The Oklahoman

Frank Robinson, baseball's fearsome trailblaze­r, dies at 83

- From staff and wire reports

Crowding the plate, fearsome and fearless,

Frank Robinson hammered his way into the Hall of Fame.

His legacy, however, was cemented that day in 1975 when he simply stood in the dugout with the Cleveland Indians — the first black manager in Major League Baseball.

Robinson, the only player to earn the MVP award in both leagues and a Triple Crown winner, died Thursday at 83. He had been in failing health and in hospice care at his home in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles. MLB said he was with family and friends at the time.

Robinson hit 586 home runs — he was fourth on the career list behind only Hank Aaron, Babe

Ruth and Willie Mays when he retired and now ranks 10th. An MVP with Cincinnati and Baltimore, he led the Orioles to their first World Series championsh­ip in 1966.

An All-Star outfielder in 12 seasons and a first-ballot selection to Cooperstow­n, Robinson also was a Rookie of the Year, a Gold Glove outfielder and a bruising runner.

Kyler Murray to participat­e in NFL Combine

Kyler Murray has taken the next step toward profession­al football. The former Oklahoma quarterbac­k will participat­e in the NFL Combine, the league announced Thursday.

The news comes a week after Murray said he didn't know if he would attend the combine.

The NFL Combine runs from Feb. 26 to March 4 in Indianapol­is. Murray is expected to report to the Oakland Athletics for spring training on Feb. 15.

Murray, the ninth overall pick by the A's in the 2018 MLB Draft, hasn't provided clarity on which sport he'll ultimately choose. He's instead left

both options open.

He'll be joined by seven fellow Sooners: Rodney Anderson, Marquise Brown, Bobby Evans, Cody Ford, Ben Powers, Dru Samia and Austin Seibert.

Oklahoma State will have two representa­tives at the combine. Defensive end Jordan Brailford and running back Justice Hill were on the list of 338 players invited to the event.

Hill and Brailford, both graduates of Tulsa's Booker T. Washington High School, left OSU after their junior seasons.

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