Eddie Robinson, Oldest Living Former MLB Player, Dies at Age 100

Eddie Robinson, who was the oldest living former MLB player alive at the age of 100, died on Monday night, according to the Texas Rangers executive vice president of communications John Blake. 

Robinson spent 13 years as an MLB player (1942-57) but spent three years away from the game from 1943-45 for military service. He played for Cleveland, the Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Athletics, New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles in his career, hitting .268 with 172 homers and 723 RBI. 

He was a four-time All-Star and a champion in 1948 with Cleveland, playing as a first baseman throughout his career. 

After his playing career he served in several front offices and was the general manager for both the Atlanta Braves and Rangers. 

"When you've spent your entire life around baseball, you meet a lot of people who love the game," Rangers Hall of Famer Tom Grieve told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. "But I don't know that I've ever met anybody who had more passion for the game than Eddie did. He was an innovator. He brought in [analytics experts] before there were analytics. He was always looking for an edge way before it was even logical to get an edge."

Robinson's passion for baseball didn't wane with age. In May, he started a podcast, The Golden Age of Baseball, where he told stories from his playing days. 

"I like to think that I played in a golden era of baseball," he told Pat Doney of WPTV.com. "[Joe] DiMaggio and [Mickey] Mantle and Vera, and Ted Williams and I knew all those guys intimately well. In fact, they were friends of mine. I had a great experience and look back on those days with a lot of interest."