| SIGNER: Brooks Robinson APPROXIMATE SIZE: 8-1/2"x11" MARKS / STAMPING: Hand-signed by Brooks Robinson ORIGINAL or REPRINT: Original COMMENTS / CONDITION: As with all of my signed items, the signature is guaranteed to pass further inspection by any major authenticator, or your money back. See scans for conition and signature quality. BIO: Brooks Calbert Robinson Jr. (Vacuum Cleaner) was born in 1937 in Little Rock, AR and died in 2023 in Owings Mills, MD. He played major league baseball from 1955 to 1977 as 3rd baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, appeared in 1966, 1969, 1970 and 1971 World Series, was selected 15 times as an All-Star, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983. Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner"[1], he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-baseman of all time. He won 16 consecutive Gold Glove Awards during his career, tied with pitcher Jim Kaat for the second most all-time for any player at any position. In 1964, Robinson won both the American League MVP and All-Star Game MVP awards. In the AL MVP voting, he received 18 of the 20 first-place votes, with Mickey Mantle finishing second. Robinson was selected for the All-Star team in 15 consecutive years (1960-74). After the 1970 World Series, Cincinnati Reds manager Sparky Anderson quipped, "I'm beginning to see Brooks in my sleep. If I dropped this paper plate, he'd pick it up on one hop and throw me out at first." When the Orioles started their team Hall of Fame, Brooks and Frank Robinson were the first two men inducted. Following his retirement as a player, Robinson began a successful career as a color commentator for the Orioles' television broadcasts. In 1982, local television WMAR's on air newsteam in Baltimore, Maryland went on strike and picketed the WMAR headquarters for the two months approaching the baseball season. When Robinson refused to cross the picket line, WMAR management re-opened the negotiations and the strike ended the next day. In the 1970s, Robinson published his autobiography entitled "Third Base is My Home." The book is notorious for the story about how he met his future wife. She was a flight attendant on an Orioles team flight, and he was so smitten with her, he kept ordering iced teas from her until he eventually ended up helping her in the galley. In 1999, he ranked Number 80 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. "Brooks never had a candy bar named after him. In Baltimore, people named their children after him." - Gordon Beard SKU: L14025
Item: L14025
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