Hall of Famer and legendary Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson has died at the age of 86, the team announced Tuesday.
“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,” said a statement from the Robinson family and the Orioles.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement of his own, sending the Robinson family his condolences and stating that he would “remember Brooks as a true gentleman who represented our game extraordinarily well on and off the field all his life.”
One of the greatest players in franchise history, Robinson played in Baltimore for his entire 23-year career from 1955 to ’77. An 18-time All-Star, he started 15 consecutive All-Star Games at third base from 1960 to ’74.
Robinson earned the nickname “The Human Vacuum Cleaner” for his defensive prowess, and was the winner of 16 consecutive Gold Glove awards at third base from 1960 to ’75. He was the American League’s MVP in 1964, when he slashed .317/.368/.521 with 28 home runs and 118 RBI.
He also won two championships during his time with the Orioles in 1966 and ’70, and was named the World Series MVP for the organization’s latter title in ‘70 when Baltimore defeated the Reds in five games.
Robinson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983, six years after his retirement from MLB.
