Orioles to unveil pet calendar and sign autographs to benefit the animals of BARCS

The Orioles will open a 10-game homestand on Friday, August 14, at 7:05 p.m. against the Oakland Athletics. The homestand will feature many special events including an autograph signing of the popular Orioles pet calendar at the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), the 2015 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, and the 2015 Orioles Hall of Fame Class luncheon and ceremony. Additionally, several exclusive giveaways are scheduled, including a J.J. Hardy orange replica jersey, a Chris Tillman growth poster, a Manny Machado/Jonathan Schoop "Handshake" shirt, Orioles high socks, an Orioles trucker hat, and an Orioles pet leash.

In support of BARCS' efforts to find safe homes for dogs and cats in the area, the seventh annual Orioles Pet Calendar, sponsored by Pet+E.R., will go on sale Saturday, August 22, with all proceeds benefiting BARCS. The 16-month calendar featuring photos of Orioles players and manager Buck Showalter with their pets and BARCS animals at locations around Oriole Park will be available for $15 at the Official Orioles Team Stores at Oriole Park and in the York Galleria in York, Pa., as well as at www.orioles.com/petcalendar. The following day, Sunday, August 23, the first 20,000 fans 15 and over will receive an Orioles pet leash at Oriole Park.

Orioles players Brad Brach, Miguel Gonzalez, J.J. Hardy, David Lough, and Matt Wieters will appear at BARCS (301 Stockholm Street) for an autograph signing from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 22, to further support BARCS' mission to care for all animals in need. Fans must purchase a 2016 Orioles Pet calendar at the event in order to receive an autograph and fans attending the event may park for free in Lot J adjacent to BARCS. Media interested in covering this event should contact Chris Martrich (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to RSVP.

Later that evening, during a pre-game ceremony at Oriole Park, representatives from Pet+E.R. including Chief of Staff Dr. Tanya Tag and Hospital Administrator Andy Furtado, will present a check for $8,000 to BARCS Executive Director Jennifer Brause and Maria Wieters, wife of Orioles catcher Matt Wieters to support BARCS' ongoing work. The Orioles have helped to raise over $190,000 for BARCS over the past few years including $46,000 through Orioles pet calendar sales in 2015. The largest companion animal shelter in Maryland, BARCS takes in more than 12,000 dogs and cats and 1,000 wildlife and other small mammals annually. On any given day, BARCS cares for 110 dogs and 110 cats in the shelter, plus more than 800 animals in foster care.

IN THE COMMUNITY

ORIOLES PARTNER WITH THE FRANCISCAN CENTER, INC. TO HOST "GAME NIGHT"

As part of an ongoing commitment to making Baltimore a better place to live and work, the Orioles partnered with the Franciscan Center, Inc., and hosted a "Game Night" event and evening meal at the Center for hungry men, women, and children in the community on Wednesday, August 12^th. Through "Game Night," volunteers from the Orioles front office provided a hot, healthy evening meal to neighbors in need and gave them an opportunity to enjoy an Orioles away game.

The event also helped to raise awareness of the Franciscan Center's work on behalf of Baltimore's most vulnerable citizens. The Franciscan Center has served the Baltimore community since 1968, providing food, clothing, emergency financial assistance, and supportive outreach that is truly unique. The Center's mission is to help area families and individuals stabilize their lives in times of crisis and move forward toward self-sufficiency.

JONATHAN SCHOOP AUTOGRAPH SIGNING AT MODELL'S SPORTING GOODS

On Saturday, August 22, Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop will sign autographs and meet fans from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Modell's Sporting Goods in the Perring Plaza Shopping Center at 1959 East Joppa Road, Baltimore MD 21234. Fans in attendance will have a chance to win the player-designed Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop "Handshake" T-shirt, which will be given to all fans on Wednesday, August 19.

FOURTH OF JULY AUCTION RAISES NEARLY $13,000 FOR ORIOLES CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

On July 4, all Orioles uniformed personnel wore a special Baltimore road jersey with a stars pattern within the twill and an American flag patch located on the right sleeve to celebrate the Independence Day holiday. The blue road caps featured an American flag design and the Orioles cartoon bird logo. These jerseys and caps were autographed, authenticated, and auctioned at www.orioles.com/auction. The auction raised nearly $13,000 with all proceeds benefiting the Baltimore Orioles Charitable Foundation.

AT THE BALLPARK

ORIOLES HALL OF FAME LUNCHEON AND CEREMONY

The annual Orioles Hall of Fame Luncheon will be held on Friday, August 14, starting at noon on the sixth floor of the Warehouse. The special luncheon sponsored by the Oriole Advocates, founders of the Orioles Hall of Fame, will honor the 2015 Orioles Hall of Fame inductees: Melvin Mora, John Lowenstein, Gary Roenicke and Herb Armstrong Award recipient Fred Uhlman Sr. Each honoree will receive a green jacket and a Waterford crystal clock and a plaque honoring their achievements will also be placed on Eutaw Street. Mora and Roenicke will be present for the luncheon and the pre-game ceremony. Media interested in covering this event should contact Chris Martrich (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to RSVP.

