Brooks Robinson and the Baltimore Orioles

[Chstrite]

Greetings. Today, I will share the 1959 PSA Master Set items for Brooks. 1959 has three entries. First, you have the 1959 Topps Card. This is tied as the highest graded card with PSA. There are no PSA 10s. Not a terribly expensive card and PSA 9s seem to be available all the time on ebay. The Orioles Team card from Topps is nothing special by way of grade. I am looking for a higher graded card but this one presents well and I love the "orange." The Venezuelan Orioles Team is rare but you can find them out there. Too bad they did not make a 1959 card of Brooks in Venezuela. The Venezuela cards are grade sensitive for many reasons. There are 7 graded higher than this Orioles team card. Anytime I find a nice Vene, I buy it. Things will start picking with many entries as we get into the 1960s. See you next week. Enjoy.

[Chstrite]

In 1979 my uncle took my late cousin and I to game 6 of the 1979 WS in Baltimore. My uncle was a big personality in our community and knew a lot of guys. He was friends with one of the Orioles Grounds Crew members and he helped get us tickets for the game. We had hoped to see the Orioles win the game / series but the Pirates had other things in mind. After the game, my uncle's friend gave my cousin a Belanger cracked bat and a ball from the game and he gave me a grounds crew shirt along with a ball. I am not sure but I think I cried all the way home that evening. I am not sure if it was because the Orioles lost or because my cousin got a bat from the Blade and I got a shirt from the guy raking the field. My uncle told me to stop crying and said, "clearly Belanger did not need his bat (meaning he could not hit) so he gave it to my cousin and my retort was, "what about the grounds crewmen, did he not need his shirt (meaning, what in the world was I going to do with that thing)." My cousin and I had a great time that evening despite the loss and he sure seemed to enjoy getting the bat and laughing at my "shirt." I pulled the shirt out recently and researched it a little. It appears the Orioles Grounds Crew wore white shirts during the 79 WS and could not find any pictures of this shirt. The shirt is in perfect shape and is at least 41 years old. On the inside of the shirt there is a label that has the #9 as it does on the pocket, the company that was on contract cleaning the shirt appears to be Rentex Services Corp, with what appears to be the name Garris. My cousin and uncle have both departed this life; not sure what happened to my cousin's Belanger bat, but if anyone knows Mr. Garris, please let him know he can have his shirt back. Enjoy the picture but not the story.

[BaltOrioles]

Originally Posted by Chstrite

It appears the Orioles Grounds Crew wore white shirts during the 79 WS and could not find any pictures of this shirt. The shirt is in perfect shape and is at least 41 years old. On the inside of the shirt there is a label that has the #9 as it does on the pocket, the company that was on contract cleaning the shirt appears to be Rentex Services Corp, with what appears to be the name Garris. My cousin and uncle have both departed this life; not sure what happened to my cousin's Belanger bat, but if anyone knows Mr. Garris, please let him know he can have his shirt back. Enjoy the picture but not the story.

Charlie,

Let me know if you want to let it go. I might be interested.

[roarfrom34]

Great top Charlie, I know I've posted this before, although I didn't get Belanger's bat either from the Series I did get his jersey (directly from the fan that The Blade tossed it to after the parade the next day):

[Mark70Z]

Originally Posted by Chstrite

Greetings. Today, I will share the 1959 PSA Master Set items for Brooks. 1959 has three entries. First, you have the 1959 Topps Card. This is tied as the highest graded card with PSA. There are no PSA 10s. Not a terribly expensive card and PSA 9s seem to be available all the time on ebay. The Orioles Team card from Topps is nothing special by way of grade. I am looking for a higher graded card but this one presents well and I love the "orange." The Venezuelan Orioles Team is rare but you can find them out there. Too bad they did not make a 1959 card of Brooks in Venezuela. The Venezuela cards are grade sensitive for many reasons. There are 7 graded higher than this Orioles team card. Anytime I find a nice Vene, I buy it. Things will start picking with many entries as we get into the 1960s. See you next week. Enjoy.

Charlie,

Awesome cards. While I’m usually not much into the team cards I really like the ‘59 Topps and Venz examples. Like you the orange background is super nice.

