One of the most common given/first names in the English-speaking world is, of course, Robert. (Our own Dudek's and Pettapiece's ears -- er, eyes -- have certainly perked up at this point.) It's also one of the most common given/first names to not yet have its own Hall of Names roster published here on Batter's Box ... and it's time to take care of THAT little oversight.
Yes, this is (in part, anyway) a team made up entirely of players who appeared in the major leagues with "Robert" (not "Roberto" -- sorry Mr. Alomar, Mr. Bonilla and especially Mr. Clemente) as their first/given name (sorry, Jeffrey Robert Bagwell and Bret Robert Boone, among many others) and who actually went by (Sayonara, Robert Kevin Appier and Robert Britt Burns) some form of that name ...
... Actually, just for the sake of argument (translation: "because we can"), we'll also provide an All-Roberto team in addition to the All-Robert squad, not to mention teams made up of players with the last/family names of "Roberts" and "Robertson." If we combined the four teams of given names and surnames, we might end up with the finest Hall of Names team ever formulated -- but that is not to be. So here's our first squad, and presumably their mascot will involve a set of wacky chattering teeth as we meet ...
The Oral Roberts
** indicates Hall of Famer
* indicates All-Star
MGR Bob Brenly* (303-262, 1 WS title)
Starting Lineup
C Bob Boone* (seven Gold Gloves; .311 BA in post-season)
1B Bob Watson* (.295, 184 homers)
2B Bobby Doerr** (.288, 223 homers, nine-time All -Star)
SS Bobby Grich* (came up a SS, blocked by Belanger)
3B Bob Dillinger* (.306 career BA; led AL in SB, 1947-49)
LF Bob Cerv* (.276, 105 homers)
CF Bob Johnson* (.296, 288 homers, eight-time All-Star)
RF Bobby Thomson* (.270, 264 homers; one was pretty famous)
DH Bob Elliott* (3B/OF hit .289, 170 homers, 1947 AL MVP)
Bench
C Bob Schmidt* (1958 rookie SFG All-Star, faded quickly)
C/IF/OF Robert Fick*(.260, 65 homers through 2005)
IF Bobby Knoop*(.236, three Gold Gloves in 9 years)
IF Bobby Richardson* (.266, 7-time All-Star)
OF/1B Bob Skinner* (.277, 103 homers)
Rotation
RHSP Bob Feller** (266-162)
LHSP Bobby Shantz* (119-99, 1952 AL MVP)
RHSP Bob Gibson** (251-174)
LHSP Bob Veale* (120-95)
5SP-RH Bob Lemon** (207-128)
Bullpen
CL-RH Robb Nen* (314 saves; 35+, 1996-2002))
SET Bobby Thigpen* (201 saves, 57 in 1990)
SET Rob Dibble* (89 saves; 31 in 1991)
LONG Bob Grim* (61-41, 37 saves)
LONG Bob Shaw (108-98, 32 saves)
|
All-Roberto C Roberto "Bobby" Estalella 1B Roberto Petagine 2B Roberto Alomar* SS Roberto Pena 3B Roberto "Bobby" Bonilla* LF Roberto Ortiz CF Roberto Kelly* RF Roberto Clemente** DH Roberto "Bobby" Avila* RHSP Roberto "Bobby" Munoz LHRP Roberto Rivera CL-RH Roberto Hernandez* LHRP Roberto Duran |
All-Roberts (Surname) C Skipper Roberts 1B Dave L. Roberts 2B Curt Roberts SS Red Roberts 3B Dave W. Roberts LF Bip Roberts CF Dave Roberts (no mid initial) RF Leon Roberts DH Brian Roberts* RHSP Robin Roberts** LHSP Dave Roberts CL-RH Grant Roberts LHRP Dale Roberts |
All-Robertson C Jim Robertson 1B Bob Robertson 2B Sherry Robertson SS Andre Robertson 3B Gene Robertson LF Don Robertson CF Dave Robertson RF Mike Robertson DH Daryl Robertson RHSP Charlie Robertson LHSP Jeriome Robertson RHRP Rich P. Robertson LHRP Rich W. Robertson |
Bobbing and Weaving ... No, despite the name of this little subsection of notes, there has never been a big-leaguer named "Bob Weaver" ...
If we were to be true to the linguistic origins of the "Robertsons" team, we'd have to extend an invitation to Aaron Boone, one supposes ... or better yet, to Bret Boone, that is, to the aforementioned Bret Robert Boone, one of the many notables to not make any of the squads above based on that pesky middle name rule ... Otherwise, the younger Boone might have centered a very nice double-play combination with Lawrence Robert Bowa and John Robert Mize at short and first, respectively ... James Robet Horner fills the hot corner for that particular disqualified infield ... Let's shed a tear at the loss of Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige while we're at it ...
And let's not forget those who actually had the given first name of Robert but who went by a middle name or nickname instead, such as RH closer Robert Meiklejohn "Mike" MacDougal, RHSP Robert "Bo" Belinsky, OF Robert James "Rick" Monday* and most especially LHSP Robert "Lefty" Grove -- Paige and Grove would've made for a heck of a 1-2 punch at the front of the rotation, but hey, we DO have three Hall of Famers in our starting five already ...
We can't confirm that it's the only Roberts-for-Roberts trade ever completed, but OF Leon Roberts was once sent from the Tigers to the Astros in a seven-player swap that sent LHS/RP Dave Roberts, among others, to Motown ... Speaking of the Tigers, All-Robertson RHSP Charlie "Racehorse" Robertson once tossed a perfect game for the 1922 White Sox against the Motor City Kitties of Ty Cobb and Charlie Gehringer ...
So, Bauxites, can you "Rob" Peter to pay Paul and make this team any better?
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=2006010216181421