Odds are that the Baltimore Orioles will never play in the Oakland Coloseum again. No Baltimore team will – presumably. We all know the reasons why. Everyone knows the A’s are at least planning on spending three years in Sacramento, before going onto Las Vegas.
Over this past weekend the Orioles’ media did an outstanding job of storying the two cities’ history with one another. MASN’s Jim Palmer was obviously a big part of that. Oriole pitching famously combined for a shared no-hitter in the Coliseum in 1989 – a group that included the late Mike Flanagan.
On the football side, the Baltimore Ravens of course won in the Coliseum against the Oakland Raiders to advance to the Super Bowl in the 2000 season. But going back to the days of the Baltimore Colts, you also have the famed “Ghost to the Post” game, where David Casper caught a TD in overtime in the corner of the end zone to defeat the Colts.
That game occurred in Baltimore, but it is certainly a moment involving both cities. The first Orioles game I ever attended in person was with my Dad at Memorial Stadium on 33rd St, and they played the Oakland A’s that day. the Orioles won, which made me happy. But it was exciting to see the likes of Rickey Henderson and Jose Canseco – along of course with the likes of the Ripken’s. I still have a stadium cup and a pennant from that day.
That Ghost to the Post game…it was really the beginning of the end of the Colts. My Dad, being a Baby Boomer, is still cut deep when he thinks of the Colts. He took me to a lot of Redskins and Terps games as a kid – and while he enjoyed it (as did I), there was always a certain bitterness towards the football “establishment.” Because he had lost his team.
Growing up I heard all the stories about John Unitas, Raymond Berry, et al, and what they meant to the region and the city. My Dad and his brothers aren’t necessarily over it to this day. And I’m empathetic to that.
And it’s that sort of fate that awaits Oakland baseball fans. And there’s blame across the board for the A’s leaving – it’s not just one person or group who’s at fault. However the people who suffer are the fans. And again make no mistake, Baltimore fans have empathy for that. Because they went through it. It’s an injustice. And again, it’s the fans who suffer as a result.
End of the day, it’s a business. We all say we understand that. Unfortunately, this is part of “the business.” But having witnessed the fallout of this sort of thing my entire life, it rubs me the wrong way. The fans deserve better.
Going back to my Dad for a moment, no he’s not a Ravens fan. Not in the real sense. His interest in football waned save for the Terps. But one year we went to see Maryland play Navy at M & T Bank Stadium – great game. I remember walking out of the bathroom, and catching him glancing at one of the murals of John Unitas and the Colts on the wall in the Club Level – his team. His players. You could see the memories going through his mind. And yes folks, it’s all just unfair. If you’re an Oakland fan, know that you have a friend in Baltimore fans.
The O’s open up a three-game set against the Chicago Cubs tonight at Camden Yards. Dean Kremer gets the start for the O’s, and Chicago is yet to announce a starter. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 