Baltimore Orioles legend and MLB Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, considered by many to be the greatest fielding third baseman of all time, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 86. The cause of death has not been announced at this time.
Nicknamed “the Human Vacuum Cleaner,” “Mr. Hoover,” and “Mr. Oriole,” he was considered a Baltimore icon. In the course of his 22 years in the big leagues, Brooks Robinson made an incredible 18 All-Star teams and won a record 16 AL gold gloves at the hot corner.
He has the third most hits of any third baseman of all time. Know for his clutch hitting, he was the 1970 World Series MVP, leading the O’s to the win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Brooks Robinson finished with 2,848 career hits, 268 home runs, and 1,357 RBI. He was elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1983 – his first year on the ballot.
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“Great player, great guy on the field, great guy off,” said fellow Orioles Hall of Famer and longtime teammate 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.”
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred called Brooks Robinson “one of the greats of our National Pastime, model of excellence, durability, loyalty and winning baseball for the Orioles.”
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.
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