Brooks Robinson

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Lore & Background

An 18-time All-Star, he won 16 consecutive Gold Glove Awards, the most by a position player, and tied with Jim Kaat for the second-most of all time, behind Greg Maddux. His 2,870 career games at third base not only exceeded the closest player by nearly 700 games when he retired, but also remain the most games by any player in major league history at a single position. His 23 seasons spent with a single team set a major league record since matched only by Carl Yastrzemski. Joining the Orioles as a teenager in 1955, Robinson became the centerpiece of the team as they posted the best record in the major leagues between 1965 and 1974, capturing four American League (AL) pennants and two World Series titles. Beloved in Baltimore, Robinson was known as "Mr. Oriole" by the team's fans. He was named the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1964 after posting career highs with a .317 batting average, 28 home runs, and 118 runs batted in (RBIs), leading the AL in the last category. In 1966, he finished second in the MVP voting behind teammate Frank Robinson after again posting 100 RBIs as the Orioles won the pennant, before sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers for the team's first Series title. In the 1970 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds, Robinson drew wide attention with his strong defensive play, time after time robbing Cincinnati players of base hits, and drove in runs in the first four games; his performance won him the World Series MVP Award as Baltimore defeated the Reds in five games. In 1971 he became one of just 12 players to earn over $100,000 annually. Robinson led AL third basemen in fielding percentage eleven times and in assists eight times, both major league records, and in putouts and double plays three times each. He still holds major league records for career putouts (2,697), assists (6,205), total chances (9,165), and double plays (618) at third base, with each total being between 13% and 20% higher than the closest player. His career fielding percentage of .971 was a major league record until 2006, and remains the top AL mark. Upon his retirement during the 1977 season, his 2,896 games and 10,654 at bats each ranked fifth in major league history, behind only Ty Cobb among AL players, and his 2,848 hits ranked seventh in AL history. From 1969 to 1980, he held the AL record for career home runs by a third baseman. He set franchise records for career

In Their Own Story

The path to greatness began in Little Rock, Arkansas, where Robinson delivered newspapers and sold soft drinks while playing on his bicycle. In high school, he impressed with the M. M. Eberts Post No. 1 Doughboys, reaching regional finals at age 15. Although offered a full basketball scholarship by the University of Arkansas, he chose baseball after Lindsay Deal wrote to Orioles manager Paul Richards praising his "power, baseball savvy," and cool demeanor under pressure. Three teams offered $4,000, but Robinson signed with Baltimore for the opportunity to become an everyday player. His early years were turbulent; as an 18-year-old in 1955, he admitted feeling "green" against major league pitchers after a shaky debut. In 1957, he tore cartilage in his knee twice and suffered a mild concussion from a pitch by Ned Garver requiring ten stitches. Yet, by August 14 of that year, he hit his first major league home run off Pedro Ramos. His resilience defined him, leading to an MVP season in 1964 where he batted .317 with 28 home runs and 118 RBIs.

Reader's Guide

Brooks Calbert Robinson was born on May 18, 1937, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Brooks Calbert Sr. and Ethel Mae (née Denker) Robinson. His father worked for Colonial Bakery in Little Rock and later became a captain with the Little Rock Fire Department. Meanwhile, his mother worked for Sears Roebuck & Company before accepting a position with the state controller's office. Young Robinson drew a salary himself from delivering the Arkansas Gazette on his bicycle, as well as operating the scoreboard and selling soft drinks at Lamar Porter Field. Robinson Sr. played second base for a semi-pro baseball team. He would play the game with his son during Robinson's younger years. Growing up, Robinson rooted for the St. Louis Cardinals; Stan Musial was his favorite player. In high school, he played American Legion Baseball for the M. M. Eberts Post No. 1 Doughboys, among the greatest American Legion teams in that part of the country. The team reached the regional finals in 1952, when Robinson was 15. They then advanced to the sectional tournament in 1953. Robinson graduated from Little Rock Central High School on May 27, 1955, impressing the University of Arkansas enough with his basketball ability that the school offered him a full scholarship. However, Robinson desired to become a professional baseball player. Lindsay Deal, who went to Capitol View Methodist Church with Robinson, had been a teammate of Baltimore Orioles manager Paul Richards on a minor league team, and he wrote a letter to Richards praising Robinson's ability. "He's no speed demon, but neither is he a truck horse," Deal wrote. "Brooks has a lot of power, baseball savvy, and is always cool when the chips are down." In 1955, three major league teams sent scouts to Little Rock to try to sign Robinson: the New York Giants, the Cincinnati Redlegs, and the Orioles. Each offered $4,000, but only Cincinnati and Baltimore were offering major league contracts. Robinson ultimately chose to sign with Baltimore because the Orioles had shown the most interest and had the most opportunities for young players to become everyday players on their roster. Art Ehlers was the scout who signed him. Playing second base, Brooks Robinson made his professional debut on June 3, 1955, at Bob Hoffman Stadium with the York White Roses. After three months in York, Pennsylvania, he made his first appearance with the Orioles on Septe

Did You Know?

• Brooks Robinson was nicknamed 'Mr. Hoover' and 'the Human Vacuum Cleaner' for his defensive prowess.
• He won 16 consecutive Gold Glove Awards, the most by any position player.
• Robinson played 2,870 career games at third base, the most by any player at a single position in major league history.
• He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983, the first third baseman to be elected in his first year of eligibility.