injury kept recurring, but he managed to put together an 11-game hitting streak that led the club. After having a bone chip removed from his right elbow, he mended slowly and had a disappointing '67.
Robinson got off to a slow start last year, but he came into his own in the last half, hitting a strong .280 and finishing with an overall .240. He had six homers and 40 RBIs. Bill played regularly in right and center fields. He is a lean, graceful athlete with one of the best arms in the league. He runs well and has excellent baseball judgment. Robinson is one of the young (25) players the Yankees expect to reach stardom.
Robinson moved from Pennsylvania to Teaneck, New Jersey, where he now makes his home. He spent the winter working out at Yankee Stadium and visiting schools to encourage youngsters to stay with it. Robby has learned the value of persistence. It takes him a while to adjust, but he improves every year. He raised his average 44 points last season."

-The New York Yankees Official 1969 Yearbook

"One of the bright hopefuls in the Yankees' future, Bill was obtained from the Atlanta Braves in November 1966 in exchange for Clete Boyer.
Bill began last season the same as he began in 1967- slowly, and also like '67, when he did get started, around August, he injured himself when he strained his right hamstring muscle on August 14. He recovered rather quickly and picked up where he left off. Bill has always shown the ability to run and throw with the best, and in the last two months of 1968 he showed could hit, as he batted .286 during August and September to raise his average 50 points from .190 to .240.
Bill has one of the strongest arms in baseball despite undergoing surgery for the removal of a bone chip in his right elbow in January of 1967. He won the James P. Dawson Award (outstanding Yankee spring training rookie) in 1967.
He has worked in the Yankees' Promotion Department, and also for Restaurant Associates, during the off-season."

-1969 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide

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