The Last Orioles' Fan

There was a day when it was extremely cool to be a fan of the Baltimore Orioles.  I remember, because I was one of them.  We were legion.  The O's always won, they had the best pitching in all of baseball and a defense that was a perennial spectacle of efficiency.  They were so good, so often with a system in place called "The Oriole Way."  Teams at every level all over the country attempted to emulate the pitching, defense and yes, the occasional three-run homer style of baseball played in Baltimore. This quick historical review is how I have to explain things to my kids, who thought I was only joking when I talked about the O's as a powerhouse in Major League Baseball.

They spoiled me rotten, those three time World Champions did. They won the Fall Classic in 1966, 1970 and 1983, to go along with six American League Pennants and eight division titles.  They battled among the AL elite, and frequently dispatched the mighty New York Yankees with ease, and cruised by the likes of the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and eventually the Toronto Blue Jays among the eastern division foes.  In fact when you do an online search, the "Glory Years" are defined as 1966-1983, outlining 17 of my first 18 years on the planet.

Legend has it that I was born wearing an Orioles' T-Shirt.  And by legend I mean it's true.  I didn't have a shirt put on me as I was being born, I mean I entered this world wearing orange and black, with a cartoon bird on my chest.  My Mom will back me up on this, and I'm fairly certain medical science is still trying to figure out how I managed to do that.  I can help them understand.  It is genetics.  I was a seventh generation Maryland native, born on the eastern shore.  It was so close to the Chesapeake Bay, I could have dove into the water from my hospital bed window.

My Grandfather was a farmer, baseball umpire and all around hero.  He taught me every single aspect of the game of baseball and eventually coached me in little league, well beyond the grandfather call of duty.  His recall of specific plays was incredible and his memory was always spot on.  He loved baseball, and he really loved those Baltimore Orioles, the moment they arrived in the state in 1954.

He, my Uncle, my Aunts, my Mom, cousins would all go to old Memorial Stadium, dodging bad views behind old columns with the rest of crab cake eating, beer drinking faithful.

Health issues, a love of mountains, and with some general zaniness, my grandmother picked up and moved half the clan to Colorado.  At that time, it was a bit of a baseball purgatory there, relegated to AAA Denver Bears baseball that was a wee bit different game played in a football stadium at altitude.  We would get chances to return to Maryland and catch up with the O's.  I recall an instant 1-0 classic the Birds actually lost to the Boston Red Sox in duel with their ace Mike Torres and then future Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer.  A single sacrifice fly in the seventh inning would produce the game's only run, but it was awesome to see my favorite player get to pitch.

As mentioned, the O's won the World Series in 1983, the same year I graduated from high school.  Life for me and the Orioles would never quite be the same.  Who knew that would be the last title for them, three decades ago?  Reality check first kicked in to start the 1988 season when the Birds lost their first 21-games.  

Then there is the little matter of 14 consecutive losing seasons.  Which brings us back to the title of today's show, the Last Orioles Fan.  Yes, they absolutely ended the horror show with a return to the playoffs as a Wild Card team, and beat the Texas Rangers for another chance at the Evil Empire (erm, New York Yankees).  That was the year when people other than me, outside of the state of Maryland, actually sported O's gear.  A glorious, but short lived playoff run, ended and after last year's solid, but fruitless winning season, I am back to being the lonely, solo human wandering the earth (like Kane in Kung-Fu) wearing Oriole orange and black.

Sure, sure, I know what you're saying:  There are other fans of Baltimore out there!

Maybe, but all I hear are the chirps of the unhappy.  The fans bracing for the impact of another 14-year losing streak.  I concur with the unhappy to some extent.  O's ownership once again is focusing on profits and hot dog sales rather than rebuilding for a run at the Yanks and Sox and the fantastic Rays of Tampa Bay.  The Blue Jays still spend money, just on the wrong guys the last decade or so.

Money isn't always the answer, but it sure was fun the few times Baltimore tried to spend some Hot Stove cash to compete with other teams.  Ultimately, I prefer the Glory Years, who wouldn't?  But there is joy in every pitch for a kid who once watched his Birds slay giants, monsters, and Yankees too.  Focus on the lack of budget if one must, I just can't wait to see Chris Davis blast another shot out of Camden Yards....