Frank Robinson becomes senior adviser to MLB commissioner

NEW YORK (AP) — Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, who starred for the Reds from 1956 to 1965, is leaving his job as executive vice president for baseball development in the commissioner's office to become a senior adviser to Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Robinson also was appointed honorary president of the American League on Monday in place of former Angels owner Jackie Autry. She had held the job since its inception in 2001, after then-Commissioner Bud Selig persuaded owners to eliminate the league offices.

The 79-year-old Robinson hit 586 homers from 1956-76, won the American League Triple Crown with Baltimore in 1966 and became the first player to win MVP awards in both leagues, with Cincinnati in 1961 and the Orioles five years later.

He became the first African-American manager with Cleveland in 1975 and also managed San Francisco, Baltimore, Montreal and Washington. He was Major League Baseball's vice president of on-field operations (2000-02), a special adviser to the EVP of baseball operations (2007-09), a special assistant to the commissioner (2009-10 and 2011-12) and senior vice president for major league operations from (2010-11).