Ep. 219 - Andre Robertson: Before the Pinstripes: How Andre Robertson Changed Texas Baseball

Andre Robertson on Texas, the Yankees, and the accident that changed everything

Former Major League shortstop Andre Robertson joins Melvin E. Edwards to trace a career that moves from Orange, Texas to the University of Texas, the New York Yankees, and the 1981 World Series. He also reflects on the racial barriers he faced, the coaches and teammates who shaped him, and the car accident that reshaped his playing career and life.

We discuss:

How Andre fell in love with baseball as a kid in Orange, why Texas was the right choice over going pro right out of high school, and what it meant to become the first African American baseball scholarship player at UT. He also shares stories about Yogi Berra, Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson, Tommy John, and George Steinbrenner.

Key topics

* Andre recalls growing up in Orange, Texas, where he started organized baseball at age 8 and played with some of the first Black Little League players in his area.

* He tells two clubhouse stories, including Yogi Berra’s strange instruction to “pair up in threes” and Rickey Henderson’s third-person humor.

* His father coached him early on and helped shape his approach to competition, discipline, and team-first thinking.

* Andre talks about seeing Willie Mays as a kid and realizing he wanted to play at the highest level.

* He explains how a state track meet in Austin led to Texas coach Cliff Gustafson recruiting him after seeing his athleticism.

* At Texas, he had to switch from shortstop to second base, where assistant coach Bill Bethea helped refine his footwork and turn him into a better pro prospect.

* He reflects on the 1979 College World Series, Texas’ dominant run, and the disappointment of being knocked out by Arkansas and a California team.