CHEVY YOUTH BASEBALL CLINIC

As National Play Ball Month continues, the Orioles will host the third and final "Chevy Youth Baseball Clinics" taking place at Oriole Park this summer. On Saturday, August 15, approximately 100 pre-selected children from the surrounding Baltimore metro area will take the field to learn the fundamentals of pitching, throwing, and catching from former Orioles, Rick Krivda, Al Bumbry, and Ken Dixon. Participants will receive ESSKAY hot dogs, pretzels, and beverages provided by the Orioles. Each participant also will receive two tickets to the 7:05 p.m. game against the Oakland Athletics. The clinic follows Major League Baseball's announcement of a new league-wide "Play Ball" campaign designed to encourage widespread participation of all forms of baseball among youth.

STATE OF THE ORIOLES

On Saturday, August 15, the Orioles will host a special "State of the Orioles" event open to Orioles Season Plan Members. At 3:30 p.m., Gates A and H will open to all Full Season and 29-Game Plan Members for an exclusive autograph session with Orioles players. Eight stations will be set up around the ballpark, with multiple players per station. The players will sign autographs and greet fans from 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. At 4:15 p.m., Gates A and H will open to all Season Plan Members for a special Q&A session beginning at 4:30 p.m. featuring Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter.

ORIOLES MILITARY APPRECIATION PROGRAM

As part of the Orioles' Military Appreciation Program, the Orioles and OriolesREACH donate a catered private suite at each Sunday home game at Oriole Park to servicemen and women through the Sunday Suite Program, presented by GEICO. On Sunday, August 16, military members from the 6^th Branch will enjoy the game against the Oakland Athletics at 1:35 p.m. from a catered suite, have a meet-and-greet with right-hander Darren O'Day and right-hander Chris Tillman, and receive a player t-shirt and cap. On Sunday, August 23, military members from Got Your 6 will enjoy the game against the Minnesota Twins at 1:35 p.m. from a catered suite, have a meet-and-greet with infielder/outfielder Chris Davis and left-hander Zach Britton, and receive a player t-shirt and cap.

STEAL SECOND BASE PRESENTED BY ESSKAY

The Orioles feature the Steal Second Base contest during every Sunday home game throughout the season. Presented by ESSKAY, the contest allows a young fan to participate in a timed race from the grounds crew area in center field to retrieve second base. The lucky winner will receive four tickets to that day's game, gift certificates to use inside the park, an Orioles jersey, and an Orioles prize pack. The contestants will also get to keep the authentic base. The winner for Sunday, August 16, is Andrew Dominguez, an 11-year-old from Baltimore, MD. The winner for Sunday, August 23, is Greg Marlow from Essex, MD.

FOOD DRIVE CHECK PRESENTATION

On Monday, August 17, representatives from OneMain Financial, WJZ, Orioles Wives, and Oriole Advocates will present a check to representatives of the Maryland Food Bank during a ceremony before the 7:05 p.m. game against the Oakland Athletics. The annual Food and Funds Drive took place earlier this season during the June 12-14 series against the New York Yankees and raised a grand total of almost $37,000 in donations and nearly 7,000 pounds of food for the Maryland Food Bank.

NY PENN LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME CEREMONY

The Orioles will host a ceremony prior to the 7:05 p.m. game on Monday, August 17 to recognize the Aberdeen IronBirds for hosting the 2015 New York-Penn League All-Star Game and to acknowledge infielder Ricardo Andujar, right-hander Ryan Meisinger, manager Luis Pujols, and pitching coach Justin Lord for being selected to the 2015 All-Star Game South roster. Pujols was selected as the manager for the South team with Lord serving as the team's pitching coach. The IronBirds will host the 11^th annual NY-Penn League All-Star game on Tuesday, August 18, at 7:35 p.m. The All-Star game at Aberdeen will also feature a celebrity softball game, mascot kickball, and a post-game fireworks display.

ORIOLES TO HOST #BIRDLANDSOCIAL WITH ZACH BRITTON ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 18

The Orioles will host the club's second #BirdlandSocial of the season at Oriole Park on Tuesday, August 18, prior to the 7:05 p.m. game against the New York Mets. The exclusive pre-game party on the centerfield Roof Deck will host up to 250 of the Orioles' most-engaged social media followers.

Orioles All-Star closer Zach Britton (@zbritton) and Orioles.com writer Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) will take part in exclusive Q&A sessions with those in attendance, and Orioles public address announcer Ryan Wagner (@rwags614) will host the pre-game party.

