Let’s take a break from Orioles’ issues in the Tap Room for a day. Let’s forget about shaky bullpens and reserve catchers and too many strikeouts and short starts by the rotation.

I hope this topic isn’t too old for some of you. But I’m not sure how it can be. Because Brooks Calbert Robinson transcended generations. You didn’t have to see him live to appreciate his greatness.

The Hall of Fame third baseman played 2,896 regular season games – all with the Orioles – from 1955 to 1977.

I didn’t really start watching the Orioles as a young boy until about 1975 or 1976. The heroes of my childhood were those late 1970s/early 1980s teams.

Yet, if pressed to answer who is my favorite baseball player of all time, I’d probably answer, “Brooks.”

Not only for his exploits on the field, but what kind of person and role model he is. And what he has meant to the Orioles’ organization and baseball in general throughout his lifetime.

That lifetime reaches 80 years today – Ol’ Brooksie is 80 years old.

And I figured we’d celebrate that milestone with 80-cent fake beers and real stories about you and Brooks Robinson. You know, the guy in Baltimore people named their children after.

Everyone has a story. My personal one is that I met him when I was 2 at a signing at the Crown gas station in my neighborhood. I don’t remember it, of course, but I still have the picture – it’s grainy and aqua blue now, much of the color has faded – but it is still pretty cool to me.

My favorite overall Brooks’ story is one I wrote earlier this year about a dear friend of mine and her Brooks Robinson connection. I saw Brooks a few months ago and he made a point of telling me how much he enjoyed that piece. That’s the kind of guy he is.

So, let’s explore that concept today.

The floor is yours.

Give me your best Brooks Robinson story on his 80th birthday.

Tap-In Question: What’s your best Brooks Robinson story?