"Orioles Classics" rewind: Throwbacks to start the new year

Happy New Year, Birdland!

Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday and is enjoying today on their couches while resting from last night's festivities.

I bring you tidings of great joy: With the flip of the calendar, we are now officially less than two months away from pitchers and catchers reporting to the Ed Smith Stadium Complex in Sarasota, Fla.! After last night's countdown to the new year, we're now helping you countdown to baseball's return with more "Orioles Classics" on MASN throughout the first week of 2017!

So sit back, relax and enjoy these Orioles throwbacks:

Monday, Jan. 2, 4 p.m. - Oriole Park at Camden Yards is referred to as "The Ballpark That Forever Changed Baseball," so the date when baseball was forever changed has to be April, 6, 1992, when the first regular season game was played there. Chris Hoiles delivered an RBI ground-rule double and Billy Ripken put down a sacrifice bunt to score the game's only run, while Rick Sutcliffe pitched a complete-game shutout to open Camden Yards with a 2-0 win over the Indians.

Tuesday, Jan. 3, 11:30 a.m. - The Orioles won their first World Series in 1966 with a four-game sweep over the Dodgers. In a year in which Frank Robinson won the Triple Crown and American League MVP honors, he was also named the Wold Series MVP. You won't want to miss the highlights of the Birds' first championship.

Thursday, Jan. 5, 12:30 a.m. - In his first career start with the Orioles on April 8, 2012, Jason Hammel took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Twins. J.J. Hardy hit a solo shot in the first and Wilson Betemit drove in two runs in the sixth en route to a 3-1 victory at Camden Yards.

Thursday, Jan. 5, 9 a.m. - The Ripkens are a special family in baseball, especially in Baltimore. And July 11, 1987, was a special day for the Ripken family. With Cal Sr. managing, Cal Jr. (shortstop) and Billy (second base) took the field together in the starting lineup at Memorial Stadium.

Sunday, Jan. 8, 8 p.m. - Mother's Day from this past season was a memorable one. Donning pink gear and swinging pink bats, the Orioles crushed six home runs in an 11-3 beatdown of the A's. Manny Machado hit two longballs - including a grand slam - while Pedro Alvarez, Jonathan Schoop, Mark Trumbo and Joey Rickard also went deep.