Brooks Robinson’s passing on Sept. 26 sent ripples throughout the baseball community, as one of the most decorated Orioles of all time died at 86.
The weeks that have followed have seen a multitude of former teammates and colleagues with stories to share regarding his excellence on and off the field.
“He was a real, real, real wonderful man,” former teammate Al Bumbry said on Glenn Clark Radio Sept. 27. “… We can cherish him as a player and as a person by remembering all the things he did and the way he was.”
Bumbry was first elevated to the majors in 1972. The outfielder enjoyed a 14-year career, won Rookie of the Year in 1973, earned a bid to the 1980 All-Star Game and finished with 1,422 hits. Bumbry arrived just in time to catch Robinson’s final act as a fellow Oriole, which saw him take home three more Gold Gloves along with two more tickets to the All-Star Game from 1973-1977.
Robinson, by all accounts one of the most personable guys around, didn’t take long to leave a lasting memory with the Bumbry regarding his seemingly relentless friendliness.
“If Brooks had a bad day, you could never tell it by his demeanor,” Bumbry said. “… He was always very pleasant to me in the clubhouse and away from the clubhouse.”
Bumbry recalled a story that underscored what Robinson was all about.
“I remember once when I wanted to try to play at Caves Valley, which is where he lived, I got somewhat of a lukewarm response from Jim Palmer about him taking me over there,” Bumbry recalled. “And I went and talked to Brooks and Brooks said, ‘Oh Bee, the very next time we have an opening, we’ll take you.’ And it must have been three or four days later, a week at the most, he said ‘Bee, can you play?’ I said, ‘Sure.’ He said, ‘Come on over!'”
Bumbry went to make countless more trips over to the Robinson residence over the next few years, and whether his presence was invited or unannounced, he was always made to feel welcome. This applied to Robinson’s home life, which Bumbry painted as a reflection of Robinson the man.
“The first real connection to Brooks and his family … I went to visit them at their home,” he said. “I think Brooks had a cookout or something. I was in their home, and Brooks’ basement had a spiral staircase. I was talking to Brooks’ wife, Connie, and I said, ‘Gee whiz, this is great! I love this!’ She said, ‘Well, if you play well and you’re here long enough, you can have one just like this.'”
Robinson would remain close with Bumbry and his many other connections as he transitioned from player to Orioles TV analyst.
In 1980, Bumbry sat on the threshold of surpassing 200 hits near the end of the season, and remembers looking up into the press box at Fenway Park to see Robinson, arms stretched out, manifesting the hit that would soon arrive.
Four decades later, it’s hard for him to grasp a world without Brooks Robinson, Mr. Oriole. He and his peers will continue to share their favorite memories, and Bumbry can appreciate just how many stories exist of his persona both on the diamond and on the street.
“You were always in awe of the plays that he made and you saw why he won so many Gold Gloves,” Bumbry said. “He just enjoyed playing the game, and his actions on and off the field showed how much he enjoyed playing the game. To watch him, you could not help but admire him and have positive thoughts about him.”
For more from Bumbry, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Baltimore Orioles