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Motivation | Sports Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. was nicknamed "Hoover" for his ability to suck up everything hit towards third base. During his outstanding baseball career, Brooks Robinson held, and in some cases still holds, numerous major league lifetime records. These include the highest fielding percentage, most seasons played, most games played, most chances accepted excluding errors, most putouts, most assists, and most double plays. Brooks Robinson, former third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles and the much beloved color commentator for the Orioles' television network, retired from baseball in 1977 after 20 years and 72 days in the major leagues. He was later elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in a landslide, receiving 92 percent of the votes cast. Most recently, he was elected to the Major League Baseball "All Century Team," and received the Congressional Medal of Honor's Patriot Award in 2000. Establishing a standard of excellence for modern-day third basemen, he played 23 seasons for the Baltimore Orioles. A clutch hitter as well, Brooks Robinson hit 268 career home runs, at one time an American League record for a third basemen. He earned the league's MVP Award in 1964 and was the World Series MVP in 1970, when he hit .429 and made a variety of sparkling plays at third base. The 1970 World Series was the Brooks Robinson Show. In the opener he backhanded Lee May's bullet to keep the go-ahead run off base in the sixth inning and, with the score tied 3-3 in the seventh, homered over the left field fence to give the Birds a 4-3 win; In Game Two he knocked in the game-winner in a 6-5 squeaker. Brooks Robinson won Gold Gloves every year from 1960 to 1975. Sportswriter Gordon Beard said, "He never asked anyone to name a candy bar after him. In Baltimore people name their children after him." When he retired in 1977, the Orioles gave credit where it was due by holding "Thanks Brooks Day" on September 18. The occasion drew the largest regular season crowd in Memorial Stadium's history. Today, in addition to doing color commentary, Brooks Robinson serves as a vice-president of Personal Management Associates (PMA). PMA is a company that provides athletes comprehensive counseling and support in their professional, financial, and personal lives. Brooks Robinson's Orioles uniform, #5, was officially retired on opening day 1978, the year after he retired.
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