[RichardSimon]

Originally Posted by tjlives

I've told this story before here, but here's a Brooks Robinson experience:

About seven or eight years ago, I went to a free signing out in Pennsylvania with Brooks that I think was to promote an indy league team and their sponsors. It was one of those deals where the players were supposed to be signing promotional items and nothing else, which the other players, not nearly as big of stars as Brooks Robinson, were sticking to. Can't blame them, that's what they were being paid for. I got on the Brooks line perhaps 100 people back, and noticed immediately that the line was moving pretty slow. I didn't really have a great idea of Brooks's rep at that time, so I was expecting the Willie Mays experience - slow, grumpy, maybe hung over.

Got up to the front of the line, and the reason the line was moving a bit slow was because Brooks was getting up and taking pictures with anyone who had a camera, having a personal chat for a minute or two with every single person in line, handing out his own signed 8x10s that he brought, and actually asking if people brought anything extra with them for him to sign - even though he wasn't supposed to be doing anything other than signing the team pre-print. The handlers were getting annoyed, but Brooks didn't care at all, and he ended up staying well past his allotted time because he wouldn't let the line get cut off. I took home two beautiful signed ROMLBs with HOF inscription that are proudly in my showcase, the Brooks-provided 8x10 which is also still in my collection, and a permanent fandom of Brooks Robinson.

I simply can't say enough positive things about Brooks Robinson.

In the days when I did card shows Brooks Robinson was a guest at one of them on Staten Island. My son used to help me at these shows. He got on line for Brooks Robinson. I used to take Polaroid photos of my son with the players. Brooks saw me with my camera, came out from behind the table and put his arm around my son for the photo. After I shot one, he insisted I shoot another to make sure I got a good one.
A total class act and a man with a huge heart.
I just realized that I had a new camera when we met Brooks and these are not Polariods.