Brooks Robinson ✝

Robinson was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Brooks Calbert and Ethel Mae (née Denker) Robinson. His father worked for Colonial Bakery in Little Rock and later became a captain with the Little Rock Fire Department. His mother worked for Sears Roebuck & Company and then in the controller\'s office at the state capitol. His father played second base for a semi-pro team. Young Brooks Robinson Jr., delivered the Arkansas Gazette on his bicycle and also operated the scoreboard and sold soft drinks at Lamar Porter Field.\n', ' After he graduated from Little Rock High School on May 27, 1955, where he was scouted for the Arkansas Razorbacks baseball program in Fayetteville, he played in South America in 1955 and in Cuba in 1957. In the offseason of 1956–1957, and then again in 1958, he attended two winter semesters at Little Rock University, majoring in business. He went into the army in 1959, joining the Arkansas National Guard right before he was to be drafted into the United States Army.\n', ' Robinson was signed by the Orioles as an amateur free agent in 1955. He made his first appearance on September 17, 1955 at Memorial Stadium against the Washington Senators, batting 6th in the lineup. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI, singling in the 4th off Chuck Stobbs for his first hit while driving in a run on a single in the eighth inning in the 3-1 win. In 1964, Robinson had his best season offensively, hitting for a .318 batting average with 28 home runs and led the league with 118 runs batted in, winning the American League Most Valuable Player Award. In the American League MVP voting, he received 18 of the 20 first-place votes, with Mickey Mantle finishing second. In 1966, he was voted the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, and finished second to teammate Frank Robinson in the American League Most Valuable Player Award voting, as the Orioles went on to win the 1966 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.\n', '