September 29, 1971: Brooks Robinson Breaks the Record for Games Played at 3rd Base

Brooks Robinson with his 16 Gold Glove Awards

September 29, 1971: The Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox, 1-0 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Grant Jackson allowed 3 hits over the 1st 5 innings, Tom Dukes 1 over the next 2, and Eddie Watt 1 in the last 2, for a 5-hit shutout. Frank Robinson went 1-for-3 with a walk. For the Red Sox, Carl Yastrzemski singled as a pinch-hitter.

The only run of the game game in the bottom of the 2nd inning, on a home run by Brooks Robinson. Better known for his fielding, this was the 2,182nd game in which Robinson had played 3rd base in the major leagues, a new record.

He broke the record of Eddie Mathews, who started with the Boston Braves in 1952; became the only player to play for the Braves in all 3 cities, Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta; helped them win back-to-back National League Pennants, winning the World Series in 1957 and losing it in 1958; joining with Hank Aaron to hit 863 home runs as teammates, still an all-time record; hit his 500th career home run as a member of the Houston Astros in 1967; and retired as a World Champion with the 1968 Detroit Tigers, having hit 512 home runs.

Before Mathews, the title of the greatest third baseman who ever lived was pretty much handed over to 1920s and '30s Pittsburgh Pirates legend Harold "Pie" Traynor. Mathews wasn't his equal as a fielder, but was a better hitter. Brooks Robinson was a good hitter, finishing with 2,848 hits, 268 of them home runs despite playing all his home games at Memorial Stadium, a pitcher's park; but it was as the greatest fielder the position has ever known that he is remembered.

Following Robinson, great 3rd basemen have included Mike Schmidt, George Brett, Wade Boggs, Chipper Jones, Adrian Beltré, and, if you don't mind steroid use, Alex Rodriguez. With those successors, Traynor and Mathews have been almost forgotten.

Brooks played from 1955 to 1977, having played 2,870 games at 3rd base. Since his retirement, Beltré has come the closest, with 2,759.

*

September 29, 1971 was a Wednesday. These 8 other games were played in Major League Baseball:

* The New York Yankees beat the Washington Senators, 6-3 at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington. The Senators had announced they were moving to the Dallas area for next season, and would become the Texas Rangers. The next day, the Senators were 1 out away from beating the Yankees in what would turn out to be their final game before the move, but the fans rioting, and the umpires forfeited the game to the Yankees.

* The Montreal Expos beat the Chicago Cubs, 6-5 at Jarry Park in Montreal. Steve Renko went 3-for-3 with 2 RBIs, but was shaky on the mound. In the bottom of the 9th, Ron Hunt singled Clyde Mashore home with the winning run, making Mike Marshall, who had pitched 3 perfect innings in relief of Renko, the winning pitcher.

For the Cubs, Billy Williams went 3-for-4 with 2 home runs and 4 RBIs, and Don Kessinger went 3-for-4 with an RBI, but it wasn't enough. On September 17, 12 days earlier, the Cubs' Ernie Banks played his last game.

* The Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers, 2-1 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Vince Colbert (7-6) outpitched Mickey Lolich (25-14). Al Kaline did not play.

* The Chicago White Sox beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 2-1 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Wilbur Wood outpitched Jim Slaton.

* The Minnesota Twins beat the California Angels, 1-0 at Metropolitan Stadium in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota. Bert Blyleven allowed 10 hits and 2 walks, but kept the shutout, outpitching Clyde Wright. Harmon Killebrew went 0-for-1 with 2 walks. Rod Carew did not play.

* The San Diego Padres beat the San Francisco Giants, 4-1 at San Diego Stadium (later Jack Murphy Stadium and Qualcomm Stadium). Nate Colbert hit a home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to win it. Clay Kirby went the distance for the win. Willie Mays went 1-for-5. Willie McCovey went 1-for-3 with 2 walks.

* The Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 11-0 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Like Blyleven, Ken Forsch allowed 10 hits, but kept the shutout. He didn't walk anybody. Al Downing was 20-8 for the Dodgers coming into the game, but didn't get out of the 2nd inning. Bob Watson went 3-for-4 with a home run and 3 RBIs.

* And the Oakland Athletics beat the Kansas City Royals, 8-7 at the Oakland Coliseum. The A's scored 2 in the 8th and 2 in the 9th to come back to win. The game was won when Curt Blefary doubled Dick Green and George Hendrick home. Reggie Jackson went 0-for-5.