By: HISTORY.com Editors

1975

Frank Robinson makes debut as first Black manager in MLB

HISTORY.com Editors

Published: August 24, 2021

Last Updated: May 27, 2025

On April 8, 1975, against the New York Yankees in Cleveland, the Indians' Frank Robinson becomes the first African American to manage a game in Major League Baseball. Robinson, who also bats second, homers in his first at-bat in Cleveland's 5-3 win. Nearly 28 years earlier, the Brooklyn Dodgers' Jackie Robinson—no relation to Frank—became the first African American to play in the big leagues.

Negro League Baseball

Jackie Robinson's accomplishments on and off the field opened doors for all African Americans.

Frank Robinson starred in the big leagues for the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles and also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and California Angels. In 1975, he was 39 and in his 20th MLB season as a player.

The Indians hired Robinson as manager shortly after the 1974 season, replacing Ken Aspromonte. Although Robinson knew he was making history, he wanted to be judged only for how well his teams performed.

"I don't see any problem firing me or any Black manager," he said.

The Indians finished 79-80 in 1975, and Robinson was fired partway through the 1977 season. In 1981, Robinson became the first Black manager in the National League when the San Francisco Giants hired him to replace Dave Bristol. He also managed the Orioles, Montreal Expos and Washington Nationals.

Robinson, who died of bone cancer at 83 on February 7, 2019, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982. A statue was dedicated to him outside MLB stadiums in Baltimore, Cleveland and Cincinnati.

Timeline

Also on This Day in History

Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on April 8th

1904

Britain and France sign Entente Cordiale

On April 8, 1904, with war in Europe a decade away, Britain and France sign an agreement, later known as the Entente Cordiale, resolving long-standing colonial disputes in North Africa and establishing a diplomatic understanding between the two countries. Formally entitled a Declaration between the United Kingdom and France Respecting Egypt and Morocco, the Entente […]

2:34m read

1935

Works Progress Administration established by Congress as part of FDR’s “New Deal”

On April 8, 1935, Congress votes to approve the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a central part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. In November 1932, at the height of the Great Depression, Governor Roosevelt of New York was elected the 32nd president of the United States. In his inaugural address on March 4, 1933, […]

1:32m read

1944

Russians attack Germans in drive to expel them from Crimea

On April 8, 1944, Russian forces led by Marshal Fyodor Tolbukhin attack the German army in an attempt to win back Crimea, in the southern Ukraine, occupied by the Axis power. The attack would result in the breaking of German defensive lines in just four days, eventually sending the Germans retreating. Crimea was the territorial […]

0:36m read

1953

Jomo Kenyatta jailed for Mau Mau uprising in Kenya

Jomo Kenyatta, leader of the Kenyan independence movement, is convicted by Kenya’s British rulers of leading the extremist Mau Mau in their violence against white settlers and the colonial government. An advocate of nonviolence and conservatism, he pleaded innocent in the highly politicized trial. One of modern Africa’s first nationalist leaders, Kenyatta was a great […]

0:42m read

1974

Hank Aaron breaks Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record

Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s legendary record of 714 homers.

1:58m read

Hank Aaron - Atlanta Braves

1987

U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz condemns Soviet spying

Just days before he is to travel to Moscow for talks on arms control and other issues, U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz states that he is “damned upset” about possible Soviet spy activity in the American embassy in the Soviet Union. Soviet officials indignantly replied that the espionage charges were “dirty fabrications.” Secretary Shultz […]

1:40m read

1989

Pitcher Jim Abbott, born without right hand, makes MLB debut

On April 8, 1989, California Angels rookie pitcher Jim Abbott, who was born without a right hand, makes his Major League Baseball debut in a 7-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners. His debut generates a buzz throughout the sports world. “Maybe I was unnerved by all the attention,” Abbott tells reporters afterward. The Chicago Tribune […]

1:22m read

1990

Eighteen-year-old Ryan White, national symbol of the AIDS crisis, dies

On April 8, 1990, 18-year-old Ryan White dies of pneumonia, due to having contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion. He had been given six months to live in December of 1984 but defied expectations and lived for five more years, during which time his story helped educate the public and dispel widespread misconceptions about HIV/AIDS. […]

