[citation needed] Born in Pahala, Hawaii, and raised in San Leandro, California,[1] Robello entered in baseball in 1932; the following August, he received his MLB trial for the last-place Reds, and collected seven hits in 34 at bats, including three doubles.

He returned that year to the minor leagues, where he became a player-manager in 1937, and served in the United States Navy during World War II.

His production declined in 1940, when he was playing skipper of Salt Lake City in the same circuit, but he still topped the Pioneer League in home runs (with 22) and batted .343.

He signed future World Series perfect game pitcher Don Larsen for the Browns, but made his greatest imprint scouting for the Reds, to whom he returned in 1962 and where he spent 34 years until his 1995 retirement.

In addition to Bench, he signed National League All-Star pitcher Gary Nolan and other key members of the "Big Red Machine" dynasty of the early to middle 1970s.