Baseball fans share stories, pay tribute to Orioles' legend Brooks Robinson

BALTIMORE -- Tributes and memories have poured in from across the baseball world, and here in Baltimore, after the passing of "Mr. Oriole" Brooks Robinson.

The Orioles' legend died on Tuesday at the age of 86.

However, the impact he has left on Charm City will last far beyond his years.

Even until his death on Tuesday, Robinson continued to follow the Orioles and impact the community he lived in. On Tuesday, former teammates and baseball players shared their condolences.

Fans are paying their respects to Robinson at his statue at Legends Park at Camden Yards.

Staff placed a flower wreath and orange roses shaped in the No. 5 for Robinson, who was a 16-time Gold Glove Award winner.

"It was a real sad moment for me, it still is and it will be for a while," Orioles fan Jackie Kinzer said.

"I just started crying and I'll probably start crying now," Orioles fan Rae Ann Edwards said.

Robinson was beloved on the baseball diamond for his incredible plays at third base, earning the nickname, "The Human Vacuum Cleaner."

But it was the impact he had off the field that his fans, whom he called friends, will always remember.

"Just being a mentor to the younger guys and the community and the stuff that he's done is just unbelievable, he's definitely going to be missed for sure," Orioles fan Timm Samples said.

"So outgoing and friendly," Edwards said. "You couldn't ask for a better person to represent Baltimore and baseball."

"I mean we had him for a long time in many, many ways, not just as a baseball player, but as a person in the community that everybody looked up to," Orioles fan Kurt Anderson said.

Fans looked up to Brooksie.

You don't have to go far to hear a good thing about the Orioles' legend who will be sorely missed by Baltimore.

He's been a part of Baltimore since he joined the Orioles as a young player in 1955.

"I just hope that my boys can look back and see the kind of person he was on the field," Samples said. "If they can be a glimpse of what Brooks Robinson was off the field, not just for the O's, but for baseball itself, I'll be a proud dad for sure."

"I would just say thank you for a great season, for everything you gave to Baltimore," Edwards said. "What you gave to the Baltimore Orioles will never be forgotten."

Fans say Brooks Robinson always signed autographs and was as gracious as any celebrity could be.

"Brooks was always my favorite Oriole from the time I was 7," fan Cynthia Fraser said. "Later, my landscape architectural firm was honored to design the plaza at Russell Street where his statue stands, and I got to meet him briefly at the unveiling and get an autograph. He was always a gentleman and did so much philanthropy behind the scenes for Baltimore. RIP Brooks."

Orioles and Brooks Robinson fans shared photos and autographs they continue to value.

Those images are even more valuable after the beloved star passed away at 86 years old.

"I had Frank Robinson and Brooks Robinson autograph this card. Frank was 66 triple crown winner and Brooks 16 x gold glove," said John Bowman.

He played his entire career with the Orioles from 1955 until 1977.  

Robinson was an 18-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion (1966 and 1970), a World Series MVP and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983.

Robinson had 1,357 RBIs, 2,848 base hits and a career batting average of .267.

Last September, in the 2022 season, Robinson was honored at the Orioles game and threw the ceremonial first pitch to Gunnar Henderson.