My favorite Oriole growing up in the 60's was Brooks Robinson and over the years I rooted for so many almost favorites, but Brooks was always "The Man". My 1st Oriole game was as a 5 yr. old when my older brother took to me to a game because it was Ted Williams' last game at Memorial Stadium. He wanted me to see the Greatest hitter of his lifetime. It was a treat but I have just about no recollection of the game except finally getting to watch Brooks throughout the game (he was somehow already my favorite).
In one of the following years I remember going to a Mars Supermarket in Dundalk where Brooks and Bob Turley were signing autographs. Yep, back then it was a thing. Also stopped once at his sporting goods store when he was again signing autographs. I tracked him over the years whenever he played close to where I had moved, and after his retirement when he was at a couple of card shows and an appearance at the Bob Feller museum. Just wanted to get close ask random questions that came to mind and say enjoyed following your career and Baltimore (and me) will always appreciate the grace and class person you were.
Fast forward to May of last year and I was diagnosed with a couple of bad maladies and wondered how much longer I would be around and couldn't help noticing the seemingly ever young Mr. Robinson was aging too. Thanks to Tony and Roy, he was contacted on my behalf because I just wanted to send him an old fashioned fan mail telling him a bunch of thoughts that I'll bet many of folks my age have. Within a couple of days I got a call from Brooks and he spent over 20 minutes talking Orioles history, baseball and some other light topics like modern baseball and sports in general. Made me laugh recounting waiting to bat against Ryan Duren back in the day.
He owed me nothing, I am sure he never remembered from any other meeting, and probably had better things to do but he made that call and gave his time freely and completely added to a reputation I thought could not get better if he was pulling kids from a burning building. We miss you a bunch!
