Angels Get Dodgers' Frank Robinson

HONOLULU, Nov. 28 — Frank Robinson and four other players were traded to the Cal ifornia Angels today in a seven‐ man exchange that sent Andy Messersmith and Ken McMul len to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The trade was the second in two years for Robinson, one of baseball's superstars for the last 17 seasons and the only man ever voted the most valu able in both the American and National Leagues.

Now a $150,000‐a‐year, 37‐ year‐old with 522 home runs and a career batting average of 300, he is rated one of the ranking candidates to become the first black manager in the big leagues.

To get him, the Angels gave up Messersmith, one of the most‐wanted pitchers, and Mc Mullen, an established third baseman who is expected to steady the Dodgers' wayward infield.

In return, with Robinson, the Dodgers sent four quality play ers to the Angels: Bill Singer, Bobby Valentine, Bill Grabar‐ kewitz and Mike Strahler.

The trade was the biggest so far at the winter baseball meet ings, which opened yesterday on Waikiki Beach, an unlikely spot for a bull market in pro fessional athletes. A total of 21 players has been exchanged in half a dozen deals, keeping pace with the heavy traffic of last year's convention, when 54 were traded by 18 of the 24 teams.

It took 16 hours of continu ous negotiations for the Dodg ers and Angels to complete their blockbuster, the first major trade since they became neighboring rivals 10 years year, is the most coveted player ago. They began talking yes terday after the Dodgers had failed to get, Steve Carlton from the Philadelphia Phillies for five players: Singer. Val entine, Claude Osteen, Willie Crawford and Lee Lacy.

Carlton, who pitched 27 vic tories for a last‐place club this in the haggling. But the Phillies insisted on getting Don Sutton or Willie Davis as part of the package, so the Dodg ers went shopping for another pitcher and focused on Messer smith.

“They wanted Messersmith,” said Harry Dalton, general manager of the Angels, “and we wanted Robinson and Val entine and greater depth, We scored fewer runs than any body in the American League last season, fewer than three a game. We were 11th in home runs and ninth in stolen bases. We need to score runs.

“I've been close to Frank Robinson for a long time. In fact, after I left the Baltimore Orioles a year ago to join the Angels, I made Baltimore an offer for Frank. But he went to the Dodgers instead.

“Th me, he is probably the best protessional competitor in baseball. Any time a man takes you to four World Series in six years as he did in Baltimore you get close to him.

“He may not have the same physical range he did, now that he's 37. But he hit 19 home runs last summer playing in Dodger Stadium which is wide open, and only 12 play ers in the National League ?? more. We had eight or 10 serious offers for Messer smith, and this one was the best.”

The offers included one from the New York Yankees, the busiest team in the early trade market. But Dalton had his eyes on Robinson, who had played for him six seasons at Balti more after 10 with the Cin cinnati Reds.

“Frank Robinson came into our office after the season ended,” related Alex Campanis, general manager of the Dodgers, “and said he wanted to play regularly or play some place else. We've had younger men who couldn't play regularly because we had older stars like Robby and Manny Mota in the line‐up, so we decided to make room. Besides, we made 46 errors at third base last sea son and it hurt; McMullen made only 11 with California.”

When the deal was com pleted this morning, Robinson was working for the fourth time in five years as manager of the Santurce club in the Puerto Rican Winter League. One of his best pitchers there is Strahler, a 25‐year‐old right hander, who spent most of the summer in the Dodger bull pen.

Singer Hit by Injuries

Next to Robinson, the chief Dodger in the trade was Singer, a 28‐year‐old right‐hander who won 20 games three years ago before suffering a series of in juries.

Graharkewitr, a 26‐year‐old infielder, also has been side tracked by injuries, though he hit 17 home runs in 1970. Val entine is a 22‐year‐old infielder from Stamford, Conn., who got lost in the shuffle of Dodger talent.

The only question that Los Angeles had in surrendering all that material was the physical condition of Messersmith, a 20‐ game winner two years ago, the 27‐year‐old right‐hander from Toms River, N. J., won only eight times this year after having missed six weeks for an operation to repair a torn ten don in the middle finger of his right hand.

If sound, Messersmith is ex pected to gain a tough reputa tion with his sinking fastball in the National League, a “low ball” league. Robinson is ex pected to play left field and first base for California. “He has a couple of good years left,” Dalton said.