Brooks Robinson

Brooks Calbert Robinson Jr. (May 18, 1937 – September 26, 2023) was an American professional baseball player who spent his entire 23-year career as a third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, from 1955 to 1977. Nicknamed "Mr. Hoover" and "the Human Vacuum Cleaner," he is generally considered the greatest defensive third baseman in major league history.

Robinson joined the Orioles as a teenager in 1955 and became the centerpiece of the franchise. Between 1965 and 1974, Baltimore posted the best record in the major leagues, capturing four American League pennants and two World Series titles. An 18-time All-Star, Robinson won 16 consecutive Gold Glove Awards, the most by a position player and tied with Jim Kaat for the second-most of all time, behind Greg Maddux.

His 2,870 career games at third base exceeded the next-closest player by nearly 700 games at the time of his retirement and remain the most by any player at a single position in major league history. His 23 seasons spent with a single team set a major league record since matched only by Carl Yastrzemski. Beloved in Baltimore, where fans knew him as "Mr. Oriole," Robinson remained with the team for his full career until retiring in 1977.