BROOKS ROBINSON Hall of Fame Induction Day Speech July 31, 1983

BOWIE KUHN INTRODUCTION:

 Thank you. I think we'll go back to third basemen now. (applause) I can tell you that in all too many happy years of watching baseball events, I never saw a man so dominate a baseball event as our next Hall of Famer dominated the 1970 World Series. (applause) Bob Howsom. of the Cincinnati Reds is here with us and he knows what I am talking about. A truly great Cincinnati team known as the "Big Red Machine," and fittingly so, drove into a concrete wall named Brooks Robinson. (applause) That unrelenting National Leaguer, and my dear friend, Warren Giles, said to me after the series, "my God, Commissioner, he may be as good as Pie Traynor." (applause) If you knew Warren Giles and the regard in which he held American Leaguers you would know what a tremendous compliment that was. It came as no upset when the Baseball Writers last January recognized the extraordinary skills of this 23 year Baltimore Oriole Star by awarding him the 9th highest percentage of votes ever in a Hall of Fame election. (applause) Just how good was he? (chants) No one owns more gold gloves than the 16 (applause) which he earned in consecutive seasons from 1960 to 1975. (applause) He owns nearly every career fielding record for a third basemen, including a lifetime fielding percentage of .971. (applause) While his glove frequently stole the show he was a very tough out, particularly in clutch situations. In the 1970 World Series he batted .429 (applause) He had four seasons of 90 or more runs batted in, he drove in 118 runs in 1964. For his career he was only 152 hits short of the vaunted 3,000 hit club. (applause) He hit 268 career home runs. He achieved one of the rarest career triple crowns in record, being I believe, the only man who accumulated these: Most Valuable Player in American League 1964, Most Valuable Player in the 1966 All‑Star game and Most Valuable Player in the 1970 Series. (applause) He surely was one of the most successful, and need I tell you, most popular players in the history of the game. (applause)

May I read the language: It says: "Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. Baltimore American League 1955‑1977. Established modern standard of excellence for third basemen. Setting Major League records at his position for seasons, 23; fielding percentage .971; games 2,870; put outs 2,697; assists 6,205; double plays 618; hit .268 career home runs; named to 18 consecutive All‑Star teams; MVP of the 1970 World Series; American League MVP in 1964."

 I, as a native of the old line state of Maryland, am very proud to present to you, Brooks Robinson. (applause)

BROOKS ROBINSON:

Thank you. (applause) Thank you very much. (applause) Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen. (applause) You really know how to make it tough on a guy, don't ya? (applause) Thank you. Commissioner Kuhn, honored guests, ladies and gentlemen. As I stand here before you I realize I must be the luckiest man in the world. I keep asking myself, "how could any one man have been so fortunate," and for five minutes or so I would like to share with you what I think is the answer to that question. Playing in the major leagues and being recognized at the Hall of Fame is more than any one human being could ask for and yet I realize how many other blessings I can count in my life, all of which have contributed to me standing here before you today. I thank God for giving me the talent and the help to reach the top of this profession. Then I think back on the devotion to my welfare by my mother who is here today. The friendship (applause) of my brother, Gary, who is also here. (applause) and on the dedication and teaching of my father, whom I regret is no longer with us, but who would've loved this event more than anyone else. My parents loved me through my childhood and guided me as I grew to become a young ballplayer with high goals for himself. Then I think about my coaches, my teammates, scouts, managers, who discovered me, who encouraged me, who directed me and who even stuck with me on occasions when others might have given up. My American Legion coach, George Haney, and my first Major League manager, Paul Richards. (applause) They believed in Brooks Robinson when others were still suspicious of his talents. They, among others, made my coming into baseball, as well as sticking with it, all the better. And then I count another blessing, one that players in today's game may never appreciate because of baseball's changing structure. That is Baltimore. (applause) That is Baltimore and playing in that great city for my entire Major League career. (applause) I share this day today with my adopted hometown because the people of that town have supported Brooks Robinson, not only on the good days, but also on the bad days. (applause) My career has been all the more meaningful because of the Oriole fans and friends, many of whom have made this trip to join me here today. (applause) I'd like to thank William Donald Schafer, the greatest mayor that a city could have. (applause) And say, Baltimore, thank you very much. I love you all. (applause) Then there is the Baltimore Oriole Organization, which over the past 29 years, from top to bottom, has proven itself to be the best. (applause) I might add that this day is extra special for me because I am being inducted with my fellow Arkansasan, George Kell. George shared with me my first opening day as an Oriole back in 1957. I played third base and George played first base against the Washington Senators in old Griffiths Stadium in Washington, D.C. He is a man whom I admired both on and off the field. And then there is what I consider the greatest blessing of them all. Perhaps you will understand this when you recognize that although this is a great day at the Hall of Fame for me, my happiest moment here in Cooperstown occurred during my first visit to play in the Hall of Fame game exactly 22 years ago on July 24, 1961. 1 was playing third base and during the 5th inning of that game the public address announcer interrupted play to announce that my first son had just been born in Detroit, Michigan. (applause) For as I count my blessings, there is none greater than my family. My wife, Connie, who has been by my side (applause) throughout my Major League career and our four children, Brooks David, Christopher, Michael and Diana. (applause) They have supported their father, and although they appreciated and sometimes enjoyed the glory of this game, they also suffered the sacrifice of a father who was seldom home. I have been blessed with their understanding and this induction today is as much theirs as mine. I wish I could have been with them more. Connie, I want to proclaim here today that no man could have come so far in this game for so long without the greatest blessing of them all, a dedicated, supportive and loving wife. (applause) You have celebrated the happy moments with me, but more than that, you have been a tire of strength that allowed me to overcome adversity and to take advantage of baseball opportunity. I was there on the field and I am here today because I had the ultimate, the best baseball wife. Thank you for everything, darling. (applause) Before I close I want to thank the Baseball Writers of America that have been so kind to me during my playing days and bringing me here today; to thank the commissioner on behalf of baseball, and the Hall of Fame for this Induction, and to thank all of those whom I have not mentioned, for their guidance, for their friendship and for their support over the years. So you can see this is just not Brooks Robinson's induction into the Hall of Fame. It is the day on which men as fortunate as I am count their blessings, of which I have had so many. Throughout my career I was committed to the goodness of this game. In fact, I feel my love for the game of baseball over rode everything else. I shall. do what I can to continue to make this great game of baseball and this world finer and better. This is the day for my giving thanks and this is the life from which I want to give back. Thank you. (applause)

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