Last week, baseball lost a legendary ballplayer and without a doubt, the best defensive third baseman to grace the hot corner. Brooks Robinson passed away at the age of 86.
A Baltimore Oriole his entire 23-year career, Robinson was known for his deft glovework at third, earning sixteen straight Gold Gloves. He also appeared in eighteen All-Star Games and ranked in the top ten voting of MVP seven times winning it in 1964.
Robinson was clutch in the postseason. He practically single-handedly won it for the Orioles against the Reds in 1970. That year, he went 9 for 21 with two doubles and two homers while driving in six runs. Overall, Brooks hit .303 in the postseason while driving in 22 runs on eight doubles and five homers.
I’ve already featured Brooks Robinson’s 1962 card and 1966 card. It’s only appropriate that we now take a look at the card from his MVP year. It was in 1964 when Brooks was voted as the best player in the AL.
1964 Brooks Robinson
A.L. Most Valuable Player
Gold Glove
.317/.368/.521
Led A.L. in rbis with 118
Throughout his career, Brooks Robinson had always been a solid hitter. His career splits show that he spent the majority of his time in the fourth, fifth and sixth spots in the Oriole lineup. It was in 1964 when his bat really produced. He batted .317 with 28 homeruns and 35 doubles. That helped him lead the AL with 118 rbis.
| Split | G | GS | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 Totals | 163 | 163 | 685 | 612 | 82 | 194 | 35 | 3 | 28 | 118 | 1 | 51 | 64 | .317 | .368 | .521 |
BRobbie played a full 163-game season in 1964. Every one of those games, he started, too. He simply did not take a day off. His .317 batting average, .521 slugging percentage, 118 rbis and 28 homers in 1964 were the highest of his career.
A look at the card
Yeah, Brooks has a 3B-6. Was there any doubt?
This card is the 1989 publication of the 1964 season. Brooks Robinson has double columns with power numbers 1-0-0-0 with six singles in the second column. He does however, also have six ones in the second column as well adding to his power.
Not only does Brooks ’64 have a 55-7 but he also has four 8s which makes him especially dangerous against grade C and D pitchers.
If there was one thing Brooksie could have improved on in his career, it would have been staying out of the double play. He led his league twice and ranks 12th all-time with 297 GIDP. That said, this 1964 APBA card has an acceptable two 24s.
1964 Brooks Robinson was an MVP with only two 13s on his APBA card. Are we ever going to see that again? Not likely.
Little stuff
- APBA put the 12 at 54 in this 1989 print so the usual 32 there was moved to 21.
- I love BRobbie’s 24-22. That said, he was only hit by the pitch four times in 1964 so statistically, he must have been on the fence.
- This card received a 23-30 and a 62-32. I wonder if APBA was trying to replicate Robinson’s AL-leading ten sac flies.
- Did I mention the 3B-6? I’m sure I did.
Without question, Brooks Robinson is the Gold Glove third baseman prototype. Even today, when we compare third basemen, it’s Brooks we look at. But it’s a futile task. No one can reach his status.
Thanks to my commish, Mike for finding this card.
RIP Brooks Robinson
Wonderful tribute, Tom. Thank you so much for posting this.
I remember my first APBA set, a used 1973 set my dad got from a co-worker when I was 13, had Brooks Robinson at a 6 for third base. No other player had a 6, and only a few had a 5. It made me want to look up his fielding statistics, which were not easy to find in pre-internet 1976. I don’t remember Who’s Who in Baseball publishing them, and you certainly wouldn’t find them on the back of a Topps baseball card. I learned about him from the stories my dad’s friends would tell me.
Curiously, has any other player been given a 6 for 3rd base?
Thanks again for posting this.
Thanks, Alan!
To answer your question, there have been plenty of players who have gotten the 3B-6 rating but I’d wager it is probably the most rare. The SS-10 is up there too (I believe the 2B-9 is becoming more common lately).
Nolan Arenado has been rated as a 3B-6 as has Scott Rolen. Going back, Freddie Lindstrom, Mike Schmidt and Ken Boyer were as well.
Tom