Best Cincinnati Reds Ever: Frank Robinson v. Joe Nuxhall
Second Round Matchup | No. 2 Frank Robinson v. No. 10 Joe Nuxhall
The next second round matchup in our “Best Red Ever” tournament features the second of six first-round upsets. After 10-seed Nuxhall managed to down 7-seed and Cincinnati Reds ace Tom Seaver, he is stuck with a near-impossible matchup to win against the great Frank Robinson.
Robinson:
Frank Robinson’s first round win (93 percent of the vote) over Dan Driessen in our Best Cincinnati Reds Ever tournament — along with a detailed write-up — can be found here.
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Frank Robinson got his first chance at a big league career with the Cincinnati Reds in 1956. What did he do with that chance? All The Judge did was unanimously win the Rookie of the Year Award by swatting 38 home runs, knocking in 83 RBIs, scoring a league-high 122 runs all while hitting .290. Oh, and he was just 20 years old. Robinson added MVP votes and an All-Star appearance that season.
Highlights
— ranks first in career slugging percentage (.554) with the Reds
— ranks second in career home runs (324) and OPS (.943) with the Reds
— ranks seventh in career doubles (318) with the Reds
— ranks fifth in career RBIs (1,009) for the Reds
— ranks fourth in career OBP (.389) with the Reds
— Rookie of the Year Award winner
— Reds Hall of Fame inductee with his No. 20 uniform retired by the team
Nuxhall:
Joe Nuxhall’s upset in the first round (59 percent) over Tom Seaver — along with a detailed write-up — can be found here.
Nuxhall became a popular and familiar face with the Cincinnati Reds when he made his Major League debut as a 15 year old in 1944. He pitched two thirds of an inning allowing two hits, walking five — including a wild pitch — and conceding five earned runs.He never had the best raw stuff, nor did he embarass hitters with the strikeout mentality, but Nuxhall pitched to his strengths and was pretty darn good at it once he was old enough to drive.
Highlights
— ranks ninth in career wins (130) for the Reds
— ranks fourth in career games pitched (484) with the Reds
— ranks sixth in career innings pitched (2,619 1/3) with the Reds
— ranks third in career strikeouts (1,289) with the Reds
— Reds Hall of Fame inductee
Next: Find the tournament breakdown here!
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