Brooks Robinson Biography

Brooks Robinson Jr. played his entire 23-year Major League Baseball career as a third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles from 1955 to 1977. He was nicknamed Mr. Hoover and the Human Vacuum Cleaner, widely regarded as the greatest defensive third baseman in major league history. Robinson was known as Mr. Oriole by fans in Baltimore, a symbol of loyalty and excellence for the franchise. He earned the AL Most Valuable Player award in 1964 with a .317 batting average, 28 home runs, and 118 RBIs, leading the league in runs batted in. In 1966, he finished second in MVP voting after recording 100 RBIs, helping the Orioles win the pennant and sweep the Los Angeles Dodgers for their first World Series title. Robinson won the World Series MVP Award in 1970, delivering strong defensive plays and driving in runs in the first four games as Baltimore defeated the Cincinnati Reds in five games. He holds franchise records for runs (1,232), RBIs (1,357), doubles (482), and home runs by a right-handed hitter (268), and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983 in his first year of eligibility.