Orioles announce opening day plans

The Orioles have announced plans for the first home game of their 60th anniversary season, this Monday, March 31 at 3:05 p.m. against the Boston Red Sox. Pre-game fun around the Yard To allow fans the opportunity to experience the excitement of Opening Day, the entire ballpark will open at noon on Monday. Each fan will receive a 2014 schedule/car magnet at the gates. Roving musical groups will entertain fans on Eutaw Street and the main concourses. Pre-game ceremonies Player introductions Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 2:30 p.m., when pre-game ceremonies will begin. MASN personality Jim Hunter will serve as emcee for the pre-game festivities. In a continuation of the Opening Day tradition, Orioles players and coaches will be introduced prior to the game. Orioles players will run through the center field gate on an orange carpet and take their places between first and second base. Manager Buck Showalter, coaches and staff will be introduced from the Orioles dugout. Members of the Red Sox will be announced and will run from their dugout to line up between second and third base. OriolesREACH has arranged for 80 youth from Fort Meade to line the orange carpet holding Orioles flags during player introductions. These children are the sons and daughters of some of Fort Meade's 10,000 service members and nearly 50,000 employees from all branches of military service. Fort Meade is the Nation's Preeminent Center for Information, Intelligence and Cyber Operations, and has a long-standing relationship with the Orioles. For the 21st straight season, one fan will be chosen to represent all Orioles fans as the team's "10th man." The fan will be introduced as a part of the Orioles starting lineup during the pre-game ceremonies. National Anthem and God Bless America American tenor Richard Troxell will perform the National Anthem. Troxell, a native of Thurmont, Maryland, has an extensive resume of film and theater performance experience both in the United States and abroad. Troxell will also sing "God Bless America" during the seventh inning stretch. This year marks the ninth time he has performed the National Anthem on Orioles Opening Day. During the anthem, a 30' x 42' Star-Spangled Banner Flag will be unfurled over the batter's eye wall in center field. The Maryland Historical Society recreated the Star-Spangled Banner flag this past summer during the same six-week time period that MAary Pickersgill did 200 years ago. With the help of more than 250 experienced stitchers and over one thousand members of the public, Maryland Historical Society's flag was pieced together utilizing the same techniques as found in the original Star-Spangled Banner that flew over Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in September of 1814. Colors will be presented by both the United States Joint Armed Forces Color Guard, provided by the Military District of Washington, and the Fort McHenry Guard Ceremonial first pitch Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, ADMIRAL JAMES A. WINNEFELD, JR. will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Admiral Winnefeld is a United States Navy four-star admiral and the second highest-ranking military officer in the US Armed Forces. Remembering those we lost from the Orioles family The Orioles will honor the 13 members of the Orioles family who passed away since last Opening Day during a pre-game video tribute. Special pregame ceremonies will recognize Orioles investor Tom Clancy, Public Relations Director Monica Barlow, and former outfielder Paul Blair, each of whom passed away since the end of the 2013 season. Additionally, throughout the 2014 season, the club will wear a name patch on the right jersey sleeve for the Baltimore-born Clancy. Gold Glove Awards presentation for Hardy, Jones and Machado Rawlings established the Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 1957 to recognize the best fielders at each position. The award has evolved into baseball's greatest measure of defensive excellence. Every year, managers and coaches of each Major League Baseball team select a squad of the best defensive player at each position in their respective leagues, excluding their own teams. In 2013, shortstop J.J. Hardy, center fielder Adam Jones and third baseman Manny Machado were named Gold Glove Award winners at their respective positions. It was the first award for Machado, second for Hardy and third for Jones. In a pre-game ceremony, Steve Cohen from Rawlings will present all three with their Gold Glove Awards. Additionally, Machado will be presented with the Platinum Glove, given to the best individual defender in each league. NEW