Most recently, Mr. Robinson had to suspend Bobby Cox, General Manager of the Atlanta Braves. Cox disputed with umpire Derryl Cousins after a call on a pitch, and then shoved him with his elbow. Frank Robinson suspended Cox for a total of five games. Baseball fans and people who watch the news will also recall the brawl between the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers earlier this summer. Players from each team cleared the benches twice, and a major fight broke out after a player was hit by a pitch. "Altercations like the one that took place in Chicago, show a lack of sportsmanship," Robinson said. "It sends the wrong message to our fans, particularly young people. Fighting is not an acceptable part of the game," he commented shortly after the incident on ESPN.

There is no excuse for this behavior, contends Robinson. Afterall, "We are dealing with mature grown men, whether they are 40, 20 or 18 years old." Sensitivity and bad behavior have no place on the playing field. "I hate to hear, I'm not a role model. Once you sign a contract to play a professional sport, you're a role model," he adds. Yet, he admits that when players are given something before they have had the opportunity to earn it, "It takes a very mature individual to handle this and keep their feet on the ground and their head the same size."

Mr. Robinson's efforts to try and establish some positive standards for on-the-field behavior have been met with more resistance than he would encounter in other professional sports. Major League Baseball is rather unique in that there are no rules to prevent major fights from breaking out on the field. The other professional sports have rules that immediately suspend or fine players who are involved in fighting. These rules are clearly defined, the penalties automatic, no matter how minor or major the dispute. Major League Baseball, on the other hand, must review each situation on an individual basis to determine the appropriate penalty. A major inhibitor to preventing such standards from being automatically enforced lies with the Player's Association, which is the strongest union as compared to other major league sports. Mr. Robinson must appeal to the General Managers, the owners and the Player's Association, and any rule that is considered, must first be passed by the Player's Association.

The net result? This bad behavior, according to Mr. Robinson, has trickled down to many little league fields all across the country. "Even now, you go out to a little league ball park, the emphasis is on winning. We have gotten away from allowing kids to be kids, and just have fun with the game," Robinson said sadly. "Growing up, we never had stats, or batting averages, or took scores seriously. We were taught the basic fundamentals.