1:48m read

1990

“Twin Peaks” premieres on ABC

On April 8, 1990, David Lynch’s surreal television drama “Twin Peaks” premieres on ABC, launching the question “Who killed Laura Palmer?” into the cultural zeitgeist. The naked body of the blonde homecoming queen was found washed up on the shore wrapped in plastic in the show’s opening episode, throwing the residents of the small Pacific […]

2:54m read

1993

Astronaut Ellen Ochoa becomes the first Hispanic woman in space

On April 8, 1993, the space shuttle Discovery lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center. On board is astronaut Ellen Ochoa, soon to become the first Hispanic woman in space. Ochoa started at NASA in 1988 after receiving a doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Two years later, she was selected as an astronaut. […]

1994

Grunge icon Kurt Cobain is found dead three days after his suicide

On April 8, 1994, rock star Kurt Cobain is found dead in his home in Seattle, Washington, with fresh injection marks in both arms and a fatal wound to the head from the 20-gauge shotgun found between his knees. Cobain’s suicide brought an end to a life marked by far more suffering than is generally […]

2:14m read

Kurt Cobain

2005

Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph agrees to plead guilty

Eric Rudolph agrees to plead guilty to a series of bombings, including the fatal bombing at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, in order to avoid the death penalty. He later cited his anti-abortion and anti-homosexual views as motivation for the bombings. Eric Robert Rudolph was born September 19, 1966, in Merritt Island, Florida. He served […]

2:16m read

2009

Somali pirates hijack Maersk Alabama ship

On April 8, 2009, the MV Maersk Alabama is hijacked off the coast of Somalia. The high-profile incident drew worldwide attention to the problem of piracy, commonly believed to be a thing of the past, in the waters off the Horn of Africa. Pirates had not captured a ship sailing under the American flag since […]

2:22m read

2013

Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first female prime minister, dies

Margaret Thatcher, the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom, dies in London at age 87 from a stroke on April 8, 2013. Serving from 1979 to 1990, Thatcher was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century. She curbed the power of Britain’s labor unions, privatized state-owned industries, led her nation to […]

Related Articles

Basketball.

Who Invented Basketball?

A Canadian is to thank for one of America’s favorite pastimes.

Portrait of American baseball players Roger Maris (1934 - 1985) (left) and Mickey Mantle (1931 - 1995), both of the New York Yankees, as they pose together before a game at Yankee Stadium, New York, New York, 1961. (Photo by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images)

The Epic Battle to Beat Babe Ruth’s Home Run Record

In a pressure-packed 1961 season, Roger Maris hit 61 home runs, outdueling his more famous New York Yankees teammate, Mickey Mantle.

The Bizarre NFL Game Where Fans, Players Were in a Fog

Fog Bowl: The Most Bizarre Game in NFL History

'I haven’t even driven a car in anything like that,' a player said about the conditions at the Philadelphia Eagles-Chicago Bears playoff game in 1988.

How a Tiemaker Won the Longest Game in NFL History

The NFL’s Longest Game: How a Soccer Player-Turned-Kicker Secured the Win

In an epic, double-overtime game on Christmas Day 1971, Miami Dolphins kicker Garo Yepremian booted the Kansas City Chiefs from the playoffs.

See All Articles

About the author

HISTORY.com Editors

HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Articles with the “HISTORY.com Editors” byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan, Matt Mullen, Christian Zapata and Cristiana Lombardo.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

Citation Information

Article title: Frank Robinson makes debut as first Black manager in MLB
Author: HISTORY.com Editors
Website Name: History
URL: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-8/frank-robinson-first-black-manager-indians

Date Accessed: June 30, 2025
Publisher: A&E Television Networks
Last Updated: May 27, 2025
Original Published Date: August 24, 2021

History Every Day

Sign Up for "This Day in History"

Uncover fascinating moments from the past every day! Learn something new with key events in history, from the American Revolution to pop culture, crime and more.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Global Media. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.

More details: Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact Us