Brooks Robinson the Baltimore Orioles third baseman snares a line drive hit by the Cincinnati Reds Johnny Bench in the top of the sixth inning on Oct 13, 1970 at Memorial Stadium during the World Series in Baltimore (AP file photo)

Brooks Robinson, the Greatest Third baseman

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

As a kid in Cuba when my father took me to the Cuban Professional Winter League in Havana, around the late 1950s I remember a skinny slick fielding third baseman that played for the Elefantes de Cienfuegos, (Cienfuegos Elephants), with the green and gray uniforms, his name was Brooks Robinson, they won the Cuban Winter League title in the 1959-60 season.

He was since that moment together with Cuban-born Orestes (Minnie) Miñoso my two favorite players. Miñoso played for the rivals Tigres de Marianao, Marianao Tigres and with the Chicago White Sox in the major leagues. I had the privilege of meeting Miñoso not in Cuba (although I saw him play in Cuba, like I just wrote) but here in the Major Leagues as a player and later as a Front Office employee of the Chicago White Sox, as I interviewed him in many occasions including in 2005 when he sat with me in Chicago during a game as I was broadcasting for the LA Angels Spanish radio, he did commentary for most of the game. Both Minnie and Brooks played at a very young age in that Cuban professional league. Both became established stars in the major leagues.

Today, September 26, 2023 the news broke. Brooks Robinson has died at the age of 86. There was no better defensive third baseman, He was selected to 18 All Star Games and won a total of 16 Gold Gloves, the most of any position player, only one player won more Gold Gloves in history, pitcher Greg Maddux,18.

In 1983 third baseman Brooks Robinson was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York. His nickname “The Vacuum cleaner” was given to him by Cincinnati Reds manager Sparky Anderson after his legendary performance for the Orioles in the 1970 World Series. “I’ve never seen anything like what he did to us in that series, He killed us”. In 1970 Brooks won the MVP in the World Series.

He played his entire 23 year career with the Baltimore Orioles. Hit for an average of .267, 2,896 games, 2,848 hits, 1,357 runs batted in, 1964 American League MVP, 1970 World Series MVP and 2-time World Series Champion.

The Human Vacuum Cleaner” or “Mr. Hoover” because of his defensive prowess. But mostly known as “Mr. Oriole.”

Why do they call third base “the hot corner”? Because right handed hitters pull balls down the third base line with with lots of heat.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Vice President of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Heritage Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com