Brooks Robinson was American professional baseball player who played his entire career for the Baltimore Orioles from 1955 to 1977.
Nicknamed “the Human Vacuum Cleaner”, “Mr. Hoover”, and “Mr. Oriole”, he is generally considered to have been the greatest defensive third baseman in major league history.
Brooks Robinson, in full Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. died on September 26, 2023 at the age of 86.
Who was Brooks Robinson ?
Brooks Calbert Robinson Jr. was born on May 18, 1937, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Brooks Calbert 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 Brooks 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.
Brooks Sr. had played second base for a semi-pro baseball team. He would play the game with his son during Brooks Jr.’s younger years.
Growing up, Brooks Jr. 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 new 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, who had relocated from St. Louis just a year earlier after posting losing records in 21 of their previous 24 seasons, 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.
After some games in the minor leagues including the Vancouver Mounties, Robinson made his first appearance with the Orioles on September 17, 1955, at Memorial Stadium against the Washington Senators, batting sixth in the lineup.
He had two hits in four at bats, singling in the fourth inning against Chuck Stobbs for his first hit before driving in a run on a single in the eighth inning in the 3–1 win.
Robinson retired in 1977 after batting only .149 in 24 games. His jersey was retired that year.
Brooks Robinson cause of death
Brooks Robinson died on September 26, 2023, at age 86
“We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Brooks Robinson,” his family and the Orioles said in a joint statement Tuesday.
“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.”
No cause of death was given.
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