"Ray O'Hara" <mary.palmucci.RemoveThis@rcn.com> wrote in message
news:Z_idnaHjZJmrXWvanZ2dnUVZ_tijnZ2d@rcn.net...
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> the parking lot provided the service paid for. sue the yankees to get your
> money back.
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I'm reading an article that says
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-maese404,0,7011170.column
Rick Maese
He still remembers the first professional uniform he ever wore. He was 18
years old, fresh off the bus from Arkansas. The jersey said White Roses
across the chest. In his first pro game, the public address announcer in
York, Pa., announced the team's new second baseman as Bob Robinson.
The image of Brooks Robinson in a uniform that says anything other than "
Orioles" or "Baltimore" is a foreign one, but one that will now be preserved
for years to come. A life-size bronze statue of a young Robinson, donning
that first pro uniform, will be unveiled at a ceremony tomorrow in York.
"Going from Bob Robinson to this statue is a pretty big leap," Robinson
says with a laugh.
It's quite an honor and the York Revolution, an independent baseball team
owned by a group that includes Robinson, should be commended. But I know
what you're thinking.
You're thinking about the Stan Musial statue in St. Louis. And the Tony
Gwynn statue in San Diego. And the Ernie Banks statue unveiled this week in
Chicago. And Willie Mays and Willie McCovey in San Francisco. And Roberto
Clemente, Honus Wagner and Willie Stargell in Pittsburgh. And... well, you
get the idea.
Why is Robinson being bronzed in York, where his career was born, but not in
Baltimore, where his legacy was formed, carefully crafted, dipped in gold
and deserving of preservation until the end of days?
The short answer you might find frustrating, and the long one, maddening.
It's the kind of travesty that only seems to happen in this city and with
this franchise.
Before we get to the Baltimore part of the story, let's start where Brooks
did -- in York.
"He's just beloved there," says Peter Kirk, chairman of Opening Day
Partners, which owns and operates three teams, including the Revolution. "
He played his first professional game as an 18-year old and even though he
was only there for a few months, he became part of the community."
When Robinson was brought on-board as part of the ownership group this
spring, plans were already under way to construct a statue that would serve
as the centerpiece to the newly named Brooks Robinson Plaza, which is just a
stone's throw away from Brooks Robinson Way.
Kirk says the Revolution certainly weren't trying to upstage Baltimore. In
truth, they were simply filling void, doing what should've been done around
here long ago. But why hasn't it? Surely someone has thought before about
honoring Robinson. After all, there's a Babe Ruth statue outside of Camden
Yards, and there's a Johnny Unitas statue outside of M&T Bank Stadium.
It should come as no surprise that there actually has been a concerted
effort to memorialize Robinson with a statue in Baltimore. There's a small
group of businessman, philanthropists and baseball fans who raised all of
the funds, who had the sketchwork done for a 16-foot statue, who even had a
miniature model made. This was three years ago.
The plans were shared with the Maryland Stadium Authority, which oversees
Camden Yards, and with the Orioles, who would have to approve such an
addition. "The only thing we're waiting on is Peter Angelos," one of the
group members told me. "All we have to do is get the green light and we're
ready to go."
An Orioles spokesman said while he's not aware of any pending plans to honor
Robinson or any other players with statues, the organization is supportive
of York's efforts and "thrilled" for Robinson.
"Brooks Robinson is Mr. Oriole," said Greg Bader, the Orioles' director of
communications. "Like the other great Oriole Hall of Famers, he is honored
with the display of his retired number as part of our retired number
statues. This has been a tradition since Camden Yards opened to honor Oriole
greats in this manner." In addition to the five-foot statues of retired
numbers, former Oriole players are also honored with plaques along Eutaw
Street and in a display in the Sports Legends Museum.
Robinson is plenty familiar with the plan for a Baltimore statue. He'd never
raise a fuss, though, over who chooses to honor him and who doesn't.
"You know, they already honor us. We have the numbers out there," Robinson
said. "I don't think Peter's really made up his mind with what he wants to
do. There's been talk of having something like the Yankees do in center
field, honoring the six numbers that have been retired. That's fine with
me."
Of course it's fine with Robinson. But it shouldn't be fine with everyone
else. He deserves more. Tomorrow's unveiling of the York statue should
impress upon Orioles ownership the dire need to right this wrong.
It's one thing to sell fans 10 years of losing baseball, but it's utterly
embarrassing that an independent team 50 miles up the road has to pick up
the slack and honor a treasured piece of Orioles' history. Baseball fans in
Baltimore are proud of Robinson; the ball club should be, too.
Robinson was told about the York statue several months ago. He had tears in
his eyes, and in turn, so did everyone nearby. He seems truly humbled by the
honor.
Robinson fondly remembers his brief stint in York, where he first played
third base. He recalls his father taking the bus to watch him play, an
exhibition game between the White Roses and the Orioles. The White Roses won
13-1, aided by a Robinson three-run home run.
"I had a wonderful time in York, a wonderful manager, George Staller, so
many nice things happened," he said.
He also remembers that September callup, a teenager going from York to
Baltimore -- a short trip but a gigantic leap -- for his major league debut.
"I remember going back to the hotel after I got two hits, called my mom and
dad. I said, 'Guess what? Two-for-4 today, knocked in a big run. I don't
know what the hell I was doing at York. I should be here in the big
leagues,' " Robinson says. "Then I went 0-for-18, struck out 10 times. I
knew I had a long way to go."
Kirk, the Revolution owner, says the York statue -- modeled off the famous
Norman Rockwell painting -- honors an 18-year-old Robinson. Though the
statue wears a No. 5 uniform, it doesn't purport to depict an Oriole. This
means there's plenty of room for another statue.
"We're honoring Brooks at the very beginning of his career," Kirk says.
"There have been a number of people who have talked about trying to honor
Brooks with a statue in Baltimore. Perhaps what we're doing in York will
help push that project over the top and finally give Brooks the recognition
in Baltimore that he really deserves."
It's an honor long overdue, an idea that should stand tall and proud near
the stadium gates, not lie ignored, collecting dust on a warehouse desk. For
the Orioles, who are thankfully finally rebuilding from the ground up, the
future cannot arrive soon enough. But it should never come at the expense of
the past.
In Baltimore it's not that Robinson will ever be forgotten. He just deserves
to be remembered properly.
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