Bird takes flight

(Associated Press photo)

Brooks Robinson moves to his left and right like no other third baseman in history, but no one knows he can jump as high as he does 59 years ago today after the Baltimore Orioles complete their four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1966 World Series.

The final game at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium is a 1-0 decision in which the only run comes on a homer by Frank Robinson to deep left field with one out in the fourth inning off Dodgers starter Don Drysdale.

With a Sunday afternoon crowd of 54,458 looking on, Brooks Robinson begins his levitation act just as soon as Los Angeles’ Lou Johnson flies out to center fielder Paul Blair to end the final game.

Waiting for Robinson to land are catcher Andy Etchebarren and pitcher Dave McNally.

“I’ve autographed so many of those pictures,” Robinson tells the Baltimore Sun in 2012, “and people still ask, ‘How did you jump so high?’

“I tell them it was trick photography.”

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