Think your new 50-inch Sony plasma is pretty cool? Bitch, that thing looks like an iPod compared to what the Orioles are planning for Camden Yards. When the park opens up for the 2008 season, fans will have a 24-by-74 foot Mitsubishi widescreen to catch the replays on -- and it only set ownership back a mere 5.2 million bucks.
"We're pleased to offer fans a video experience that will be unsurpassed by any other ballpark in America," Maryland Stadium Authority chairman Frederick W. Puddester said.
The new video screen and scoreboards will operate on light-emitting diode (LED) technology, creating a much sharper picture than the old JumboTron, which operated much like a traditional television set. The screens will be capable of accepting a high-definition picture, though not all images on them will appear in high definition.
"It has long been our goal to improve this original technology, and we are pleased to be able to provide our fans with a state-of-the-art video system and LED boards that will both enhance the ballpark experience and preserve the traditional aesthetic that is a defining characteristic of Oriole Park," Orioles communication director Greg Bader said in a written statement. "We appreciate the Maryland Stadium Authority's efforts in working with us to accomplish this important goal."
No word yet on the long-term effects of viewing a 24-by-74 projection of Aubrey Huff on a regular basis. But we assume someone's looking into that.
Loving what you do is half the battle, and clearly, this beer vendor at Oriole Park at Camden Yards is loving the hell out of his job. Either that, or he's so hoped up on cheap suds he's simply stopped giving a damn what people think of him. Regardless, imagine R. Lee Ermy selling brewskis at the ballgame and you'll get a good idea of what's going on here.
Outside of the ever-present possibility that Kevin Millar will break up a game with a pantsless sprint across the outfield, Orioles fans haven't had a lot to get excited about through the first half of the season.
Making matters worse, home games against the likes of Boston and New York often find Camden overrun by Sox and Yankees fans. Loud Sox and Yankees fans.
But the folks at The Loss Column are fueling the resistance. They're currently organizing a Take Back the Yard night for the September 8 game against the Red Sox, hoping that fellow Os fans will attend to help them "wrest control of our beloved Camden Yards from the clutches of Red Sox Nation, if only temporarily."
This is not a "protest". It isn't about Peter Angelos or Mike Flanagan or Jim Duquette. It's about the guys on the field who play hard in a Baltimore Orioles uniform. They deserve better than playing extra road games every year on account of sewer rat Red Sox and Yankees fans invading our city. What's more, the city itself deserves better. Why should local bartenders and waiters and vendors have to suffer the indignity of those fools with the funny accents walking around like they own the joint?
A pretty admirable effort, considering the woeful state of the Orioles. And considering that Boston and Baltimore meet 13 times over the next three months, fan support like this might just propel the Os to the role of spoilers. No, seriously.
Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail acknowledged yesterday that the club bears some responsibility for a potential rain-shortened victory over the Yankees turning into a suspended game, though he declined to offer specifics.
However, three baseball sources confirmed that a Major League Baseball official yesterday contacted Roger Hayden, the Orioles' director of ballpark operations, about how Thursday's rain delays were handled.
The ending left a bitter taste with the Orioles, who felt that the game should never have resumed after the first delay, which came in the middle of the Orioles' four-run seventh and lasted 19 minutes.
Tschida, reached last night in Cincinnati, said stadium officials did not keep him up to date on the weather conditions, an assertion that was denied by one Orioles official, who said that he is confident that the club "followed proper protocol."
Poor Orioles. Sure is a bummer to see this team lose out on a lone bright spot in a drab year -- Aubrey Huff's cycle last night was another -- because stadium officials can't relay "Um, more rain is coming" down to an already-soaked umpiring staff. Should Andy MacPhail hire a meteorologist instead?
While the Ravens have been playing in Baltimore for 10+ seasons, it's important to remember that while they might call the Inner Harbor home today, they did spend two exciting years across town as the last primary tenants of Memorial Stadium. Saturday at the Sports Legends Museum in the Inner Harbor right next to Camden Yards, the Museum will be holding a panel discussion on the history of the Stadium, one that I'll always remember as a mid-century classic. Here are the details:
WHERE: Sports Legends at Camden Yards - 301 W. Camden Street (adjacent to Oriole Park)WHEN:Saturday, September 30, 2006, at 2:00 p.m WHY: Enjoy a panel discussion with former Baltimore Colts' players Joe Washington and Sam Havrilak, president of the Marching Ravens, John Ziemann, and James Bready, former Baltimore Sun reporter. The program will be moderated by FOX 45 Sports Director, Bruce Cunningham, and videos about Memorial Stadium will be shown before and after the discussion. The program is free with paid admission to the Museum. Author Robert Brown's House of Magic is only $5 (a $14.99 value) with admission to the program. The book profiles 70 years of thrills and excitement on 33rdStreet. Memorial Stadium was built in 1950 and over the years expanded, with more seats being added in the hopes of Baltimore landing a major league baseball team. The Baltimore Colts began playing at Memorial Stadium in 1953, followed by the first major league baseball game on April 14, 1954. The stadium was known for its horseshoe shape and was touted as "The World's Largest Outdoor Insane Asylum" because of the crowd noise during Baltimore Colts' football games. The Baltimore Orioles stopped playing at Memorial Stadium in 1991, upon their relocation to Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Beginning in 1996, the Baltimore Ravens played their first two seasons at Memorial Stadium before moving to what is now M&T Bank Stadium. Among the numerous artifacts from Memorial Stadium that are featured at Sports Legends at Camden Yards are a Baltimore Colts' locker, dugout bench from the Orioles, stadium seats and bricks from the structure. Memorial Stadium remained empty until 2001 when it was demolished.The Babe Ruth Museum operates the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Sports Legends at Camden Yards. Sports Legends at Camden Yards opened to the public on May 14, 2005. Located adjacent to the main gate of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Sports Legends consists of 22,000 square feet of artifacts and interactive exhibits profiling Maryland's sport's history. --- www.baberuthmuseum.com
Think your new 50-inch Sony plasma is pretty cool? Bitch, that thing looks like an iPod compared to what the Orioles are planning for Camden Yards. When the park opens up for the 2008 season, fans will have a 24-by-74 foot Mitsubishi widescreen to catch the replays on -- and it only set ownership back a mere 5.2 million bucks.
Outside of the ever-present possibility that 
The Orioles need all the love they can get right now; it's been a tough year. But if the 
