Brooks: The Biography of Brooks Robinson

Many consider Brooks Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles the best third-baseman in baseball history—a Hall of Famer whose well-honed defensive mastery, highlighted by his fielding gems in 1970 World Series, was so consistent teammates regarded it as routine. Robinson is also remembered as one of baseball’s truly good guys, someone who was beloved by everyone he met. Wilson (The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych) nimbly avoids the blandness trap of having a saintly subject by verifying Robinson’s goodness from a wide range of sources—ex-teammates, Orioles fans, business partners—and placing Robinson’s benevolence within the framework of a simpler time. Players once lived in the cities they played in, chatting with their neighbor-fans. Attending banquets was a significant part of the offseason as well as a source of supplemental income. Before free agency, a town could actually bond with a player. In fact, Robinson, who did not participate in the book, still calls Baltimore home. In the end, this is a nice tribute to a bygone era of baseball and one of its classiest representatives. Photos not seen by PW. (Mar.)