R.I.P.

Three greats just passed away. Dick Butkus personified toughness and grit.

The greatest middle linebacker ever.

Brooks Robinson was the greatest fielding third baseman in history, and a good hitter as well. MVP. Put on a show in the World Series against the Reds.

Will and I met Robinson at a clinic before the All Star Game in Atlanta. Brooks was also known for his distinctive batting helmet.

TIM WAKEFIELD [SABR Bio] trails only Roger Clemens and Cy Young for most wins in a Red Sox uniform. His 186 is only 6 behind their 192 each. He’s behind only the Niekro brothers, Early Wynn and Charlie Hough for most wins by a knuckleballer. Phil Niekro (318), Early Wynn (253), Joe Niekro (221), and Charlie Hough (216). Wakefield has exactly 200. No one pitched more innings in a Red Sox uniform: 3,006 innings over 17 years.

He played baseball for the Florida Tech Panthers, who retired his number, 3 (Wakefield’s favorite player growing up was Dale Murphy). He still holds the record there for single-season and career home runs: 22 in a season, 40 in a career. He was originally going to be a 1B, but when that didn’t work out he gave it a shot with the one pitch he learned from his dad as a joke. He gave up the most notorious home run in Red Sox history (after maybe Torrez/Dent): the Aaron Boone homer in the 2003 ALCS.  Boone hit it off Wakefield and he worried he would be this century’s Bill Buckner. But the next year, he was the winning pitcher in game 5 of the ALCS, going 3 innings in extras, long enough for David Ortiz to drive in the winning runs.

After losing four straight in the only series loss from a 3-0 start in baseball, the opposing manager, the Yankees’ Joe Torre, called him in the visitor’s dugout and congratulated him, saying “‘Wake, this is Joe Torre.  I just wanted to congratulate you.  You’re one of the guys over there that I respect.  Just remember to have fun.  You guys deserve it.” Wakefield was touched and later wrote Torre a note thanking him. Wakefield was nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award eight times, winning the award in 2010. He was also the first Team Captain of the Jimmy Fund & performed extensive charity work in Boston & Florida.  In addition to visiting sick children Wakefield worked with veteran’s charities and Franciscan Children’s.

Late-night television host Seth Meyers posted a tribute to him, saying,“I was lucky enough to cross paths with him a few times over the years and, unlike his knuckleball, you always knew what you were going to get—a kind and big-hearted man.” Meyers, a lifelong Red Sox fan, posted the tribute to his Instagram. David Ortiz said, “My heart is broken right now because l will never be able to replace a brother and a friend like you.” They were teammates for 2 World Series.