Orioles vs. the Rangers

Busy Weekend

I had originally planned on going to the see the O's play the Rangers on Saturday, but that was before I realized that it coincided with the Lone Star Ruby Conference. After trolling around the Nest 512 group, I was able to cut a you buy, I fly deal, with my friend, Matt Sadowsky. He had 2 tickets, 28 rows back right next to the Orioles dugout.

This was my first trip to the new Rangers ballpark, having previously seen a game at the old one in '93. It was a bit of a drag, driving up with all the traffic and delays. We arrived just missing the first inning, but saw the Orioles complete their sweep, of a 3 game series.

Slowly closing in on the Bosox and Rays!

Dodgers at the Orioles

Baseball is Back in Baltimore

Most of my friends know me as a Ravens football fanatic. While this is true, my first sports love has always been the Baltimore Orioles. As a little kid, I was a Jr. Oriole. During my college days, I would average 20-30 games a summer. Now, I watch from afar.

Unfortunately, this once great franchise had slide into mediocrity. For years, I have been quietly watching my O's on MBL.tv, hoping that they would right the ship. (Preferably, with a new owner).

Two years ago, the team hired Buck Showalter as the new manager. Quickly thereafter, the team showed signs of turning it around, culminating in their first playoff appearance in 15 years, last season. Buck had this team advance into the 2nd round of the playoffs, so baseball was in fact back in Baltimore.

Planning a trip back home to see Steven Wilson, this weekend was also near my nephew Stephen's birthday. He is also a big sports fan, so it seemed only natural to take him to a baseball game, after the NFL game around Christmas.

After talking to my friend in Baltimore about getting tickets, we eventually had 9 people going, including myself, my brother in-law, and all 4 of my nephews. We sat in the Picnic Perch. It was basically a set of Club Level seats out in Left Field, accompanied by an all you can eat selection of hotdogs, popcorn, peanuts, nachos, and soda.

The game was a little bit of a disappointment since it was the O's only loss of the weekend. But the weather was nice, and I really enjoyed myself. I've already planned an trip back around my birthday in October, hoping that I will be able to catch the Ravens and an MLB playoff game.

On the way out, we stopped in the outfield plaza, to look at the newly installed statues of Jim Palmer, Cal Ripken, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Eddie Murray, and Earl Weaver. All players from my youth.

RIP: Earl Weaver

Hall of Fame manager, Earl Weaver, passed away today at age 82. He will always be remembered as the greatest manager in the history of the Orioles franchise, and arguably one of the greatest in MLB History.

I went to my first O's game in 1968, I don't recall whether Earl had taken the managerial reigns then or not. But, I did him manage plenty of times from 1969 through 1982.

Apparently, Earl passed away on a baseball fantasy cruise. More info here.

He will be missed.

The O's escape Tampa with their first win

Last night, the Orioles avoided a sweep by the Devil Rays. For the third straight night, they were involved in a one run ball game. Unlike game 1, the closer Gonzalez came away with the save, in the bottom of the ninth. He did make it a little too interesting, however.

Surprisingly, there were several calls by the Umps that went our way, and I must say that I very much like the MLB app on my new toy. (Great work Steve Jobs!)

In other news

NFL draft day is almost upon us. I'm very excited by the Raven's signing of Boldin. With WR shored up, I'm hoping that we go after a shutdown corner in the draft.

The O's vs the Rays - 1st game 2010

For me, the Orioles have been a Baltimore sports constant (unlike NFL or NBA franchises).

Growing up in Baltimore, my first memories of watching professional sports were the Orioles. I know I went to my first game in '68 (as a Jr. Oriole) to watch them play the Detroit Tigers. I'm not sure that I actually remember the '66 World Series, but I definitely remember their other WS appearances,'69 - '71, '79, and '83. I also remember some absolutely awesome pennant races against the Yankees, Red Sox, Brewers, Tigers, and Blue Jays.

During my college days, I was particularly prolific in game attendance, and estimate that I went to at least 30 games a season. GA tickets were cheap in those days, and they let you bring in your own beer. You just couldn't bring in bottles or cans, so we would pour a case into a Coleman jug or cooler.

