flashback - Blog

Flashback: Imagine Brooks Robinson trying to go unnoticed in Baltimore

September 25, 2012, 10:30am

Pete Kerzel

Orioles

Flashback: Imagine Brooks Robinson trying to go unnoticed in Baltimore

What can be said, written or thought about Brooks Robinson that hasn't already been said, written or thought? Simply put, he's Mr. Oriole, the enduring face of the franchise when the O's finally weaved themselves into the tapestry that is Baltimore, right beside steamed crabs, marble stoops and painted screen doors. If you don't have a Brooks Robinson autograph, that means you've probably never tried. As a kid, I remember thinking how cool it was for the best third baseman of all time to...

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Flashback: How "The Streak" almost ended

September 03, 2012, 7:54am

Pete Kerzel

Orioles

Flashback: How "The Streak" almost ended

It's hard to fathom that it's been 17 years since Sept. 6, 1995, when Camden Yards was at the center of the baseball universe on the night that Cal Ripken Jr. played in his 2,131st consecutive game. That night, Cal broke a record set by the Yankees' Lou Gehrig that was once believed unreachable. Seeing The Iron Man one-up The Iron Horse was nothing short of magical, and there may have been more electricity buzzing through the ballpark for that game than on any other in Baltimore baseball...

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Flashback: 1890s Orioles dynasty couldn't prevent contraction (and a recommendation for "Deadball")

August 13, 2012, 9:03am

Pete Kerzel

Orioles

A week in Ocean City, Md., does wonders for perspective. Yes, it's August and the Orioles remain in postseason contention. Hard to imagine, isn't it? But as I rode the Boardwalk tram last week, I was heartened by the amount of orange and black being worn from the Dunes Motel down to Trimper's Rides and Amusements. Seems the Orioles have replaced the Steelers as Ocean City's favorite team - really, shouldn't they always have been? - if the absence of those annoying Polamalu and...

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Flashback: When The Bird went searching for paranormal activity

July 25, 2012, 6:46am

Pete Kerzel

Orioles

Flashback: When The Bird went searching for paranormal activity

Music is an important part of any baseball game, from the playing of the national anthem before the first pitch to the array of songs that accompany the important moments at each game. Think about it - could you imagine a rally without the bugled "Charge" call, a pump-up-the-crowd moment without "YMCA" by The Village People or the individualized snippets that accompany each hitter to the batter's box and each pitcher to the mound? Sometimes, it seems, the melodies fade into the landscape...

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Flashback: On Dairy Night, Al Pilarcik went to udder extremes

June 06, 2012, 7:25am

Pete Kerzel

Orioles

Flashback: On Dairy Night, Al Pilarcik went to udder extremes

Groups are the backbone of baseball attendance numbers. It's a simple equation, really - a block of tickets sold to a group inevitably includes ducats in the hands of casual fans or people who have never been to a game before. They come to a game at a usually discounted price and hopefully like what they see and feel. Amid all the sodas and hot dogs, beer and peanuts, souvenirs and actual baseball action, maybe you entice them back again at full price. And maybe a non-fan or casual fan becomes...

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Flashback: Trumpet-tooting fans, Camden Yards mojitos and a body-slamming umpire

May 14, 2012, 7:58am

Pete Kerzel

Orioles

Flashback: Trumpet-tooting fans, Camden Yards mojitos and a body-slamming umpire

Did you know there were different species of orioles? We all know that there's a Baltimore Oriole - of the winged and baseball-playing varieties. There are also Puerto Rican, Hispaniolan and Bahama birds. And, believe it or not, a Cuban Oriole. They all used to be lumped into the same species, until elevated into individual statuses in 2010. The Cuban Oriole is endemic to the Caribbean island nation, and its habitats are tropical and subtropical forests, particularly those boasting mangrove...

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Flashback: Going batty over giveaway lumber

April 16, 2012, 7:42am

Pete Kerzel

Orioles

No doubt about it, Orioles fans love their giveaways. From brandishing T-shirt Tuesday handouts to lining up bobbleheads as part of their office decor to loveable but goofy looking floppy hats on the beaches in Ocean City, Md., and Rehoboth Beach, Del., those premiums distributed at the Camden Yards gates become prized possessions. Over the years, the O's have scheduled some pretty interesting giveaways. Remember seat cushion night at Memorial Stadium, where a debatable umpire's call...