It is a truth universally recognized among sports fans that there are Hall of Famers, and then there are Hall of Famers. Some inductees make the cut but are not otherwise very memorable; you can tell the story of their sport’s history without them. And then there are Hall of Famers, without whom you could not tell the story of their sport’s history. Brooks Robinson, the legendary Baltimore Orioles third baseman who died this week at the age of 86, was surely in the latter category.

Arguably the greatest third baseman of all time, Robinson starred on the Orioles during the franchise’s glory years: the 1960s to early 1970s, when the team won four American League pennants and two World Series championships. While fellow future Hall of Famer Frank Robinson was the team’s biggest bat and its most dynamic player, Brooks Robinson was the Orioles’ heart. His steady infield presence provided a sense of security to the team’s already superb pitching staff, and his sure-handed glove work earned him the unofficial title of greatest defensive third baseman in the history of the sport.