Tickets for the #BirdlandSocial pre-game party range from $30 to $60 and include access to the party, a catered menu, two drink coupons per person, a ticket to the game (Roof Deck, Eutaw Street Bleachers, or Upper Reserve with varied pricing), and an exclusive t-shirt with a unique social media design. The party will begin at 5:00 p.m. and continue until 6:30 p.m. A limited number of tickets are available atwww.orioles.com/birdlandsocial.

RBI CEREMONY

The Champions of Baltimore RBI will be recognized on field during a pre-game ceremony on Wednesday, August 19. The Orioles will be honoring this year's champions including: the Woodlawn Drive BC (16-18 Division), Bear Creek Green (13-15 Division), and Edreco (Softball Division). The Orioles donated 600 tickets to the 7:05 p.m. game against the New York Mets to all coaches and players from the Baltimore RBI league.

PUBLIC LIBRARY PARTNERSHIP SUMMER READING PROGRAM

On Thursday, August 20, the Orioles will recognize the Maryland state librarian, Irene Padilla, and the 2015 Maryland Public Library Summer Reading Representative students from each county on the field prior to the 7:05 p.m. game against the Minnesota Twins. These students represent nearly 200,000 children statewide who participated in the 2015 Maryland Public Library Summer Reading Program. Participants registered at their local public library and read books, participated in classes and workshops, and had fun with their peers. The Orioles supported the 2015 Maryland Public Library Summer Reading Program by donating 5,000 tickets to Maryland Public Library Branches. The Maryland Public Library Summer Reading Program is a cooperative project between the local public libraries in every county and Baltimore City, the Maryland State Department of Education's Division of Library Development and Services, and the national Collaborative Summer Library Program. The statewide program is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

MLB AND ORIOLES TO SUPPORT ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE

Major League Baseball and its 30 clubs, in partnership with the ALS community, will participate in the return of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge this August. Throughout the month, each Major League Club will host its own ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and will then challenge another franchise, along with two other local personalities or organizations, to partake in the charitable effort. Bullpen catcher Jett Ruiz will serve as Orioles spokesperson for the initiative. Ruiz was teammates for three seasons with Pete Frates on Boston College's baseball team. Frates, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2012, has served as one of the driving forces behind the Ice Bucket Challenge.

In support of the campaign, MLB is donating $100,000 to The ALS Association. The funds will be used to further collaborative efforts between several ALS organizations. Fans can join MLB by donating at ALSIceBucketChallenge.org and sharing their own challenges on social media using #EveryAugustUntilACure.

Additionally, on Saturday, October 3, there will be a Baltimore Walk to Defeat ALS at Rash Field in the Inner Harbor. Check-in is at 9:00 a.m. and the opening ceremony will take place at 10:00 a.m. More information is available at www.web.alsa.org/baltimore or by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and calling 301-978-9855 extension 218.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that leads to paralysis due to the death of motor neurons in the spinal cord and brain. While there is no known cure for the disease, the popular ALS Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014 funded significant research investments on causes of and potential treatments for ALS.

DUGOUT CLUB KIDS RUN THE BASES

Following the 1:35 p.m. game against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, August 23, the Orioles and OriolesREACH will host the Kids Run the Bases event on the field at Oriole Park exclusively for Junior Orioles Dugout Club members. Club members are invited to line up outside of Gate D beginning at the top of the eighth inning to go on-field and run the bases after the game. Registration is not necessary and there is no charge to participate in the event.

ALUMNI AUTOGRAPH SERIES

Every Monday and Thursday home game, former Orioles players will sign autographs on Eutaw Street as part of the Orioles Alumni Autograph Series. On Monday, August 17, Rick Krivda, Dennis Martinez, and 2015 Orioles Hall of Fame inductee Gary Roenicke are scheduled to greet fans and sign autographs from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. On Thursday, August 20, Tippy Martinez, Aaron Rakers, and Don Stanhouse will participate in the series.

ORIOLES REACH COMMUNITY BOOTH

During each home game, the Orioles provide a community booth for charitable, non-profit organizations to distribute information, sell raffle tickets, register participants, or conduct health care screenings for Orioles fans. The following groups will be at the community booth, located near Gate D, during this homestand:

ORIOLES REACH GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE PROGRAM

This season, OriolesREACH is again hosting thousands of underprivileged youth as part of the Gameday Experience Program. Group members receive up to 150 game tickets, concessions, an Orioles t-shirt, a cap, and transportation to and from the game. Tickets are provided courtesy of Orioles players. Players participating in the program this year include Wei-Yin Chen, Chris Daivs, Miguel Gonzalez, J.J. Hardy, Adam Jones, Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman, and Matt Wieters. The following organizations will attend games at Oriole Park during this homestand, courtesy of these Orioles players: