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I've been an Orioles fan, since the beginning of their 1989 campaign, when a group of hearty young players turned the baseball world on its head by going from last place to almost winning the pennant. Since that exciting season, I've stayed an Orioles fan.
Unfortunately, it is a sad state of affairs for the Orioles these days. When the 2006 campaign is over, the Orioles
will have succesfully completed a string of nine consecutive losing seasons. Since winning their division in 1997
it has been one horrible catastrophe after another for the Orioles. Peter Angelos has shown himself to be a
completely worthless baseball owner who is mored obsessed with pushing out the Washington Nationals than he is with
the success of his own franchise. The memories of the 40,000+ crowds that used to cheer the birds at Camden Yards
is now a distant memory.
Nowadays the Orioles only draw that many fans for the Yankees and Red Sox series, and
that's usually only because of New Yorkers and New Englanders cheering on their own teams.
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Cal Ripken, Jr. (#8) played 20 seasons manning 3rd base and shortstop for the O's |
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Oriole Park at Camden Yards, home of the O's since 1992 |
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Here's a list of some of my most memorable Orioles moments ever:
- April 3, 1989 - Opening Day
I become an Orioles fan after watching the O's knock up Roger Clemens and the Red Sox in an extra inning effort. Who else, but Cal Ripken, Jr., hits homer to win it.
- September 29 - October 1, 1989 - The Final Weekend
The Orioles trail the Toronto Blue Jays by 1 game going into a final weekend 3 game series against them. Unfortunately the O's drop the first 2 game on disappointing late inning lapses, and the Blue Jays take the pennant. On the third game of the series, after everything has already been settled, the O's give the start to a young man named Ben McDonald. What ever happened to him?
- October 6, 1991 - Goodbye
My eleventh birthday as well as the final game at Memorial Stadium. The O's lose to the Detroit Tigers as fans say farewell to Memorial Stadium, which was home of the O's for 38 years. The Orioles begin play at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 1992.
- September 5-6, 1995 - The Streak
For the first time in baseball history, the pennant races of September are overshado2003as a mediocre baseball team takes center stage. Cal Ripken, Jr. ties and breaks Lou Gehrig's consecutive games record by playing in his 2130th and 2131st consecutive games.
- 1996 - The Playoffs (low road)
A highly touted Orioles team has mediocre start to the season, but kicks it into high gear after the all-star break, earning a trip to the playoffs. They take out the highly favored Cleveland Indians in 4 games and go on to lose to the Yankees in the ALCS.
- 1997 - The Playoffs (high road)
The Orioles start the season 9-1 and never look back. After winning 98 games during the regular season, they thrash the Mariners in the playoffs but go on to lose to the Cleveland Indians, setting up one of the greatest World Series of all time, the Florida Marlins vs. the Cleveland Indians (NOT!).
- September 20, 1998 - Paid Vacation
Cal Ripken takes himself out of the line-up for the first time, thus ending his consecutive games streak at 2632 games.
- June 13, 1999 - Perfection
The Orioles trash the Atlanta Braves 22-1. The biggest producer, Cal Ripken Jr, gets a standing ovation after going 6 for 6. This happens despite the fact that the game is in Atlanta.
- August 1, 2000 - One-Hit Wonder
After enduring a 2 hour rain delay, Mike Mussina goes out to pitch a masterful complete game performance, one-hitting the twins in a 10-0 victory. He loses his no-hit bid with 2 outs in the seventh (a approximately half the stadium clears out after that hit). Mussina has 15 strikeouts and goes on to sign with the Yankees during the off-season.
- June 19, 2001 - The Farewell Tour
Cal Ripken. Jr. announces his retirement after 24 seasons in the O's organization and 20 at the major league level. For the first time since 1956, a Ripken is NOT employed by the O's.
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