Brooks Robinson and the Baltimore Orioles

[Chstrite]

Thanks, Bill. Bad memory and got lazy.

[Mark70Z]

Originally Posted by Chstrite

Day 97 – 7 April 2024
In the Patterson scrapbook I found a few interesting photographs of Brooks. The 5 x 7 inch photo featuring Brooks, Frank, Boog (with signature) along with Aparicio (with signature). I am not sure who #55 (assuming a coach) is but guess someone here will know. The team photo along the 3d base shows the Orioles and I believe this is 1969 World Series (some details are on the back but it has a bit of glue on it; not wanting to remove it. Here is a picture of Brooks at bat (on the back, it says Daryl Norenberg, Pomona, CA). Another picture shows Brooks at a podium assuming he is receiving an award…his smile! Some pretty cool photos.

Definitely some nice looking photos shown that are in the scrapbook. You don’t see many vintage color shots and that’s a good one.

[Chstrite]

Day 98 – 8 April 2024
One of my best finds in the Ted Patterson scrap book is a 5 x 7 inch Team Issued 1971/75 photo. You can tell this by the type, placing of his name, signature, size and Tadder as the photographer. I have been looking for this photo for years. It has some damage on the back but am happy to have found it. I am still looking for the larger 6 x 9 inch Team Issued photo from the same years.

[Chstrite]

Day 99 – 9 April 2024
In the scrapbook is other miscellaneous items. The top paper addresses less fortunate kids who need donations for transportation to the game and tickets. It was a non-profit (Baltimore Jaycees). Not sure about the one below with the young lad in a wheelchair. The other paper talks about the Orioles belonging to the citizens of Maryland along with their schedule. It is a tri-fold. The next item is a list of Oriole moments and personalities to be voted on. It must be from 1975, as it provides information from 1954 – 1975. It is affixed to the page but with some work, I could pull out. The color photo I have on a jersey night cardboard advertisement; I believe this is 21 July 1983 prior to Brooks going into the HoF.

[roarfrom34]

I know I've posted this AP press photo of Brooks previously that was taken prior to the last home game of the '76 season, when there was speculation that it may indeed be the the last game home of his career.

The reason for the re-post was that a good friend of mine, Bill Stetka who was a long time sportswriter, official scorer and Orioles PR person (and now the team historian) recently shared with me a neat story about this game.

In '76, he was in college and his father's business had Orioles season tickets right behind the visiting team dugout and once it got to be late in the season (and no one wanted to go), he would often go with some buddies.

They were playing the Brewers that night & late in the game when it was Brooks last AB, Bill could hear 1st baseman George Scott whistle at the pitcher a couple times and nodded to him as Brooks approached the plate (less than 9,000 fans in the stands). The pitcher then appeared to groove a pitch to Brooks, who hit the ball to center for a single....Brooks was then replaced by a pinch runner as he tipped his helmet to the remaining fans who were giving him a standing ovation.

Anyway, years go by and one day Bill sees George at Camden Yards (he was then a scout for the Red Sox) and decided to approach him...Knowing that George was not a fan of sportswriters, Bill told him that he had a quick question for him that wasn't for publication, but simply for his own information.

He recounted the 1976 story to George and asked him if he indeed had asked the pitcher to groove the pitch to Brooks, George then shook his head and said "it never happened..." As George was walking away, he turned around and then gave Bill a wink...

[Mark70Z]

Charlie… Quite a bit of unique items in the scrapbook. How large was the thing?

Bill… thanks so much for sharing the story. Really like to hear the behind the scenes goings on.

[Chstrite]

Nice story above. Sad when our sports hero age. It happens to the best of us in our own careers. Mine was as a Soldier. Brooks did it with grace and good for the pitcher!!!

Scrapbook is pretty big but lots of empty pages and some items were picked over. I will ship to you for your SI poster or license plate from 1961. 😎😎

[Chstrite]

Day 100 – 10 April 2024
Wow…day 100. How did Mark Comer do it. Posting here daily is a bit of work. Today, I am including more photos of Brooks Robinson from the scrapbook. These photos seem to be around the time of his retirement. The top left invite is for a reception on 18 September 1977 at the Hollyday Room Village of Cross Keys. Beside it is a team issued photo, which I have seen before but smaller. The photo below it is of Brooks diving. I believe the next photo is Thanks Brooks Day (on the back, it says the attendance was 51,798…largest ever!). Below it, is a photo from Carl Yaztrmski giving him a gift on his retirement; photo has signatures, which is very nice.