Fast forward to 2010. Unfortunately, my interest in the team has waned over the past decade primarily because of the present owner, Peter Angelos. So much so, that after 6 or 7 straight years of having MLB.tv, I finally dropped my subscription in disgust and frustration in 2007.

This year, I decided to come back home and get the subscription again. Last night we played the Rays for our season opener. Things went well for 8 and half innings, and we were ahead 3-2 going into the bottom of the ninth. The O's brought in the closer, Gonzalez. At first, he reminded me a little of the great Tippy Martinez (our closer from the 80's, who was a great Yankee killer). Any reminders of Tippy were quickly eradicated when Gonzalez proceeded to load the bases with 1 out, and then gave up a walk-off hit.

They didn't look too bad, I just hope I am able to still stomach watching games after the All-Star break.

The 2008 Baltimore Orioles

Well my Orioles are presently sitting in 2nd place, but for how long? This is the first year in a long time, that I have not purchased MLBTV. I'm treading around this softly, like there's an open container of Nitro nearby. Shhhh ... don't jinx it!

In other news, the Spurs are up 1-0 over the Suns in the first round of the NBA Western Conference playoffs. Damn the 2:00PM start time to hell, it sounds like I missed one of the best playoff games ever. (At least for Spurs fans).

More Orioles

Every year for as long as it's been offered, I have subscribed to MLBTV.

Unfortunately, it's the same story over and over again.... I've usually given up on them by the All-Star Break (because they make me).

Where is Davey Johnson when you need him?

RIP: 'Wild Bill' Hagy

I spent a significant portion of the my summers during high school and home from college ('76 to '83) at Memorial Stadium, going to Orioles games. Actually, I was a Jr Oriole starting in 1968 but was obviously not able to drive myself to Memorial Stadium until years later. The O's were a force to be reckoned from 1966 until 1985, with a small resurgence in 1996 and 1997. They were one of the elite teams, and notorious Yankee killers.

On many a summer evening, my friend Porkface (aka. Fran) and I would go purchase $3.00 GA tickets, fill a Coleman Jug with the contents of a case of Busch Beer, and drag our little brothers, and/or his cousin "Sweaty" Freddy to the stadium. There was only one place to sit, Section 34!

For years, a drunken fan named 'the Big Wheel' had been spelling out C-O-L-T-S with his body, during football games at the stadium. Somewhere in the late 70's this bled over into the Baseball games, when a cab driver named 'Wild Bill' Hagy started doing the same thing by spelling out O-R-I-O-L-E-S. Wild Bill was the King of Section 34 and led us all with his battle cries. He would usually make a good show of winding up for a cheer with exaggerated arm movements, waving his Cowboy Hat, demanding that we get our asses off the seats, and followed by a quick call of Let's hear it for the Ball-team, before launching into his dance. He was usually egged on by the other denizens of the Section.

By 1979, it had become the "in-thing" to go to an "O's" game. For about a decade, it seemed that baseball had unthinkably reached an equal footing with football, in Baltimore. To this day, a Baltimore crowd can not listen to the National Anthem w/o embellishing the "O" ala Wild Bill.

Those were the days. The Skankees, Red Sox, Brewers, Indians, Tigers, and Blue Jays were all in our division. (There were only 2 divisions per league back then and Milwaukee was still in the AL!) Names like Earl Weaver, Jim Palmer, Scott McGregor, Steve Stone, Sammy Stewart, Rick Dempsey, Elrod, Disco Dan Ford, Brother Low-low, Rhino, DeCinces, Ed=E Murray, Marc Belanger, Cal Ripken, Benny Ayala, Rich Dauer, Tippy, Dennis Martinez, come to mind. Rex Barney on the PA, play by play with Chuck Thompson, and the recap the next morning with Charlie Eckman.

Unfortunately, there has not been much to cheer about since Game 5 of the 1983 World Series. And of course, OPACY (Oriole Park at Camden Yards) never had the right feel for me. 'Wild Bill' was one of the common, blue-collar people of Bawldy-more. He seemed like he had stepped out of one of Barry Levinson's or John Waters' movies. He (and I) belonged in Memorial Stadium. If only something would convince Angelos to sell the team now, maybe the Orioles could climb out of the grave they fell into.

RIP: Wild Bill. I'm going to see if I can find a 6 Pack of Natty Boh tonight, and drink in your honor.