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BALTIMORE -- Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson, whose deft glovework and folksy manner made him one of the most beloved and accomplished athletes in Baltimore history, has died. He was 86.

"We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Brooks Robinson," his family and the Orioles said in a joint statement. "An integral part of our Orioles Family since 1955, he will continue to leave a lasting impact on our club, our community, and the sport of baseball."

ESPN Tribute By Tim Kurkjian

The statement did not say how Robinson died. The Orioles held a moment of silence before their game against the Washington Nationals, and the teams lined up outside their dugouts to pay their respects. Also before the game, fans gathered around the 9-foot bronze statue of Robinson inside Camden Yards.

Coming of age before the free agent era, Robinson spent his entire 23-year career with the Orioles. He almost single-handedly helped Baltimore defeat Cincinnati in the 1970 World Series and homered in Game 1 of the Orioles' 1966 sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers for their first crown.

Robinson participated in 18 All-Star Games and earned the 1964 AL Most Valuable Player award after batting .318 with 28 home runs and a league-leading 118 RBIs. He finished his career with 268 homers, 1,357 RBIs and a respectable .267 batting average in 2,896 career games.

Known as the "Human Vacuum Cleaner," Robinson won 16 consecutive Gold Gloves -- second only to pitcher Greg Maddux's (18) for most by a player at one position. Robinson also places third in career defensive WAR at 39.1 behind shortstops Ozzie Smith (44.2) and Mark Belanger (39.5), who was Robinson's teammate for 13 years with the Orioles.

"I'm a guy who just wanted to see his name in the lineup everyday," he said. "To me, baseball was a passion to the point of obsession."

Robinson retired in 1977 after batting only .149 in 24 games. His jersey was retired that year.

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