IN 2014 Orioles 60th Anniversary In honor of the club's 60th anniversary, the Orioles will wear a 60th anniversary logo patch on the right jersey sleeve for all games (above the Clancy patch). Additionally, for all home games, the Orioles will use special 60th anniversary logo baseballs. New food elements coming to Oriole Park The Orioles and their concessionaire, Delaware North Sportservice, have made extensive additions to the food offerings at Oriole Park, highlighted by new menu options at both Dempsey's Brew Pub and Restaurant and ballpark concession stands. Chesapeake Crab Roll: Chilled crab salad served on a bed of Bibb lettuce and a fresh Brioche roll. It's a Baltimore-twist on New England Lobster Roll (seafood kiosk on the main concourse and the seafood stand in the upper deck) Early Bird Dog: ESSKAY Hot Dog topped with a fried egg, shredded cheese and crispy bacon (Stuggy's) Corned Beef Reuben: Sliced corned beef, grilled sauerkraut and Louie dressing served on marble rye (Baltimore Chop House) Half Smoke Sausage: Roma Sausage with grilled BBQ onions and a fresh hot dog roll (Das Sausage House stands, Jack Daniel's Grill, and the sausage portable on Eutaw Street Use #BIRDLAND at the ballpark Fans are encouraged to use social media while at Oriole Park at Camden Yards and share their experiences with friends and followers. By using the hashtag #birdland on Twitter and, new in 2014, on Instagram, fans could have their tweets and/or photos selected to appear on the Oriole Park video board before and during the game. Fans are also encouraged to visit www.orioles.com/connect and sign up to follow all of the Orioles official social media platforms. Security measures The Orioles have one of the most liberal food policies in professional sports. Outside food and beverages may be brought into Oriole Park, subject to the following guidelines: * No hard-sided coolers, thermoses, glass bottles, cans or alcoholic beverages are permitted into the ballpark. You must leave these items in your vehicle before entering the ballpark. * Non-alcoholic beverages in plastic bottles are permitted into the park. All items will be checked at the gates and any beverage which has been opened or partially consumed prior to entry is subject to confiscation if it is thought to contain alcohol. In addition, no plastic or paper cups of beverages are permitted into the park at the entry gates. Other security measures include the following: * All items permitted into the ballpark will be inspected. No bags or items exceeding the maximum size of 16" x 16" x 8" are allowed into the ballpark. Permitted items must easily fit into a 16" x 16" x 8" container. Bags on wheels are prohibited. * No containers or unauthorized items can be left at any park entrance. You will be asked to return them to your vehicle. * No re-entry will be permitted. Once you enter the ballpark, you will not be permitted to leave and re-enter the facility. Please make sure you have everything you need with you before entering the ballpark. * Only vehicles dropping off or picking up guests with disabilities are permitted to stop curbside at the ballpark. No other vehicles are permitted curbside, nor will people be able to stand and wait with their vehicles. * The Orioles welcome fan support in the form of handmade banners and signs. To ensure that all fans will have an unobstructed view of the ballgame, the Orioles do not permit the hanging of banners anywhere in the ballpark. Banners may only be displayed before and after the game and between innings. Banners are subject to confiscation if the content is commercial, political, and/or in bad taste according to the Orioles' discretion. The Orioles reserve the right to remove any banner at any time. Banners or signs must be made of a light, flexible material, such as paper or cloth, and cannot be made of wood, metal or other inflexible materials that could be dangerous in a public setting. * Air horns, cowbells and other noisemakers are not permitted in the ballpark. * Firearms, knives or weapons of any kind are not permitted at Oriole Park. Bicycle parking The Orioles have a designated Bicycle Parking Area to accommodate over 100 bicycles located just outside Gate C along the south side of Oriole Park. While the area will be supervised during games, owners are advised to lock up their bicycles when not in use. Opening day timing * 10:00-11:00: Orioles Clubhouse open to credentialed media * 11:00: Buck Showalter pre-game availability (Auxiliary Clubhouse) * 11:30-12:30: Orioles Batting Practice * Noon: Gates Open * 12:30-1:30: Red Sox Batting Practice * 1:30-2:30: Field Preparation * 2:30: Ceremonies Begin * 3:05: Play Ball!