LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Legendary Baltimore Oriole third baseman Brooks Robinson died at 86, the organization announced Tuesday.
In his 23-year career with the Orioles, Robinson's impact speaks for itself — 16 Gold Gloves and two World Series championships.
Robinson's awards list is a mile long.
"The human vacuum cleaner," Arkansas Democrate-Gazette senior editor Rex Nelson said. "You did not get a ball by him on third base. He was just amazing."
Robinson called Lamar Porter Field in Little Rock home before earning the nickname "Mr. Oriole" and playing under the lights in Baltimore.
Born in 1937, Robinson grew up learning baseball there.
"Step back in time, and you see a new generation of young people learning the game on the very field where Brooks Robinson learned the game," Nelson said.
Nelson spent time in Washington, D.C., in the 1980s after Robinson retired. From there, he frequently went to Orioles games, where he remembered the great plays Robinson used to make.
"To this day, you find a lot of Orioles fans, especially those 60 and above like me," Nelson said. "Around Arkansas, and that's the reason. Brooks never forgot where he came from."
The people of Baltimore never forgot Robinson either, as the ballclub held a moment of silence before their game with the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.
Hundreds of miles away, back in his hometown, those who knew him also mourn Robinson.
"I think people can take away that there can still be heroes, and heroes can still be humble," Nelson said. "They can still be gentlemen, and that was Brooks."