Baseball's Mr Robinson Turns 76

    Mention the name Robinson and baseball in the same sentence and most people will automatically think of Jackie Robinson and the role he played in breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball. I have no gripe with that as I was a Brooklyn Dodger fan until they moved to Los Angeles and turned their backs on Flatbush, New York.
   My Mister Robinson turned 76 years of age on Saturday and I deeply apologize for being tardy with this message on one of the greats of the game. 
   I returned to this country from Vietnam in 1967 and was immediately met with disrespect and disdain at every turn. I actually got spit on upon arrival at the airport in San Francisco. I had eight months to go until I would be discharged from the Army and I spent those months at a remote intelligence base in Northern Virginia. When I traveled to Baltimore to see a baseball game I was surprised to find the Orioles' organization not only granted me FREE admission, but also issued me a token good for a hot dog and a coke.. I have been an Orioles fan ever since.

    I have mentioned in previous postings that I was never the big slugger in my youth, but always got on base for the heavy swingers behind me in the line-up. Defense was my game and I excelled at it at second base. While watching Baltimore Orioles' games I admired their third baseman immediately. Brooks Robinson scooped up everything within the same zip code. In the late 1960's and early 1970's Mark Belanger was the shortstop for the Orioles and Brooks would often make plays right in front of him. 
   Brooks was drafted by the Orioles in 1955 and would spend the next 23 years with the same organization, a feat only equaled by Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox. To say defense was the only outstanding part of the game for Brooks Robinson would be wrong. 1964 would probably be his best offensive season; his batting average of .318 was augmented by 28 home runs and his 118 runs-batted-in led the league. Brooksie garnered 18 of the 20 first place votes that year to win Most Valuable Player in the American League over Mickey Mantle.

 
  Top photo shows Brooks' emotion when Baltimore downs the Dodgers in the World Series as the battery of catcher Andy Etchebarren and pitcher Dave McNally join in. Bottom photo is classic Brooks Robinson...eyes on the ball and tracking it down before the long throw to first base for the out.
Brooks was voted to the Major League All-Star game 15 consecutive years from 1960 to 1974. He retired from the game in 1975 with lofty statistics for others to try and emulate. A lifetime batting average of .267.. 2848 career hits...268 career home runs..and 1357 career runs-batted-in. Brooksie led the American League in fielding percentage 11 times. Upon his retirement, he led all third basemen with a fielding percentage of .971...  He played 2870 games at 3rd base for the Birds and is credited with 2697 put-outs during that time. Only 3 players have played in more games than Brooksie..  Yaz played in 3308 games for the Red Sox..Hank Aaron 3076 games for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves...and Stan Musial was in 3026 for the St Louis Cardinals.

   Here is a great shot of Orioles Blue-bloods.. From the left, Cal Ripken, Jr... Don Buford...Earl Weaver.. Brooks Robinson....Frank Robinson...and Jim Palmer. It is said baseball superstars usually have a candy bar named after them, but in Baltimore, mothers name their baby boys after Brooks Robinson.
   The Orioles retired the number '5' in 1977 and Brooks was a first ballot entry into the Major League Hall of Fame in 1983. He entered the broadcast booth and became part of the Orioles' announcing team to stay close to the team. In September of 2012 the Orioles unveiled a larger-than-life bronze statue of Brooks Robinson across the street from Camden Yards. The statue is also in a classic Brooks pose...

   Having caught the ball he is ready for the throw to first base to complete the out. Conspicuous on the statue is the gold glove of Robinson... Did I mention he won the Gold Glove sixteen times...indicative of the best defensive player at his position..
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKSIE....  MISTER 3rd BASE !!