Brooks Robinson

You see the jerseys every time the Orioles play at Camden Yards, often on boys born 20 years after the man shelved his famous mitt - No. 5. Robinson. The combination of that name and that number will always stir the souls of those who watched Brooks Robinson make impossible play after impossible play along the third-base line at Memorial Stadium. But even their children and grandchildren, who never glimpsed his magician's act, have heard the stories of Robinson's kindness - the way anybody could run into him at the mall and receive not only an autograph but a few minutes of genial conversation with a Hall of Famer.

May 23, 1991: Mired in last place, the Orioles fire manager Frank Robinson and promote Johnny Oates, 45, the team's first base coach and a former Baltimore player. Oates will manage nearly four years here (291 wins and 270 losses) before going to Texas, where he is named 1996 American League Manager of the Year. May 25, 1985: Del Dressel's three goals lead Johns Hopkins past Syracuse, 11-4, for the NCAA lacrosse championship. The four goals by the Orangemen are the fewest allowed in a title game, a mark that will stand until 2012.

Baltimoreans can rejoice. Brooks is back. On Monday the Dorothy L. and Henry A. Rosenberg Jr. Foundation along with The Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation announced that construction is underway for a statue honoring legendary Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson. The statue, which will depict Robinson preparing to throw a runner out at first base, will be placed across from the northwest side of Camden Yards, on the plaza between Washington Boulevard and Russell St. Almost two years ago the Baltimore Public Art Commission unanimously approved plans for the 9-foot-high, 1,500 pound statue, and it will be unveiled at a ceremony on Oct. 22, 2011.

The solitary orange banner waved over the left field wall at old Memorial Stadium for years. “HERE” is all it said in blocky black lettering. No other words were necessary. Everyone knew what it meant: here's where Frank hit it out. Wednesday marks the 47th anniversary of that historic home run, when Orioles outfielder and future Hall of Famer Frank Robinson became the only player to hit a baseball completely out of the old ballpark on 33rd Street during a game. It happened on May 8, 1966, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians, when Robinson hit a mammoth two-run shot off Indians starter Luis Tiant in the first inning.

Roger Clemens  had a press conference before the Sugar Land Skeeters-York Revolution game in York, Pa. on Tuesday. And a guy named Brooks Robinson showed up - the 75-year-old Hall of Famer is a part owner of the York and Sugar Land teams of the independent Atlantic League. I passed on a bunch of quotes yesterday, but here are a few more of interest. Here's Clemens on seeing Robinson at the press conference:  “I'm excited today because I got to see this man over here. He came in for this and it's a treat for me to see some guys that when I was younger I watched and paved the way for me and my teammates to play the game and play it the right way. So any time I can give thanks to Brooksie and these guys that have played before me, again, I know that's the reason I had the opportunities that I had. I was able to make the money I did playing a wonderful game and take care of my family and extended family.

Jim Palmer is being honored with his sculpture today. Several notables in attendance, none bigger than Brooks Robinson - who has missed the first two celebrations (Earl Weaver and Frank Robinson) due to health reasons. Brooks had his own ceremony pushed back to September. But he is here and looks good. Brooks received a huge ovation from the crowd. Also here are Hall-of-Famers Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr. and Baltimore native Al Kaline. Frank Robinson, who lives in California, is the only Oriole in the Hall-of-Fame who didn't make it. Former Oriole Ken Singleton was the first speaker.

As Orioles Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson addressed the fans as Camden Yards, calling them friends instead of fans, rookie third baseman Manny Machado stood next to manager Buck Showalter listening intently. The Orioles' 20-year-old phenom then ran onto the field and played third base in front of a large orange No. 5 on the outfield grass behind third. And after the on-field ceremony honoring Robinson, the Hall of Famer gushed about Machado -- who came up through the minors as a shortstop -- and his ability to quickly adjust to the position he redefined as a player.

Following is a transcript of Brooks Robinson's speech at his sculpture unveiling ceremony Saturday at Camden Yards. “Thank you, thank you, and I promise you, this will be the last 'thank you' of my career. I know Paul Blair, the last six or seven years we played together would always say, 'Well, when's your next Brooks Robinson day?' This is it Pauly, you don't have to do that anymore. Thank you very much. And I just want to say to all of you fans here, I don't like to call you fans, I like to call you friends.

Orioles B. Robinson statue to be unveiled Saturday A 9-foot-tall bronze statue of Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson will be unveiled Saturday between noon and 1 p.m. at Washington Boulevard Plaza between Washington Boulevard and Russell Street, directly across from the northwest side of Oriole Park. The statue, which depicts the Orioles legend preparing to throw out a runner at first base, weighs more than 1,500 pounds and is positioned on a base that is approximately 25 feet by 25 feet, with a series of risers leading to the 41/2-foot-tall pedestal.

