Here's some of what my readers had to say about Brooks Robinson after his death last week at age 86. We start off with two accounts of the same game, one from near the end of Brooks' career.
Irwin Weiss:
It's fair to say that Brooks was a terrific fielder, and a pretty good hitter, and a great person. No one would disagree. I have an odd memory of Brooks — odd because I didn't actually see the event.
In 1977 in April, Brooks was playing what was to be his last season. I was in law school and on Tuesday, April 19, I went to the game at Memorial stadium. Attendance was announced at 4,826, including me. The game went into extra innings. Brooks was not in the starting lineup.
Unfortunately, the Cleveland Indians, as they were then called, scored three runs in the top of the 10th to take a 5-2 lead. Dejected, and with school the next morning, I left the game at that point. I lived in an apartment at the intersection of Loch Raven Boulevard and The Alameda. I walked home.
In the bottom of the 10th, the Orioles scored a run, making it 5-3. Then Brooks was called upon to pinch hit with two men on base. There was one out. Brooks hit a pinch hit, three-run homer and the Orioles won the game, 6-5. That was Brooks' 268th career home run and his final one. I was almost home by the time he hit the home run. The noise was deafening.
Comment: And I bet you've never heard the end of it.
Sandy Teplitzky:
In about 1983, I was invited by Bank of America to a day at Memorial Stadium. The Orioles were out of town. We spent a good part of the day on the field, batting, running the bases and catching fly balls. There was a reception after the field events and Brooks was the speaker. I had never met him before, but I went up to him after his presentation and asked if I could tell him this real life story.
In April of 1977 I went to a game between the Orioles and the Cleveland Indians. I grew up in Cleveland and was living in Baltimore (where my wife grew up), so this was special to me. I told Brooks that it was a cold and wet day. He immediately said, "I remember that game as if it was yesterday."
Brooks did not start that game; his career was nearing its end. He replied along the lines of, "I loved being a part of the team but I knew my time was almost over."
My wife and the wife of a close friend hated sitting in the cold and threatened to leave the entire game. So, as you might guess, the game went into extra innings! In the top of the 10th, the Indians scored two runs and the Orioles brought in another pitcher. Our wives made us leave the game. We had no choice.
We were driving on the outer loop of the beltway when Brooks was asked to pinch hit in the bottom of the 10th with two men on base.
Brooks hit a 3-2 pitch (I think) for a three-run walk off home run.
Brooks told me the name of the pitcher, the pitch sequence, the type of pitch he hit, and the feeling when the ball left the ballpark. He told me that it was one of his proudest moments as a major leaguer. His career was pretty much over and yet he could help his team win. That's Brooks.
I told Brooks that the game was the last time that my wife asked to miss the end of a game. Brooks looked up and smiled. He walked away for a minute and came back with a new baseball and a pen. He asked for my wife's name and then wrote "Karen, never leave a game early. Brooks Robinson HOF 83."
That ball sits on my desk to this day (pictures attached). The memory of that meeting has never left me (or my wife). I am certain that this was his last walk off home run, and I believe that it may have been his last career home run.
We no longer live in Baltimore (having chased our grandchildren to Chicago 10 years ago), but when I think of Baltimore to this day, I think of Brooks Robinson!
Sharon Mason:
I had to tell you how much I loved your column about Brooks Robinson and the Daue family. I am an in-law. Brooks and June were, in fact, very kindred spirits. They were two of the most kind people I have ever had the privilege to meet. I am the "someone" who asked Brooks to speak to the Daue family. I knew that I could ask him because he was my passenger on United Airlines, just before he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He was the very definition of kindness and grace. I never forgot that.
Donald Steinwedel:
I was one of those 7-year-olds who had their favorite team and player....it was Brooks and the Birds. Ran home from school to watch the World Series games, hid the radio under the pillow to listen to Oriole games. My father would say when he took us to games to watch Brooks all the time, you would learn how to play. Remember listening when Brooks made three errors in one game!!?? Went to Brooks Day and still have the Rockwell print they gave us. My nephews took my father, who was in his 90's, a few years ago to a Brooks signing night at a memorabilia shop. My father, who passed away last month, was barely able to walk and was using canes at the time. My nephews were helping my father in, and when they got through the door Brooks was already signing for a line of fans. Brooks stopped what he was doing, left the line and got up and walked over to my father. They both then proceeded to carry on a long conversation about baseball. What a kind gesture by Brooks to stop what he was doing to address my father. I know this is not unusual to hear in Baltimore about Brooks. Or anywhere for that matter. Thanks for letting me tell my story.
Neil Grauer
I came across this 1974 picture of Brooks Robinson wishing former JHU president Milton Eisenhower a happy 75th birthday in the Orioles dugout at Memorial Stadium. Johns Hopkins University arranged a large party there for Eisenhower, and Brooks stopped by before that evening's game. What's more, the Orioles had Eisenhower throw out the first ball and, on top of that, displayed a contract they'd drawn up for him to be a relief pitcher. Whoever presented it -- maybe Chuck Thompson -- said that having signed Dr. E, the O's "immediately put him on the disabled list." It was quite a wonderful evening.
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