Brooks Robinson, a third baseman in the Hall of Fame who was one of Baltimore’s most adored and successful athletes thanks to his skill with the glove and down-home demeanor, has passed away. He was 86.
In a joint statement with Robinson’s family, the Orioles and his passing were revealed on Tuesday. How Robinson passed away wasn’t disclosed in the announcement.
Robinson, who was an adult before the advent of free agency, played for the Orioles for the duration of his 23-year career. He hit a home run in Game 1 of the Orioles’ sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1966 to help Baltimore win its first World Series, which they won against Cincinnati in 1970.
Robinson took part in 18 All-Star Games, won 16 straight Gold Gloves, and batted his way to the 1964 AL Most Valuable Player honors.318 with a league-high 118 RBIs and 28 home homers.
He has been a vital member of the Orioles family since 1955, and the team claimed he will continue to have a long-lasting influence on baseball.
He concluded with 268 home runs, 1,357 runs scored, and a good batting average of 267 in 2,896 total games played. Not bad for young No. 5, the Arkansas lad.
He made a name for himself as one of the best third basemen in baseball history by working hard and playing with talent at the hot corner, whether charging slow rollers or snagging liners down the third-base line. He will be remembered for these qualities forever.
On the day of the game, Brooks may have been the last player to enter the clubhouse, but according to former Orioles manager Earl Weaver, he would be the first player on the field. “We’d all ask, ‘Why does Brooks have to take any groundballs?’ as he was taking his groundballs.
“I wouldn’t expect Brooks to deliver anything different. For any young kid coming up, seeing him labor like that meant a lot. He was so stable, and he helped everyone else to be steady.
At the age of 18, Robinson moved to Baltimore in September 1955 after playing the majority of his rookie baseball season with Class B York. With the Orioles, he batted just 2 for 22 while striking out 10 times.
Up until July 1959, when he decided to stay in Baltimore permanently, he bounced back and forth between the majors and minors.