[Chstrite]

Bill, that is a great jersey. Did someone catch it and give it to you? Awesome. He was one of a kind. Saw him in the mid 80s at a Pny Leafue game (13-14) year olds with I think Dennis or Tippy Martinez. There boys were on the same team and he was really into it. If not mistaken, he had a cigarette in his hand, which surprised me. Anyway, he was the best. Thanks for sharing.

[roarfrom34]

Originally Posted by Chstrite

Bill, that is a great jersey. Did someone catch it and give it to you? Awesome. He was one of a kind. Saw him in the mid 80s at a Pny Leafue game (13-14) year olds with I think Dennis or Tippy Martinez. There boys were on the same team and he was really into it. If not mistaken, he had a cigarette in his hand, which surprised me. Anyway, he was the best. Thanks for sharing.

The parade made its way to City Hall (or somewhere near that) and all the players & coaches were on a stage & at the conclusion, Belanger pulled his jersey off and tossed it directly to a young female fan who kept it for years before selling it to me a few years ago...

Unfortunately, I'm actually not surprised that Belanger had a cigarette in his hand at that game because we all know he died of lung cancer and in a documentary about him it was mentioned how much his family had been bothered by his smoking and had tried to get him to quit for years (unfortunately when he did, it was too late).

[BaltOrioles]

Originally Posted by roarfrom34

Unfortunately, I'm actually not surprised that Belanger had a cigarette in his hand at that game because we all know he died of lung cancer and in a documentary about him it was mentioned how much his family had been bothered by his smoking and had tried to get him to quit for years (unfortunately when he did, it was too late).

My understanding was that Belanger was a heavy smoker. I think we might be surprised how many players from our childhoods were smokers.

Belanger was from Pittsfield, Mass and when I was in high school (around 1973-74), he was a guest at a baseball camp I attended at Colby College in Waterville, ME. He was giving tips on fielding, not hitting. He was the first Oriole I ever met in person.

Here are a few Mark Belanger items through the years

B&W 8x10 Photos

Belanger, Mark 1 - Copy.jpg Belanger, Mark 5 - Copy.jpg

Belanger, Mark 9 - Copy.jpg Belanger, Mark 13 - Copy.jpg

Belanger, Mark 1.jpg


1963 Baltimore News-Post Scrapbook card & 1971 Baltimore Sun Poster

1963 Baltimore News-Post Scrapbook (Belanger, Mark) - Copy.jpg 1971 Baltimore Sun Newspaper Poster #8 (Mark Belanger) - Copy.jpg


1976 English Chicken Lid & Rawlings Sporting Goods Premium

1976 Englsh Lids (SmallMark Belanger) - Copy.JPG Belanger, Mark (Rawlings Sporting Goods) - Copy.jpg

[Chstrite]

Hi, Bill. Great story on the jersey. Belanger was a great Oriole. Love that bright Orange color along with the Bird on the hat those years.

Mark, the team cards are a pain. For the PSA Master there are over 30 because of the Topps regular version, hand cut version, OPC, mini, alpha / number version in 59, Vene. Dear Lord.

Alan, great photos of Belanger. I found a McNally my signed recently Rawlings advisory. I would like to find all the Orioles. I have all the Brooks ones. I found 3 Cuellar and 3 Palmer and a Holtzman Chicken Lids yesterday. Love the Belanger. I will hang on to the Grounds Crew shirt but would love to understand it’s origins.

[Chstrite]

Hi, everyone. I need Weaver, Floyd, and Hardin to complete this set. Would love another Brooks. I have a bunch extra in great shape if anyone wants to trade. This is a hard set to complete.

[BaltOrioles]

Originally Posted by Chstrite

I found 3 Cuellar and 3 Palmer and a Holtzman Chicken Lids yesterday. Love the Belanger. I will hang on to the Grounds Crew shirt but would love to understand it’s origins.

Charlie,

The 1976 English Chicken set is cool. The lids came in two sizes. Cuellar, Palmer and Holtzman are the larger lids. They are much easier to find than the smaller lids. The smaller lids are very hard to complete. I've found the Brooks Robinson and Ross Grimsley lids some of the hardest to find. Here are pics of the 10 smaller lids.

I've got some dupe small lids back in Maine. I'll let you know what I have when I get home in the spring. No extra Brooks.