When the Cincinnati Reds traded Frank Robinson, whom Reds owner Bill DeWitt deemed "not a young 30," to the Orioles in December 1965, Baltimore didn't simply get a player with MVP-caliber production with the bat and Gold Glove fielding ability.
According to his longtime teammate Boog Powell, Robinson immediately provided something Powell said the Orioles lacked during the 1965 season despite winning 94 games: attitude.
"We were too gentlemanly," Powell said on Glenn Clark Radio Feb. 8, recalling Robinson castigating his Orioles teammates for chatting with opposing players when they got on base. "[Robinson would say], ‘We're going to kick these guys' butts today and you're over here romancing him, and the next minute you might be breaking up a double play and trying to break his leg. If you want to romance them, take them out to dinner after the game, not during the game and not before the game.'"
