Orioles Park at Camden Yards

Orioles Park at Camden Yards I got to the stadium grounds on a breezy, overcast Saturday night in September. The weather service said there was a chance of a shower, which given my luck with Mother Nature on my extended road trip, meant that there would be a shower. Never mind. I was about to see the “lead-off” hitter of the new wave of ballparks that combine old-time intimacy, reminiscent of ballparks such as Ebbets Field, Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, with modern-day amenities. Designed by HOK, the go-to design firm for new ball parks, this jewel was so well received at the time that it set the tone for all of the ball parks that have been built since its 1992 opening.

Your Blogger Enjoying An Evening In The Land Of The Orioles.

Wondering: I’ve been curious about it ever since the doors were opened. Would it live up to the hype? What’s the big deal? My friend Geenster watched a game here many years ago, and she raved about it. A light rail train got me to within a long block of the park. I turned a corner and I saw the ticket sales windows to my right. A friendly ticket seller got me in my favorite spot, up high between first and third, so in I went. I entered a wide promenade whose boundaries were the ballpark on my right and a famous landmark, a massive 1895 B & O Warehouse, renovated some years ago, on my left. The promenade was dotted with fans talking with each other, ushers, souvenir stands, the Orioles Team Store, a few Police Officers and the Guest Services office. Most prominent, to my mind, were the handsomely arranged plaques of Oriole Hall of Famers, up ahead on a brick wall to my right.

Orioles Tradition: From 1966 to 1983, this franchise finished either first or second fifteen out of eighteen times. Being in their park brought back many memories. One occurred when I watched the 1979 World Series and saw “the man” baton being passed from Kenny Singleton to Eddie Murray. Witnessing Cal Ripken play shortstop exceedingly well, knock the cover off the ball, put together a longevity streak of successive games that may never be broken all while behaving like a gentleman was an absolute joy. Marveling as four members of the 1971 Orioles pitching staff, Dave McNally, Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar and Pat Dobson, each won 20 games. Watching the Orioles defeat an excellent Cincinnati Reds team in five games to win the 1970 World Series. A person didn’t have to be an Orioles fan to appreciate what they had done over the years. The plaques were a fitting tribute to the seemingly unending parade of talent that this franchise has rolled out through the years

Boog’s Bar-B-Q: There seems to be a trend among very large, former major league players. They open up a Bar-B-Q stand on the stadium grounds of their former team. They meet the fans, chat briefly, give autographs and have their pictures taken. Here in Baltimore, the large, former player is Boog Powell, a power hitter and first baseman who played for the Orioles from 1961 to 1974. Boog looks good, too. He has a million dollar smile and from what I could see, a temperament to match. Now my only concern was what I should eat. I decided on the double-meat pork sandwich, chips and a Coke. Seating is community style, so I joined a small gathering and sat down.

Say What? The chatter was all about a growing rivalry between the Orioles and the evening’s opponent, the California Angels of Anaheim. I sat there thinking, you have GOT to be kidding me; there exists a rivalry between the Angels and Orioles? Wait a minute, am I still in Philadelphia? Is someone trying to pull a fast one on me? These two teams compete in separate divisions, play in stadiums 3000 miles apart and are on different planets in terms of talent. I expressed my surprise at hearing this, but several of them insisted it was true. Maybe I shouldn’t eat the food from Boog Powell’s BBQ. My sandwich tasted pretty good, and had a spicy kick to it, but perhaps there’s something in it that causes people to defy all rational logic. These people looked well adjusted before I sat down. I left quickly for fear that whatever they had might be contagious.

Slow Start: I got to my seat just as our national anthem was ending. I immediately noticed how the stadium afforded a dazzling view of Baltimore, which was really cool. I was settling in when something unusual happened; the Umpire who was about to work the plate was hit by a warm up pitch from the Orioles pitcher, so 31,000 people had to wait while one of the other umpires changed to work the plate.

Kaboom! I got The Angels went down meekly in the top of the first. In the bottom half of the inning, the Orioles started quietly when Center Fielder Matt Angle worked a walk. Then on a full count, Short Stop J. J. Hardy launched Ervin Santana’s offering into left field and the home-town nine was quickly up 2 to 0. After Designated Hitter Vladimir Guerrero and Catcher Matt Weiters each walked, the scoring party continued when First Baseman Mark Reynolds propelled another Santana pitch to almost the same spot in left field and the Orioles had a 5 to 0 lead.

Hit By Pitch – Part 1: So I’m sitting there trying hard not to take the bait. Up to the plate walks Left Fielder Nolan Reimold, a .250 hitter with moderate home run power. The Angels aren’t going to send a message here; not to this guy. It’s not his fault they’re down by five runs already. You want to bet? Reimold gets plunked and is told to by the Umpire to take his base. I guess the moral of the story is don’t be the next guy up to bat after your team hits two home runs scoring five runs against those dreaded rivals, the California Angels. The inning ends with no additional damage, and by that I mean runs scored as well as hit batters.

