As a young boy, I was fortunate enough to watch Brooks Robinson play for my hometown Baltimore Orioles. Watching his magician-like plays on defense and his clutch hitting gave a young baseball fan all the joy he could ever want.
I had the pleasure of meeting my baseball idol several times back in the day. I quickly found out the his stellar play on the field wasn't his only attribute. He was also one of the nicest people that I had ever met. With his comforting southern drawl, Brooks looked me in the eyes and spoke to me as if we were two longtime friends. And after all of these years, Brooks Robinson still remains my favorite player ever.
Yesterday, I heard that Brooks was auctioning off all of his memorabilia from his private collection. This included his 16 Gold Gloves, his two World Series rings and his 1964 American League MVP trophy.
I was saddened when I first heard this because I assumed that Brooks, like so many other retired athletes, had fallen on hard times. I figured he was selling off his beloved mementos to help pay the bills. However, I was relieved to learn that this wasn't the case at all....
Brooks, along with his wife Connie, had decided to auction off the items in order to help other people. Every penny generated by the sale of the 240 items will go to the Constance and Brooks Foundation where the proceeds will be distributed to various charities. My sadness quickly gave way to goosebumps as my boyhood idol rose yet another notch on the class scale.
Brooks explained that he has been very blessed over the years. And through his life, he has always tried to help others. And, in true fashion, Brooks will now part with some of his most beloved material items in hopes that they will ultimately produce happiness for someone else. Brooks has always tried to teach his children to give back. And, leading by example, that's exactly what Brooks has done in this case.
The respect and admiration that I have for this man is tremendous. His on-field performance was one thing. But the way in which Brooks has conducted himself off the field continues to be inspiring, not only to baseball fans, but for people in general. Sports hero, in my opinion, is an overused and often undeserved term. But in Brooks' case, I think it fits perfectly. Summing it up, Brooks Robinson makes you want to be a better person.
kw
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-brooks-robinson-auction-charity-20151007-story.html
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