collections.mfa.org
Cornelius “Neal” Robinson was a slugging outfielder from the 1930s and 1940s. His nickname, Neal, is found on some sites spelled as Neil. “Shadow” was another of his nicknames.
“Neil Robinson was the kind of player you could build a team around.”
Winfield Welch, Birmingham Manager
Robinson played for the Homestead Grays, Cincinnati Tigers, and Memphis Red Sox. His career spanned from 1934-1952. He was a free swinger who also struck out often. He was a decent fielder, with a strong but erratic arm. He had good speed on the base paths.
Robinson played in 8 East-West All Star games between 1938 and 1948, and he batted .476 with an .810 slugging percentage. His two home runs (one inside-the-park) were only surpassed by Buck Leonard. He won two Negro American League home run titles.