Thanks, Brooks
27/09/23 07:36
September 27, 2023 (Vol. 17 No. 39) - It is a measure of greatness when a famed artist like Norman Rockwell is compelled to paint your likeness. It is also a measure of Rockwell's greatness that his painting so successfully captures the essence of his subject, Brooks Robinson. Brooksie (as his legions of fans called him) was best known as the slick fielding third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles. For 23 seasons, the Little Rock, Arkansas, native set the gold (glove) standard for all who played the position. However, Rockwell chose to depict Robinson as he was off the field, as a genuinely nice, kind and considerate man. That was my personal experience with my childhood hero. I met him once in 1983 in Raleigh, North Carolina. I was a reporter for WRAL-FM and Robinson had come into town as making a personal appearance for the Crown Oil Company. When I found out that he was in town, I threw journalistic integrity out the window and conjured an excuse to interview him. At the time, Robinson was a color commentator on Orioles telecasts. He had flown into Raleigh following a late night game in Kansas City. One could reasonably be grumpy and impatient when a guy with a microphone shows up on a late Friday afternoon. However, the opposite was true. He was a gracious as he could be. He probably knew from the outset of the interview that was a big fan of his. And when I broke a host of journalistic tenants by asking him to sign an Orioles Media Guide that featured his upcoming Hall of Fame induction. He signed it "David, Best Always. Enjoyed being with you. Brooks Robinson." My only other personal contact was a couple of years ago, when my wife and children arranged for Brooksie to send me a video birthday greeting. (It remains my favorite birthday present of all-time.) In the hours after Brooks Robinson's death yesterday at the age of 86, there's been one quotation credited to a Baltimore sportswriter that sums up the man. It goes something like this: "In New York, they name candy bars after Reggie Jackson. In Baltimore, they name their children after Brooks Robinson." I didn't name my daughter Brooks. But I named my first dog Brooksie. If my daughter had come before the dog, it might have been the other way around. The loss of a childhood hero is almost the same as the loss of a member of the family. I am sad he is gone, but grateful for the joy he brought me through the years. That's it for now. Thanks, Brooks. Fear the Turtle.