Brooks Robinson remains in a south Florida hospital, recovering from a broken shoulder that he suffered in a fall during a banquet Friday night. Henry Rosenberg, primary financier of a statue of Robinson that was erected near Camden Yards last year, said the Orioles' Hall of Famer was recuperating from the accident. "He's in a hospital and he's doing OK," Rosenberg said Monday. A floor nurse at Memorial Regional Hospital, in Hollywood, said Robinson, 74, was "resting comfortably, and sleeping" in a semi-private room there.

OAKLAND, Calif. - A week ago, Manny Machado was about to head onto the field from the dugout at Camden Yards when someone yelled out to him, "Hey Manny. " It's not an unusual occurrence these days for the young third baseman, who is increasingly becoming the center of attention for fans and national media. But this one was different. It was Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson who wanted a few seconds of Machado's time. "He actually called me out, 'Hey Manny,' and he introduced himself," Machado said.

Hoping to allow more fans to honor late manager Earl Weaver, the Orioles are pushing back their "A Celebration of Earl" to 6 p.m. on Saturday April 20. The event, to be held at Camden Yards, had initially been scheduled to start at 2 p.m. that day. The celebration will include a video tribute and a collection of guest speakers, including fellow Hall of Famers Jim Palmer, Brooks Robinson and Frank Robinson. Current manager Buck Showalter is also scheduled to speak at the event, as will National Baseball Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson and Earl's son Mike.

For the first four games of this season, Orioles first baseman Chris Davis had been on a historic offensive run, one that put him on the precipice of doing something no other big league ballplayer had ever done. But baseball, the cruel mistress, doesn't take kindly to someone making the game look so ridiculously easy. So on Saturday night, baseball struck back at Davis. He not only failed to homer for what would have been a historic fifth consecutive game to start a season, but he made a key error in the ninth inning that led to the Orioles' 6-5 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

Gus Triandos, a brawny slugger who won the hearts of Orioles fans starved for someone to cheer for in the 1950s, died Thursday at his home in San Jose, Calif. He was 82. "My father died in his sleep," his daughter, Lori Luna, said. "He'd been dealing with congestive heart failure for 10 years. It was hard for him to get up. "His heart just gave out. " A catcher and four-time All Star, Triandos played with the Orioles from 1955 through 1962 and was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 1981.

The Orioles plan to hold a “public celebration of life” for former manager Earl Weaver at Camden Yards on April 20 at 2 p.m., the team announced Tuesday. The Hall of Famer died in January at the age of 82. The event, called “A Celebration of Earl,” is scheduled to include a video tribute and several guest speakers, including former Orioles players Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson and Rick Dempsey, as well as current Orioles manager Buck Showalter, Baseball Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson, and Earl's son Mike Weaver.

When the Ravens rolled to their second Super Bowl victory, fending off the San Francisco 49ers in the final seconds of the game, the storylines that defined an improbable season all found happy endings. Ray Lewis carried the Lombardi Trophy into the sunset of his long career. Coach John Harbaugh beat his brash little brother Jim. Quarterback and MVP Joe Flacco eliminated any remaining doubts about his big-game talents, and a team whose first owner, Art Modell, died in September won with his memorial patch on their uniforms.

Brooks Robinson   owned third base. Still does. At his sendoff in 1977 - a "Thanks, Brooks" Day at a packed Memorial Stadium - Robinson's successor, Doug DeCinces, removed third base from its moorings and presented it to the Orioles  veteran. "This is always yours," DeCinces said. Baltimore agreed. In 23 years on that spot, fans said, how many runs had Robinson's glovework saved? How many rallies had he killed with his backhand stabs, airborne stops and off-balance pegs to first base?

Orioles Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, who has been dealing with myriad health issues, was in York, Pa., on Tuesday to attend Roger Clemens' press conference . Robinson, who made his pro debut in York in 1955 before joining the Orioles that season, is part owner of a group that runs four baseball teams in the Atlantic League, including the York Revolution and the Sugar Land Skeeters, for whom Clemens is pitching. Robinson said he is feeling better and expects to attend Thursday's unveiling of Cal Ripken Jr.'s sculpture at Camden Yards.

Earl Weaver penned his own epitaph. “On my tombstone just write, 'The sorest loser that ever lived,' “ he once said. Weaver, the Orioles' chain-smoking, umpire-baiting, tomato-growing manager who led the team to four American League pennants and the 1970 world championship in his 17 years here, died late Friday night while on a baseball-themed cruise. The Orioles confirmed his death Saturday morning but did not release a cause. The Hall of Famer, who lived in Pembroke Pines, Fla., was 82. “Earl Weaver stands alone as the greatest manager in the history of the Orioles organization and one of the greatest in the history of baseball,” Orioles owner Peter Angelos said in a statement.