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By Robert Read
Life & Trends Reporter
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When longtime SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt was growing up, he couldn't imagine anyone being cooler than Baltimore Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson. He still can't.
Robinson, an 18-time All Star, two-time World Series champion, and the 1964 AL MVP, has died at 86, the Robinson family and Orioles announced in a joint statement Tuesday. Van Pelt, who was born in Maryland and is a noted O's fan, was one of many to share a tribute to the late baseball icon. The sportscaster has said that his earliest memory associated with the Orioles is attending games with his father at Memorial Stadium.
One game in particular still stands out to Van Pelt.
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In a story shared on X (formerly Twitter), Van Pelt recalled being at an Orioles game where his father caught a ball that Robinson had fouled off.
"I'm over the moon," Van Pelt said in the post. "I got a Brooks Robinson foul ball. Can't believe it. Next day at school, I tell everyone. Obviously. After school we have to play catch with this ball. Obviously. I figure I can throw a major league curveball with it. I can't."
"SVP" said he threw a low pitch and his friend couldn't catch it. Since Van Pelt lived at the top of a hill, the ball rolled all the way down the street and into a sewer. The "Brooks ball," as Van Pelt called it, was gone. The ESPN anchor said he never could admit what happened to the ball to his father while he was alive, though always looks up to the sky now and says, "Sorry 'bout that, Pop."
At a charity event in the decades since, Van Pelt said he shared this same story. A man at his table worked with Brooks, according to Van Pelt, and passed on what he had heard. A week later, Van Pelt said, an autographed baseball arrived at his house.
The note attached said "Hope this makes up for the one that got away" and was signed "Brooks," Van Pelt shared.
"Indeed it did, Brooks," Van Pelt said. "What a man."
The Orioles held a moment of silence in honor of Robinson before their game Tuesday against the Washington Nationals. Players from both teams lined up outside their dugouts to pay their respects. Fans gathered around the nine-foot bronze statue of Robinson that stands inside Camden Yards.
Robinson played his entire 23-year MLB career with the Orioles.
"The Human Vacuum Player" was legendary for his glovework. Robinson won 16 consecutive Gold Glove Awards for his standout defensive play. The Hall of Famer's defensive WAR (39.1) ranks third in league history. At the plate, Robinson hit .267 with 268 home runs over his career.
"We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Brooks Robinson," the Robinson family and Orioles said in a joint statement. "An integral part of our Orioles Family since 1955, he will continue to leave a lasting impact on our club, our community, and the sport of baseball."
MLB Legends Pay Tribute to Robinson
Social media is overflowing with other heartfelt messages in remembrance of Robinson.
Hall of Fame shortstop Cal Ripken Jr., perhaps the other most-beloved athlete in Baltimore along with Robinson, remembered "Mr. Oriole" in a statement shared on X. Ripken called Tuesday a "sad day for Baltimore and baseball fans everywhere." Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer, a teammate of Robinson's from 1965-77, shared similar sentiments.
"He just was nice and cordial and kind," Palmer said, via the Orioles website. "Great player and great role model. When you decided who you'd want to emulate, you'd go, 'Brooks Robinson.' Because he was the real deal. He was a genuine person. There was no acting or trying to play a role. We were just lucky that we all had him in our life."
Other Hall of Famers, including Fergie Jenkins and Wade Boggs, also paid tribute to Robinson.
Adam Jones, a five-time All Star outfielder during 11 seasons in Baltimore, said he had never met a human like "Mr. Brooks."
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