The Baltimore Orioles announced that franchise legend Brooks Robinson died at 86. Nicknamed “the Human Vacuum Cleaner,” Robinson was possibly the greatest defensive third baseman in baseball’s history, winning 16 Gold Glove Awards in his Hall of Fame career, all of which came consecutively.
Robinson won two World Series and was named an All-Star 18 times. His MLB career lasted from 1955 to 1977, and he spent his entire career in Baltimore. In a statement, the team said, “We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Brooks Robinson. 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.”
In a statement, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said, “All of us at Major League Baseball are saddened by the loss of Brooks Robinson, one of the greats of our National Pastime and a legend of the Baltimore Orioles. Brooks stood among the greatest defensive players who have ever lived. He was a two-time World Series Champion, the 1964 American League MVP, and the winner of 16 consecutive Gold Gloves at third base. He was a model of excellence, durability, loyalty, and winning baseball for the Orioles. After playing his career, he continued to make contributions to the game by working with the MLB Players Alumni Association.”
His statement continued, “I will always remember Brooks as a true gentleman who represented our game extraordinarily well on and off the field all his life. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I send my deepest condolences to Brooks’ family, his many friends across our game, and Orioles fans everywhere.”
Robinson was part of two World Series championships, winning the Fall Classic in 1966 and 1970. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983, earning 91.98 percent of the vote on his first ballot. Robinson was named to the MLB All-Century Team in 1999, and his No. 5 is retired by the organization. He won the AL MVP Award in 1964, leading the American League with 118 RBI, hitting .317 with an .889 OPS.
He eventually became synonymous with Baltimore during his playing career and after his retirement, but Brooks Calbert Robinson Jr. was born on May 18, 1937, in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he attended Little Rock Central High School and played baseball at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. In 1955, Robinson signed with the Orioles for $4,000, making his debut for the team later that year at 18.
From 1955-59, Robinson played only 304 games for the O’s, spending some time in the Minor Leagues and dealing with numerous injuries. But soon after, Robinson became a fixture in the Orioles’ lineup, where he’d be a stalwart for the better part of two decades. Robinson never moved out of Maryland, residing there until his death along with his wife, Connie, whom he met on an Orioles team flight in 1959 while she was working as a flight attendant.
Robinson is survived by Connie and their four children — sons Brooks David, Chris and Michael and daughter Diana.