Here at Camden Chat, we have been posting a question of the day every day for a few weeks now. Most of these questions asked your thoughts about the upcoming season, but today I want to look backward and ask you, “What is your favorite Orioles memory?”
We have baseball fans of all ages here, so it’ll be fun to read answers from throughout the Orioles’ history. Some of us have seen three World Series winners; others have seen zero. I expect some favorite memories will be about the team itself, while others are more personal and perhaps revolve around family or growing up.
I am closer to 50 years old than I’d like to admit, and yet I am too young to remember the Orioles making it to the World Series. I was alive for the most recent two appearances, though in 1979 I wasn’t even a year old. In 1983, I was probably more interested in riding my Big Wheel or He-Man than in watching Cal Ripken make that final catch to capture the title.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t have any big memories of the Baltimore Orioles. Some of my fondest memories include going to the first night game at Camden Yards with my dad and brother. We couldn’t get tickets to Opening Day, but we made the first night game a tradition for many years after.
In 1996, I remember calling Ticketmaster over and over to try to get tickets to my first-ever playoff game, which I attended with my older brother. I saw my favorite player, Brady Anderson, hit a leadoff home run.
And of course, there is 2130. I prefer 2130 over 2131 because I got to be in the stands for that one. I was 16 years old, and my uncle somehow got a bunch of tickets in the Eutaw Street bleachers. He invited a friend and me along with him and his grown-up buddies.
I was in the stands when the 2014 Orioles clinched the division. I celebrated after the game by watching Adam Jones pie Nick Markakis while Zack Britton sprayed champagne into the stands.
It’s hard to narrow it down to one memory. If the Orioles ever win the World Series, I expect that’ll be the easy answer. But if I am picking one, I have to go with game two of the 2014 ALDS. I was in the stands with my father-in-law and watched as Wei-Yin Chen struggled and the Orioles fell behind. When the Tigers scored a run in the 8th to go ahead, 6-3, I remember saying to him that I much preferred the game the day before when the Orioles won big.
Then came the bottom of the eighth. We all remember it. Joba Chamberlain hit Adam Jones. Back-to-back singles by Nelson Cruz and Steve Pearce scored Jones. Joba was pulled for Joakim Soria. J.J. Hardy walked to load the bases. The crowd got louder and louder. Could they do this? Might they possibly do this? We didn’t have long to wait. Pinch-hitter Delmon Young sent the first pitch he saw to left field. Cruz scored. Pearce scored. Hardy, who used to run like he was fighting through Jell-O, rounded third. The throw came in. Cruz motioned “slide! slide! slide!” Hardy slid. SAFE! The Orioles took the lead. Camden Yards shook. I had never felt that way before or since.
I know I’m not alone in that memory. Let me know if you felt the same! Or share your other favorite Orioles memories. Let’s spread some good feelings around as we wait for the 2026 season to begin.
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