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"I'm a Major League third baseman. If you want to go play in the parking lot, I'm suppose to stop the ball." Brooks Robinson
(Reply given before Game 1 of the 1970 World Series in regards to if he thought he would have a problem playing on astro turf for the first time).
Brooks officially spent 20 years and 72 days as a player in the American League, spanning 23 seasons.
He played in 2,896 major league games, all of them with the Orioles, 7th on the all-time list. (Hank Aaron leads at 3,298).
Only Carl Yastrzemski (3,198) and Ty Cobb (3,033) have played more American League games, and only three others in history have played more with one franchise: Yaz (3,189), Aaron (3,076), and Stan Musial (3,026).
Durability: Played in 97% of all Oriole games from July 9, 1959 (when he returned from the minors for the last time) thru May 16, 1976, a period of more than 16-1/2 years... Played at least 153 games in 14 of 15 years from '60 thru '75... The only exception was 1965 when he missed 18 games as a result of a broken thumb (hit by a Hank Aguirre pitch) and a shoulder injury.
His durability was even more astounding when it is considered that he was "beaned" seven times: Earl Wilson ('55), Ned Garver ('57), John Buzhardt ('63), Phil Niekro ('67), Steve Blass ('68), Mike Nagy ('70), and Woodie Fryman ('72).
Opening Days: Started 20 consecutive opening day games for the Orioles from '57 thru '76, and batted .316 (25-for-79) with six home runs and 17 rbi.
Home Runs / RBI: Led A.L. in rbi (118) in '64 and also achieved career high of 28 homers that year... Hit 17 or more homers nine times, 11 or more 11 times... His last year in "double figures" was '71 when he hit 20... Holds record for most lifetime homers in Memorial Stadium (139).
Had six career grand slams, four of them in Baltimore: July 31, 1960 vs. Cleveland (H) off Gary Bell... May 6, 1962 vs. California (at Dodger Stadium) off Ken McBride... May 9, 1962 vs. Kansas City A's (H) off Ed Rakow... July 7, 1970 vs. New York (H) off Lindy McDaniel... July 8, 1971 vs. Oakland (A) off Blue Moon Odom, and August 14, 1976 vs. Chicago (H) off Terry Forster... His two grand slams in '62 were in consecutive games.
Hitting: Had lifetime averages of .293 (267-for 911) vs. Texas Rangers (Washington Senators) and .287 (90-for-324) vs. Kansas City Royals... Hit most home runs (37) and drove in most runs (167) against the Red Sox... Twice put together strings of eight straight hits: July 10 thru 15, 1960, and August 21 thru 23, 1963.
Fielding: Committed only 263 errors in 9,165 chances at third base for a lifetime percentage of .971... Appeared in a total of 29 games at second base (24) and shortstop (5) and committed only one boot in 31 tries... Did not play anywhere else defensively but at third base after 1963.
Major League Lifetime Records, 3B: Highest fielding percentage, 100 or more games (.971) ... Most seasons (23)... Most games (2,871)... Most chances accepted, excluding errors (8,902)... Most putouts (2,697)... Most assists (6,205)... Most double plays (618)... Most seasons leading league in games (8)... Most seasons leading league in assists (8).
American League Lifetime Records, 3B: Most seasons leading league in fielding (11)... Most seasons in leading league in accepted chances, excluding errors (8 tie)... Most games in a season (163 in '61 and '64).
Triple Plays: Has started three of the eight triple plays executed by the Orioles in their 29-year history... All three were "around the horn" ground ball variety... Was the batter in four of the 13 triple plays hit into by the Orioles. Only one was around the horn.
Gold Gloves: Won 16 straight "gold gloves" (Rawlings Sporting Goods / The Sporting News) from '60 thru '75 as the top defensive third baseman in the A.L.... The string was snapped by Detroit's Aurelio Rodriguez in '76... Rodriguez, former Red Sox third baseman Frank Malzone ('57 - '59) and the Yankees' Graig Nettles ('77) were the only others in the A.L. to have won a "gold glove" in that position while Brooks was active.
