BALTIMORE (AP) — Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson, whose deft glovework and folksy manner made him one of the most beloved and accomplished athletes in Baltimore history, has died. He was 86.
The Orioles announced his death in a joint statement with Robinson’s family Tuesday. The statement did not say how Robinson died.
The Orioles held a moment of silence before their game against the Washington Nationals, and the teams lined up outside their dugouts to pay their respects. Also before the game, fans gathered around the 9-foot bronze statue of Robinson inside Camden Yards.
“Great player, great guy on the field, great guy off,” said fellow Orioles Hall of Famer Jim Palmer, who was overcome with emotion. “Respectful, kind. And you don’t meet too many guys like that. Brooks was a genuine person. There was no acting. Brooks was just a genuine person.”
Coming of age before the free agent era, Robinson spent his entire 23-year career with the Orioles. He almost single-handedly helped Baltimore defeat Cincinnati in the 1970 World Series and homered in Game 1 of the Orioles’ 1966 sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers for their first crown.
Robinson participated in 18 All-Star Games, won 16 consecutive Gold Gloves and earned the 1964 AL Most Valuable Player award after batting .318 with 28 home runs and a league-leading 118 RBIs.
“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,” the team said.
He finished with 268 homers, drove in 1,357 runs and batted a respectable .267 in 2,896 career games. Not bad for ol’ No. 5, the boy from Arkansas.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred described Robinson as “one of the greats of our National Pastime,” calling him a “model of excellence, durability, loyalty and winning baseball for the Orioles.”
MLB Player Association Executive Director Tony Clark cited Robinson’s role as an advocate for his fellow players.
“Tributes to Brooks Robinson will duly note his brilliance at third base … . But his impact transcended the field — as a prominent voice in the early days of the MLBPA and a relentless advocate for his fellow players through his work with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.”
The Hall of Fame applauded Robinson’s role as a member of its board.
“For generations of fans, Brooks Robinson’s talent on the field was surpassed only by his incredible character and integrity. His love of the Hall of Fame brightened Cooperstown, as did his devotion to the Museum as a long-standing and valued member of our Board of Directors.”
Robinson will be forever remembered for his work ethic and the skill he displayed at the hot corner, where he established himself as one of the finest fielding third baseman in baseball history, whether charging slow rollers or snaring liners down the third-base line.
“Brooks was maybe the last guy to get into the clubhouse the day of the game, but he would be the first guy on the field,” said former Orioles manager Earl Weaver, who died in 2013. “He’d be taking his groundballs, and we’d all go, ‘Why does Brooks have to take any groundballs?’
“I wouldn’t expect anything else from Brooks. Seeing him work like that meant a lot of any young person coming up. He was so steady, and he steadied everybody else.”
Robinson arrived in Baltimore in September 1955 as an 18-year-old after spending most of his first professional season in baseball with Class B York. He went 2 for 22 with the Orioles and struck out 10 times.
He jockeyed between the majors and minors until July 1959, when he stuck around in Baltimore for good.
Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker recalled Robinson’s friendship during the early years of his own career, when he broke in with Atlanta in the late 1960s.
“I’m just sad. Another great one is called to heaven,” Baker said. “They got some all-stars up there.
“He was really nice to me when I was a rookie with the Braves. We used to barnstorm with him all the time and he was a real gentleman. … I never heard anything negative about him, ever. And he was on a team that with the Orioles had a number of African-American players. I think they had 10 or 12. They all loved him. That’s saying a lot. Especially back in that day.”
Brooks Calbert Robinson Jr. was born in Little Rock on May 18, 1937. He eventually made Baltimore his home but never really lost his southern twang, which was just fine with fans in blue-collar Baltimore, who appreciated his homespun charm and unassuming demeanor.