Chatting Up The Crowd. I introduced myself as a visitor from San Francisco to several fans in my section, and a variety of conversations ensued. I love how fans connect at the ball park. It’s magic when strangers discover they are friends, and in many cases comrades, in the space of a few, short sentences. I often engage fans of the opposing team in conversation as a way to connect and to find out more about their team. Here’s some of the topics covered in the first few innings:

Five Out Of Six: I looked at the retired numbers and said I thought I could name them all. All the classic names came to mind: Ripken, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray and the last guy. He was the one I couldn’t figure out. I just couldn’t think of his name. After a few minutes I’m thinking wait a minute, no one can get a player good enough to have his number retired past me. Seeing my exasperation, a fellow in the row above mine said he wasn’t a player, and I immediately realized the remaining number was worn by former Orioles Manager Earl Weaver. The locals were impressed.

I Know That One! Two guys were chatting about the Orioles team that lost 21 games in a row back in 1988. They couldn’t identify the catcher on that inglorious squad. Without even thinking I blurted out Terry Kennedy. Those guys looked at me like I was nuts. Or in this case, like I ate my dinner at Boog’s BBQ. How do you remember something that miniscule? In this case, it was easy. I always root for the underdog, and by the time those 1988 Orioles had lost their initial ten games of the season, I was all over the bandwagon and rooting for them to win a game. In the days before the internet and MLB TV, that meant reading the box scores, which I did every day.

That Doesn’t Look Right: I keep a score card for every game I go to. The activity keeps me present, helps me enjoy the game, and ensures I don’t miss much of the action. After studying my paperwork and reviewing the stadium’s scoreboard, I told these fine folks the strikeout count was wrong. At that time, there were six strikeouts, four swinging and two looking, but the scoreboard listed it as five and one. Within ten seconds of my remark, the scoreboard realigned its total to agree with mine.

Hit By Pitch – Part 2: Now is when it gets interesting. It’s the bottom of the third inning and Mark Reynolds is due up. He’s the fellow who launched the three run homer in the first. I’m fairly certain the Angels would remember him. My question was, how would they remember him?

And the answer was: not warmly. To say that he was plunked would be charitable; Reynolds was drilled so hard many in the crowd gasped. The ensuing scene sure had my full attention. It’s not easy seeing a guy get hit in the head; thank goodness for helmets. Orioles Manager Buck Showalter and Trainer Richie Bancells expressed immediate concern, examining Reynolds closely, escorting him to first base, and continually asking him if he was OK. They eventually prevailed on him to get a precautionary X-ray, which proved negative. Another player took his spot for the balance of the game.

Wait A Minute: There was a part of me that recalled the comments of those fans at Boog’s BBQ earlier in the evening. We’re those guys right? My mind was reeling for an answer that didn’t come. I keep myself pretty well briefed when it comes to baseball, and all of this Orioles-Angels business was news to me. However, I was pretty certain that if there wasn’t bad blood between these teams before this incident, there was now. At some point down the line, an Orioles pitcher will respond.

A Paucity Of Runs: The game was pretty quiet after that, with very few runs and no more hit batters. The Angels nudged a run across in the top of the fifth on two hits. The Orioles retaliated in the bottom of the eighth with another run. Orioles reliever Jim Johnson made the top of the ninth inning interesting by walking a batter, surrendering two hits, and permitting a run to score, but he eventually got out of the inning and the Orioles had their sixty-second win of the year in the books.

Buck Showalter’s Post-Game Comments: When asked if thought either of the two batters was hit intentionally, he replied “I was with Mark. But I don’t think anyone can sit here and know that for sure. But I understand what it looks like, especially with the circumstances. You know, Santana has got pretty good command.”

Here’s the Promenade (Photo from BaseballStadiumReviews.com)

Impressions: I spent slightly more than 3½ hours at Camden Yards, and enjoyed every minute. The Orioles fans that I met were very spirited and totally into their team. The park was easy to navigate, and there’s plenty of staff on hand to answer any questions or give directions. The combined effect achieved by placing the field closely in front of the city’s skyline, gives Orioles Park a feeling of connectedness, as if the stadium and the city are one living, breathing organism. This is a great place to see a ballgame. Although I attended on a night that did indeed have a bit of drizzle, I could easily visualize the yard on a warm, summer night, with fans howling and the beers flowing. I know there’s more to Orioles Park at Camden Yards than anyone can see in one evening, but based on what I experienced, this place is a grand slam.