BALTIMORE — It was a day that started with so much excitement, so much anticipation to begin the final home stand of the regular season closing in on a division title. By first pitch everything had changed as those inside Oriole Park started to mourn the passing of Brooks Robinson.
Flowers rested at the feet of Robinson’s statue inside Legends Park as fans snapped pictures and paid their respects to Mr. Oriole.
"It’s sad, you know. It’s sad," said Mark Gross, Oriole fan from Rockville, in front of Robinson's statue.
There are few who knew Robinson better than former teammate and friend, fellow hall of famer, Jim Palmer.
"When you get to the big leagues you got to get here, you got to stay here. You got to figure out how to get better and then you got to decide who you want to be like. And for all of us who, you know, we knew him," Palmer said on the MASN pregame broadcast as he choked back tears. "He was the best."
The current Orioles paid their respects following their 1-0 victory over the Nationals.
"I think a lot of guys played tonight with a heavy heart," said manager Brandon Hyde. "It was emotional before the game to hear the news. He is an icon in this game, an icon in this city. There are not many of those."
"I got to meet Brooks last year when he came. Just an all-around great person," said third baseman/shortstop Gunnar Henderson. "He loves the Orioles and just everything he has done for the Orioles, and even off the field, you couldn’t make a better guy. I hate to hear it but I know he is looking down on us."
Robinson was a good friend to Scott Garceau. He worked alongside the former WMAR sports director broadcasting O’s games for over a decade in the 1980’s and 90’s.
"Today is sad. Sad to lose a Baltimore icon but happy to have had him touch my life," said Garceau. "It’s mixed emotions. You said, 'Sorry for your loss'. I say sorry for Baltimore’s loss, for baseball’s loss, for the millions that Brooks touched and he touched millions."
Garceau shared a famous saying he recalled about Robinson by former Associated Press writer Gordon Beard: In New York they name candy bars after their stars. In Baltimore they name their babies after Brooks.
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