Brooks Robinson, one of the greatest third basemen in major league history and one of the most popular Orioles of all time, died on Sept. 26. He was 86 years old.
Robinson played 23 seasons with the Orioles and became a fan favorite in Baltimore for his spectacular work at third base and his friendly personality off the field. He played with the Orioles from 1955 until late during the 1977 season. Robinson then was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983.
His defensive prowess at third base was legendary and earned him the nickname “Human Vacuum Cleaner.” Robinson won 16 consecutive Gold Gloves at third base, from 1960-1975.
“We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Brooks Robinson,” the Orioles and the Robinson family said in a statement Sept. 26. “An integral part of our Orioles Family since 1955, he will continue to leave a lasting impact on our club, our community, and the sport of baseball.”
Robinson also played in the All-Star Game from 1960-1974 (18 appearances overall, because there were sometimes two per season). Robinson won the American League Most Valuable Player award in 1964 with a .317 average, plus 28 homers and 118 RBIs. He finished his career with 268 homers and 2,848 hits.
His greatest moments were probably during the 1970 World Series, when the Orioles beat the high-powered Cincinnati Reds in five games. Robinson made one spectacular defensive play after another, hit .429 and earned the Series Most Valuable Player honors.
“It meant a lot to me personally because against the Mets in the previous World Series, I went 1-for-18. So I was pretty disappointed,” Robinson told PressBox in 2020. “But we were a good team and we bounced back and won the pennant easily in ’70. I’ve always felt that if you play long enough, there are going to be times when the other side gets you and then times when you get them.”
“It’s what you play for from the time you’re in the minors and working your way to the big leagues,” the Hall of Fame third baseman said. “It’s to win a pennant and then win the World Series.”
Cincinnati had a strong lineup known as “The Big Red Machine,” but Robinson made life miserable for them during that week. The Reds just shook their heads throughout the Series at what Robinson was doing at third base.
Interestingly, Robinson struggled at the start of his career. He played parts of four seasons and one whole one with the Orioles before settling into the third base job in 1960.
When Robinson made his Hall of Fame induction speech in 1983, he talked about how fortunate he was to have earned what he did and that baseball would still be a part of his life.
Robinson joined Crown Central Petroleum as an assistant to management after retiring and stayed there until retiring in 2003. He worked with them and served as a popular motivational speaker. Robinson also worked as a color commentator on Orioles TV broadcasts for several seasons.
A statue of Robinson outside Oriole Park at Camden Yards was unveiled on Oct. 22, 2011, and he was also honored as part of the team’s Legends Celebration Series during the 2012 season.
Photo Credit: Mitch Stringer/PressBox