Brooks Robinson leapt into the air and seemingly froze in celebration as catcher Andy Etchebarren and pitcher Dave McNally celebrated the final out of the 1966 World Series.
That moment, captured in time with a single photograph, remains as a defining moment for Baltimore sports fans.
Thursday night offered a chance to look back and cherish those moments, as the 40th anniversary of Baltimore’s first World Series title was celebrated at the Murphy Fine Arts Center on the campus of Morgan State University.
“There are a lot of guys I haven’t seen in 40 years. This might be the last time I see a lot of them,” Etchebarren said. “So I’m going to take advantage of these few days.”
Many Oriole greats were on hand, and a video program created by sports media personality Roy Firestone was the centerpiece of the evening’s gala. The celebration will carry over to Saturday, when a card show is to be held at the YMCA at Stadium Place, on the grounds where Memorial Stadium once stood and the final out of the ?66 series was recorded.
“I knew once I caught it, we were world champions,” said center fielder Paul Blair, who hauled in the final out in Game 4 against the Dodgers. “That’s when it all started.”
Blair’s catch led to Robinson?s leap, and Baltimore catapulted to the top of the baseball world.
“It was a great picture to capture Brooks at the height of that jump,” Etchebarren said. “It’s probably one of the greatest pictures taken in the history of Baltimore sports.”
Robinson had another take.
“That had to be trick photography,” Robinson said with a laugh.
While the former players enjoyed each other’s company, Thursday offered time to catch up. Some have passed away, including lovable prankster Moe Drabowski.
“I promised Luis Aparicio and Paul Blair there wouldn’t be any snakes here without Moe here,” Robinson said with a laugh. “Or no hot-foots, so we’re in great shape.”
The camaraderie between the players was the focus of the evening.
“Boog Powell told me a couple of days ago they were like brothers,” said Mike Gibbons, executive director of the Babe Ruth Museum, which organized Thursday’s event. “They’re teammates, but if you’re teammates on a championship team, it further fuses you together.”
At the same time, that team fused together a sports town in search of an identity. The Orioles have reached the World Series five more times since then, winning in 1970 and ?83. But ?66 started it all.
“I don’t think there’s anything like the first one for a city,” Etchebarren said.
