Baseball Legend Brooks Robinson Dead at 86

Brooks Robinson, former third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, has passed away. He was 86.

His former team announced the sad news on Sept. 26, sharing a joint statement with his family on Twitter. The official team account wrote “We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Brooks Robinson. An integral part of our Orioles Family since 1955, he will continue to leave a lasting impact on our club, our community, and the sport of baseball.”

In a statement obtained by The Athletic, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred added, “All of us at Major League Baseball are saddened by the loss of Brooks Robinson, one of the greats of our National Pastime and a legend of the Baltimore Orioles. I will always remember Brooks as a true gentleman who represented our game extraordinarily well on and off the field all his life. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I send my deepest condolences to Brooks’ family, his many friends across our game, and Orioles fans everywhere.”

It's unclear at this time where Robinson died or what his cause of death was.

The sports legend is a top contender for best defensive third baseman ever, according to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Dubbed “The Human Vacuum Cleaner,” Robinson started and ended his career with the Maryland-based team, playing from 1955 to 1978. He racked up 16 consecutive Gold Glove Awards and won All-Star 18 times, helping lead his team to six play-offs and two World Series Championships.

He was awarded several additional honors throughout his career, including American League MVP honors in 1964, All-Star Game MVP Award in 1966, and World Series MVP in 1970. He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1983.

Robinson is survived by his wife, Connie, and four kids: Brooks David, Chris, Michael and Diana.

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