Manatee County’s Robinson Has Pitching Pedigree

Don Robinson never tires of talking baseball, especially pitching.

When you are fortunate enough to come across someone who has spent a lifetime in the game, and your time is limited with them, concentration is tough. Patience is at a premium. In my case, having five minutes of uninterrupted time with the former MLB hurler during a recent Pittsburgh Pirates’ fantasy camp in Bradenton, no time was wasted.

First, let me say, Robinson, 67, is as “real” as they come. He’s right up there as among the easiest current and former professionals to talk with. No cookie-cutter answers. No quick answers of just no or yes. Robinson seems genuinely interested in revisiting parts of his baseball past, and not in a serious way.

Clearly, the 15-seasons MLB veteran is proud of his accomplishments. But he doesn’t seem to take his accolades too seriously. Robinson doesn’t live in the past.

It was during the week-long fantasy camp held at Pirate City that I encountered Robinson for the first time. The first day of camp, just before 10:00 a.m., over at Field 2 / Pie Traynor Field, along with another former Pirates’ pitcher and teammate of the 1979 World Series championship club Jim Rooker, Robinson begins to evaluate the talent.

93 campers assembled at the Pirates’ “Southern Home” for the week. The coaching tandem of Robinson and Rooker would be working together for the duration of the camp. From what I could see, they had as much fun as those who paid to be Pirates for the week.

The teams played split-doubleheaders daily. After the first game in the morning had ended, the teams broke for lunch. In the afternoon, a second game was scheduled. When I managed to have a few minutes with Robinson, who registered 1,000-plus strikeouts and collected 100-plus wins during his career that lasted from 1978 though 1992, the first topic that came to mind was the 1989 World Series.

This was when Robinson’s third season with the San Francisco Giants, after being traded by Pittsburgh in July 1987. Two years later, the Giants would be challenging their cross-town rivals, the Oakland A’s, in the 86th World Series.

“The Bay Bridge” is what some tagged that Fall Classic, but most recalled this matchup as “The Earthquake Series.”

Just before Game 3, a home game for the Giants at Candlestick Park, at 5:04 p.m. PST on October 17, 1989, what is now known as the Loma Prieta earthquake struck the Bay Area. For Game 3, the starters scheduled were Robinson for the Giants and Oakland had Bob Welch ready to go.

The World Series was postponed for 10 days. When play was resumed, Robinson didn’t pitch in Game 3, but took to the mound in Game 4.
When the earthquake hit, Robinson remembers exactly where he was, and what he was doing.

“I was getting ready to warm up. The players were being announced. I was in the clubhouse with our trainer, and Mike Murphy (clubhouse manager). The place started shaking. I thought it was the fans stomping their feet, you know, like they did at high school basketball games with that song (Queen’s, We Will Rock You).”

Once informed that an earthquake has struck the Bay Area, Robinson, like the players out on the field, he searched out his family in the stands and had them make their way onto the field. Since the regular season was over, and the lease on his home expired, Robinson had been staying at a Marriott Hotel near the San Francisco Airport.

“I found my wife and kids (Robinson had 18 tickets distributed for Game 3), and we made it back to the hotel. After a few days, I was like “Let’s play ball”.

Aside from the Giants winning the National League pennant in 1989, and making it through the Loma Prieta Earthquake, Robinson points out that he and his teammates had to tough out a 16 day, 14-game road trip that season. After the July 11 MLB All-Star Game hosted by the then California Angels, the Giants played a week’s worth of home games, then were off and running for the extended trip.

After reminiscing about the 1989 World Series, I wanted to touch on Robinson’s success as a hitter. During a time when pitchers worked in the batter’s box, and not just throwing at it, Robinson was one of the better hitters in the National League.

During his career, Robinson’s statistical biography shows 13 home runs were hit, even one as a pinch-hitter during the 1990 season against the San Diego Padres, 146 hits, and 69 RBIs. As one of the better hitters during his era, Robinson was awarded three Silver Slugger Awards (1982, 1989, 1990).

Playing with the Pirates for a decade, and being in Bradenton for spring training, Manatee County rubbed off on Robinson. Living in the Bradenton area since 1984, Robinson continues to pass along his pitching expertise at State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota.

With the Manatees’ baseball program for 12 years, Robinson is beyond proud of the kid's success.

“We have had 11 pitchers drafted, and three have made it to the big leagues,” says Robinson, of the program led by Tim Hill, now in his 10th year as head coach.

Later this month over at Wynn Field at 26th Street, West, the Manatees’ season resumes. Their NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) Region 8 season concludes on April 26 at St. Petersburg College.

In getting back to his role as an ambassador for the Pirates, for one week, Robinson clearly understands his role.

“It’s all about having fun. We (Pirates) understand it’s about making them feel like a big leaguer. Everyone is going to have a good time, for sure,” said Robinson, who made his Pirates’ debut as a 20-year-old in April 1978.

In observing Robinson interacting with campers, from day one of fantasy week, it’s a toss-up of who is having the most enjoyment in wearing the Pirates’ uniform and getting to be on a baseball field again – and play.

My conclusion of Don Robinson can be simply wrapped up with one word – unassuming. He’s a regular guy who happened to have succeeded on the MLB level, but you would never know it. He is the campers’ best friend