In the nearly six years leading up to a civic celebration for Brooks Robinson, namely the unveiling of the statue of No. 5 that took place Saturday, Oct. 22, Orioles owner Peter Angelos has had many a chance to do the right thing. His last real chance was at the actual ceremony – and all he had to do was simply show up. What could the owner of the Orioles have been so busy with on the day when a statue of his team’s greatest star and greatest ambassador was being unveiled?
...And then it was over. The crowd began to disperse, as a new fixture was firmly rooted across from Camden Yards, in between where the Orioles of today play and where fans gather at Pickles Pub. It may seem only slightly odd that it does not sit on Camden Yards proper.
Nobody asked the question, nobody spoke of the ironically absentee local owner, a man who prides himself so much on his civic philanthropy. The Orioles have now been owned by Angelos since August of 1993. Starting with the first full season of his tenure running the O’s, Angelos and his management have a record that is pretty dismal at 1310-1536. They have had just two winning seasons in all that time, 1996 and 1997.
That’s a pretty sad record, but that’s not what defines Peter Angelos. What’s even more sad is that he didn’t see fit to celebrate this great moment of his team’s history and the history of the city he professes to love so much. That is his loss, and it’s why he has become such an increasingly lonely and isolated figure.
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1. boteman Posted: October 23, 2011 at 11:55 AM (#3972221)Maybe he's busy still trying to prove the false claim that cell phones cause brain cancer or something.
Yet another attempted political hijack from the person who complains the most about political hijacks. Oh well, he's nothing if not consistent in his own seemingly oblivious inconsistency.
I like Brooksie. But this has to be Cal, doesn't it?
Brooks was first and lasted the longest. He arrived in the O's 2nd season when they were still essentially the Browns, had his break out year when the team first reached respectability, won the first MVP award, saw them through to the title, through the 3 consecutive World Series & the O's winning 5 of the first 6 AL East titles. During Brooks' career the Orioles had the best record in MLB. And then he retired broke & humble and was on tv constantly - announcing, selling gasoline, still an everyday part of the city.
Cal showed up for the last hurrah and then reigned over the collapse and ruins of the dynasty.
I once was an exec with a company that did business with Peter's real estate holdings, and over the years talked to him a few times about the Orioles. My guess is that he won't show in public because he's hurt by the perception of him and the blame he gets for the team failings. I'm not saying many of those perceptions aren't deserved, though I personally think many are unfair, petty, and mean-spirited (both the opinions and those who express them.) But that's my guess as to why Angelos didn't show.
For those who aren't clear about this bizarre exchange, Joey B. is extremely right-wing. Therefore lawyers who file lawsuits are bad. Therefore any science on which a lawsuits might be based is bullcrap. Also, Peter Angelos is bad because he's a lawyer who files lawsuits.
As a Red Sox fan I would compare it a bit to Ted Williams who is clearly the best player but Johnny Pesky, even when Ted was alive, was more beloved (though the talent gap between Brooks and Cal is much less that between Ted and Pesky.).
Brooks was first and lasted the longest. He arrived in the O's 2nd season when they were still essentially the Browns, had his break out year when the team first reached respectability, won the first MVP award, saw them through to the title, through the 3 consecutive World Series & the O's winning 5 of the first 6 AL East titles. During Brooks' career the Orioles had the best record in MLB. And then he retired broke & humble and was on tv constantly - announcing, selling gasoline, still an everyday part of the city.
Cal showed up for the last hurrah and then reigned over the collapse and ruins of the dynasty.
One vote here for Brooks. Nothing against Cal, and maybe it's just the age he played in, but he always seemed a bit more scripted and formal than Brooks. I doubt if any player this side of Babe Ruth has ever been more beloved than Brooks Robinson in the city his played in.
The line that Rex Barney had while introducing Brooks during his "day" in 1977 said it all: "In New York, they named a candy bar after Reggie [Jackson]. In Baltimore, they name their children after Brooks." A bit corny, perhaps, but the sentiment rang true.
When it comes to baseball, this is the understatement of the decade.
Of all the opportunities during the 10 years I had or so as a sportswriter, this remains by far by the greatest. He could not have possibly been more open, friendly and generous with his time and his opinions. I don't know if he's Mr. Oriole, but he will long be the greatest star in the Unacceptable household.
I think even counting peak the only way to avoid Ripken is to get creative and say "Hughie Jennings." But then Jennings was all peak (though a phenomenal one) and Ripken and Robinson obviously weren't.
Now obviously that's just raw playing ability. In terms of sentimental favorites combined with playing ability, it's likely Brooks.
You mean like somebody who only played part of his career with the team and managed to win the Triple Crown or something? Yeah, there might be somebody like that.
WAR/season as an Oriole (Brown):
Player WAR/ Yrs
FRobby 5.7 6
Reggie! 5.0 1
Grich 4.7 7
Mussina 4.5 10
Cal 4.3 21
Eddie 4.2 13
Alomar 4.0 3
Cakes 3.3 19
Brooks 3.0 23
Wilhelm 2.9 5
Aparicio 2.9 5
Roberts 2.7 4
Kell 1.1 2
(
Sisler 4.3 12
Goslin 4.2 3
Manush 3.9 3
)
Of course, if you compare best 6 consecutive years as an Oriole (Brown), things look different:
Player WAR(Sisler)40.9
Cal 38.4
Cakes 35.3
BRobby 34.6
FRobby 34.4
Murray 33.0
Grich 32.0
Moose 28.6
Due to the Bactrian profile of Ripken's career, you can actually choose two non-overlapping 6 year peaks that would be #2 and #4 on the above list: 37.8 WAR from 82-87, and 35 from 88-93.
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