'He wasn't just a ballplayer:' Brooks Robinson remembered in York for his sincerity
Mike Harvey has met enough professional athletes to know those childhood heroes often don't live up to the hype.
The president of York Area Sports Night has helped bring Hall of Famers from many different sports to York County over the years. Many of them were just there to go through the motions, collect a check and leave. They were "prima donnas," as Harvey put it.
Brooks Robinson, on the other hand, was different.
"He would talk to all the kids, and he would remember things about you personally," Harvey said. "He was more personable than most of these guys. And he was sincere about it."
One of the greatest third basemen in MLB history, Robinson died Tuesday at 86.
He's beloved by generations of Baltimore Orioles fans for his stunning longevity (23 years with the franchise), impeccable fielding (a record 16 gold gloves) and his role in the team's glory years in the 1960s and 1970s. His MVP performance in the 1970 World Series is still considered one of the most iconic in baseball history.
But he also became known as a class act off the field — an example of a bygone era when athletes interacted with fans because they weren't so different from regular folks themselves. And he harbored a special connection to York, the place where his baseball career began and where he helped establish another professional team decades later.
"For many people he wasn't just a ballplayer," Harvey said. "He didn't just show up. He cared about the community."
More on Brooks Robinson: The stories about his York pro debut remain enduring
Born in Arkansas in 1937, Robinson debuted with the minor league York White Roses in 1955. Public address announcer George Trout, who went on to serve as York County commissioner, mistakenly called the young player Bob Robinson his first time at the plate.
Robinson went on to befriend Trout anyway. He found the name mistake "funny."
More than five decades later, Robinson became part of the ownership group that established the Atlantic League's York Revolution. The team's stadium, now known as WellSpan Park, is located at 5 Brooks Robinson Way and features a statue of Robinson.
Robinson also worked with the Revolution to establish a charity golf tournament in his name to benefit York City Little League and the York YMCA. In a press release Wednesday, Revolution President Eric Menzer said Robinson would often attend games at WellSpan Park without promotion or fanfare.
At the same time, he didn't mind if fans found out he was there and asked for a photo or autograph.
"He didn’t seek the spotlight. He didn’t want to be the center of attention. But he was unfailingly generous with his time," Menzer wrote. "Growing up an Orioles fan, it was always a ‘pinch me’ moment to realize that Brooks Robinson was asking how my baseball team was doing."
Robinson's last public appearance in York was the 2019 Atlantic League All-Star game, where he served as honorary co-captain alongside his longtime Orioles teammate and former Revolution manager Andy Etchebarren.
In previous years, he made plenty of appearances at sports nights, charity events or car dealership openings. Harvey remembers an Orioles caravan appearance shortly after the franchise's first World Series title in 1966, where Robinson lit up the room despite being flanked by huge stars like Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer and Boog Powell.
Harvey remembers another York Area Sports Night in 1984, where Robinson appeared alongside Franco Harris, Dan Marino and Joe DiMaggio. The legendary Yankee Clipper was unsurprisingly aloof when approached by fans.
And there was Robinson, shaking everyone's hand and asking kids what they wanted to be when they grew up.
"He connected with you," Harvey said. "He wasn't typical. He was definitely unique."
Matt Allibone is a sports reporter for GameTimePA. He can be reached at 717-881-8221, mallibone@ydr.com or on Twitter at @bad2theallibone.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Baltimore Orioles legend Brooks Robinson remembered in York County