Believe-It-or-Not: Committed three errors in one inning against the A's in Baltimore on July 28, 1971 (6th inning)... O's won the game, however, Frank Robinson hit a three-run homer in the 9th inning to erase a 0-2 deficit.
All-Star Play: Played in 18 consecutive all-star games from '60 thru '74 (including two per year in '60, '61, '62) ... Had lifetime average of .289 (13-for-45).
Selected "MVP" in 1966 at St. Louis when he had three hits, including a home run, while handling eight chances in the field... Also homered in in '67 game at Anaheim... Was also a serious contender for the award in '64 (at Shea Stadium) and '70 (at Cincinnati), when he went 2-for-3, hit a triple, scored a run, and drove in two others.
Hit three triples in all-star play and didn't make an error in 43 fielding chances.
Was elected to starting line-up in Gillette-sponsored fan vote four times ('71 thru '74) after selection was returned to fans in '70... Led A.L. players in votes in '71 (1,110,469)... Started a total of 11 games... Had last hit in '71 game at Detroit.
World Series / A.L. Championship Series: Played in first 39 post-season games in which the Orioles have been involved and batted a composite .303 (44-for-145)-- .348 in 18 ALCS games and .263 in 21 WS games.
WS: Homered in first WS at bat in first inning against Dodgers (at Dodger Stadium) in '66 immediately following Frank Robinson's two run homer (both were off Don Drysdale).
Was landslide "MVP" in '70 vs. Reds... Hit .429 (9-for-21), and was brilliant on defense... his nine hits ties record for most hits in five-game series... He also contributed six rbi, two doubles, and two homers... Erred on first fielding chance then handled 23 more flawlessly, many of them brilliantly... Stole at least two hits from Johnny Bench and Lee May... It was during the season that may gave him the nickname "Hoover" (as in vacuum cleaners).
Was among leading hitters in '71 series vs. Pirates- .318 (7-for-22) with five rbi... Made three errors in 76 world series chances.
CS: Had .486 average (18-for-37) after first three championship series (O's swept them all in three straight games)... His lone hit in last CS in '74 was a first game homer off A's "Catfish" Hunter.
"I'll play out the string and leave baseball without a tear. A man can't play games his whole life." Brooks Robinson
Winding Down, '76: Brooks started the '76 season as the orioles regular third baseman. He started 27 of the first 28 games before being replaced by Doug DeCinces. From then on, he drew only 29 more starts in the O's final 103 games.
Nothing Is Forever, '77: His 268th and last home run provided one of the most emotional experiences in Oriole's history. It was April 19th at Memorial Stadium, the O's trailed the Indians 5-2, in the 10th. With one out and runners on 1st and 2nd, Lee May singled in a run. The O's now trailed by two as Brooks came to the plate as a pinch-hitter for Larry Harlow. He ran the count to "3 & 2," fouled off a number of pitches, then hit a walk-off homerun in the left field stands off southpaw Dave LaRoche to win the game 6-5.
There were only 4,826 fans in the ballpark that night, but none of them will ever forget the moment.
Brooks made his final actual appearance as a pinch-hitter at California on Friday, August 5, and his last base hit was on June 3, 7th inning single off lefty Steve Mingori at Kansas City the night the O's turned the game-winning triple play in the ninth.
His last game appearance at Memorial Stadium was on July 25 as a pinch-hitter against the Brewers, and his final start was at Seattle on July 30.
Signed for '77 as a player-coach, but became a coach exclusively on Sunday, August 21, when he went on the voluntarily retired list (in Minnesota) to make room on the roster for catcher Rick Dempsey who was returning to duty after six weeks on the disabled list.
An Orioles' regular season crowd of 51,798 attended "Thanks, Brooks" Day on Sunday, September 18, against the Red Sox to pay tribute to the most important and beloved Oriole of modern times.
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