[Chstrite]

Day 101 – 11 April 2024
Today, more items from the scrapbook. Here is a 1979 ALCS Press Pass (blue) for Ted Patterson from WMAR TV booth 1. The green Press Pass is for the 1979 WS for Ted. I really like the 1979 AL Champion Christmas Card. Ted must have had a 1979 media hospitality invite for games 1 and 2, too. Additionally, I am showing a WMAR Channel 13 Magicard and the 1979 Spring Training Schedule. I am also showing the actual scrapbook. The scrap book has many other items but best I stop boring you. The other items include vintage Oriole baseball cards, team issued photos, Manny Baseball Photos, Exhibit cards and other miscellaneous items.

[roarfrom34]

After Jackson Holliday was called up yesterday it did create quite the stir that it was then soon announced that he would wear #7 and that the Holliday family had reached out to Cal Ripken Jr. for permission, because that number hadn't been issued since Cal Sr. last wore it in 1992.

Reports also mentioned that the last Orioles player to wear # 7 was Bill Ripken who took it after Sr. was fired after only six games into the 1988 season (when Sr. was re-hired as a coach in '89 he re-claimed it).

Kind of a along story, but a friend of mine who was part of the media took me into the Orioles locker room after the last home game of the '88 season (they had just lost their 104th game) and were packing for Toronto for the final weekend of that nightmare season.

I approached Bill after he dressed and asked him if I could have the "Ripken 7" nameplate above his locker (Cal Jr. had already given me his) and he pulled it off and just handed it to me. He then added "Hold it, I've got something else for you" and dug deep into the bottom of his locker and handed me the mangled "B. Ripken 3" nameplate that had been there since April.

Needless to say I was very grateful to my media buddy as well as to the Ripken Brothers for their generosity that fall night......

[Chstrite]

Bill, please have a yard sale and let some of those locker room name tags go. I have a nice wall of them decorated but none are older than 2004. Brooks, Cal, Palmer, or some of the other common older ones would suffice. Thanks for sharing these above.

[Chstrite]

Day 102 – 12 April 2024
I thought I would show some Baltimore Related Stickers for a “few” days. I am constantly scanning ebay and the shows for stickers. If anyone has any that they do not see over the new “few” days and want to trade, donate or sell, keep me in mind. Funny…I am constantly buying ones I already have. At the end of the “sticker” session here, you’ll understand how that is possible. I will start with a few in a large “holder.” This assortment includes ones from the 1980s – early 2000s. I especially like the yellow one (Os Magic, Channel 2), the 1983 World Champions, and “Were for the Birds.” On the next sheet, I like the “Sign Cal” and the Decker Bird from the 1960s.

[roarfrom34]

[Chstrite]

Day 103 – 13 April 2024
Today’s stickers include more from 1950s, 1970s, 1980s through 2000s. I like the Channel 13 Miller High Life “Its 2 Million Time.” The Baltimore Sun Bird sticker is cool, too. I enjoy the Hartzell Bird Decal from the mid-1950s. The next sheet probably has some duplicates, but on this sheet I like the “Tonight, Let it be LowenTime.” The small bird at the bottom from the 1950s is nice, too. I really like the 1970 WS sticker on the top right.

[Chstrite]

the top right.
Day 104 – 14 April 2024
Today’s sheet is full of more of the same. Stickers from the 1970s through 2000s. I like the bright stickers so on this sheet I am partial to the “Baltimore Knows Boh.” The sticker reflecting Baltimore’s frustration with Peters is fun (“I am Petered Out!”). I also like the HoF Ripken/Gwynn sticker. On the next sheet, you see a couple old Decals from the 1950s at the bottom left. The top right “Looking Great in 1978” is a cool one.

[Chstrite]

Wrong pics above

[Chstrite]

Day 105 – 15 April 2024
Ok…we will move on to some individual stickers. My favorite sticker is on this framed group celebrating an award for Jim Gentile from the Maryland Drycleaning Guild. The group of stickers come from a banquet for Drycleaners in September 1960. Brooks Robinson is featured with 1960 RoY Hansen, Gentile, and Triandos. I tried to remove the sticker but it would get damaged. I have never seen another. I wrote about this a couple years ago. Anyway, the sticker came along with a nice photo of Gentile in a leather bound binder for the banquet for the attendees.

[roarfrom34]

learned over the weekend that RHP Odell Jones who went 2-2 for the Orioles in 1986 (21 games) unfortunately passed away last month:

[roarfrom34]

I'm sorry that I had to post Orioles obituaries twice in one day but just in the past hour or so I have learned that both Larry Brown (1973) and LHP Ken Holtzman (1976) have unfortunately passed away:

[Chstrite]

Day 106 – 16 April 2024
Today’s sticker is from 1974 celebrating the Orioles attendance goals. I liked this sticker so much I had it framed and it turned out very nice. It appears they fell short with an attendance of 962,620. Out of the 24 teams in the MLB in 1974, they were ranked at the bottom with 5 other teams having fewer attendees. The bright orange with the bird and black letters really pop. Hard to believe this sticker is over 50 years old.