Those Philly Phans

Our rivals on the other end of the parkway had an interesting appeal to their fans during the offseason.   Professing to be embarrassed by the domination of Philly fans during Philadelphia's appearances, the front office played to hometown pride and loyalty to defend the fort and rally 'round the ballpark to keep those dastardly foreigners out.

(Makes you wonder where they were in 1814 when the British torched the place with nary a peep of protest.)

As a marketing ploy, it was worthy of Don Draper. But as "Natitude," it seemed just a bit defensive.  At least from 30 miles away, overlooking a stadium that is routinely overrun with Yankee and Red Sox fans.

(Remember, these are also the same folks who squawk about our "O" during the Star-Spangled Banner.)

But it must have struck a responsive chord with someone, because even the Mayor and City Council proclaimed a call to arms to defend the stadium the weekend of May 4-6, the first Philly invasion.

Naturally, there was push back.  Philly fans were even more determined to raid the ramparts and claim the park.  They even published their battle plan on one of the booster sites.

In the end, both sides declared victory (again, not unlike the War of 1812.)  Turnout was high, the Nats took two, and they were successful in containing Philly fans -- keeping them dispersed, if not completely out of their kingdom.

But some still considered it a bit extreme and (dare I say?) jingoistic towards the City of Brotherly Love.

I bring this up because this Orioles home stand is the annual crossover series with the National League.  And guess who's in town?

That's right.  By the busload.  There must have been a convoy on I-95, because by 1:00 pm there was a red tide sweeping the complex. And the game didn't begin for several hours. 

This line stretches all the way to Dempsey's, and the doors don't open for another half hour

Because it's a weekend and school is out, families are here in force.  Once Eutaw Street opened, a lot of them enjoyed picnic fare under the canopy.

This young lady brought along her Phanatic's hat, despite the 80+ degree weather.

These folks were the first ones to grab seats in Dempsey's.  They were very complimentary about the great ambiance and convenience to the field. 





I really liked this one of the Philly Phamily, assembled under the Leroy Neimann classic of Cal Ripken in the Warehouse lobby.

(Mom admitted they were big Cal fans, too.)

One reason we enjoy those out-of-towners who spend their weekend/vacation time with us is that they also spend $$$$$.  In the nearby watering holes and restaurants, of course.  But many enjoy taking something of our ballpark home with them.

This young lady is sizing up her friend for a Ripken jersey as a souvenir of their trip to Baltimore. 

When I took this picture, the Majestic team store was completely filled with Philly fans shopping for merchandise.

It's 3:55 pm now, almost game time.

I just snapped this picture from my window.  As you can see, they're still pouring in.  These folks came from downtown, but the light rail near the top of the picture was also unloading carloads of fans.

It's going to be a full house today.  Beautiful weather, and everyone seems to be anticipating a good time.

What are those Nats complaining about?

Encouraging Signs

Since Opening Day, when the whimsical images of the Triumphant Bird (and his alter ego, Angry Bird) first appeared around the ballpark as colorful murals, I've been curious about their origins.

On close inspection, you can see they are hand painted and carefully worked into the architectural features around them.  They not only add a splash of color to the ballpark, but harken to the day when painted signs on building walls were part of the Baltimore urban fiber. 

You can still see vestiges of this bygone era in the downtown retail district, on buildings that have been repurposed. 

(My personal favorite is "Baltimore Bargain House" on the side of the Nancy Grasmick Building.)

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet the artist who gives our complex, which celebrates the traditional with the trendy, laboring outside our door.

MICA-trained Robert Merrell, who has painted maritime murals around Baltimore for many years, is carefully applying fine lines to one of the warehouse doors. 

(If you think painting on brick is a challenge, you should try taming the wiggles on corrugated steel.)

It's amazing to think this is all copied and sketched without the use of computer graphics.  It's a tedious process, but that is what gives it the traditional look we value here.

However, we also rely upon high tech devices to help us communicate with visitors in the most efficient way, which is why MSA, the O's, and the Ravens invested in a high definition video board to help direct traffic and deliver important messages at a moment's notice.

But alas, electronics being what they are, sometimes they go on the fritz.  (Such capriciousness is not a problem with Mr. Merrell's efforts.)

This may look like a major production, but actually just one little antenna needed replacing. 

Within a few minutes, not only had the weather brightened, but our new sign was flashing a message we wanted everyone to see.

The Sailabration is coming next week, bringing tall ships from around the world, a flotilla of US Navy vessels, and the Blue Angels, who will soar overhead on June 16-17.

Camden Yards is the place to park for all the activities downtown, Fort McHenry, and Locust Point.  Shuttle service will be provided, from June 15th through June 18th.  All the information you'll need is there on the sign, one message after the next.

So yes, technology has its advantages.  But I love the old handpainted artistry that Mr. Merrell brings.  Come by and see.

Conserving Resources, Tracking Trends

Oriole Park is not the only stadium in Camden Yards attuned to meteorology.  Now M&T has its own scientific weather station. 

You can see it extending from a black bracket attached to the brick above the cherry picker.  It's the little white thing, about the size of a ceramic insulator.  That's Bobby Brauns of LMC, our landscape contracter, who just finished installing it.

(Please note Bobby is wearing a safety harness.  We play by the rules around here.)

While our weather station won't tell us when to carry an umbrella or give news on the 8's, it performs a number of environmental duties for stadium operations.  It has a remote sensor that communicates with the irrigation system to let it know when and how much to water.  It also records rainfall and maintains records of barometric pressure, humidity and temperatures.  It alerts us when ice (a major hazard) is forming.

Limiting irrigation not only conserves water, but the energy consumed by running the system when it is not needed.  The installation of this weather wizard before summer will help us realize savings immediately.

Tomorrow, Bobby and his team will be back -- this time to install more of those grasses and perennials that help retain soil, prevent erosion, and filter runoff.  Our environmental efforts continue.

Weather or Not . . . A Great Time!!

I usually walk to work, but on that Wednesday morning, ominous skies and increasing wind gusts made the light rail seem a better choice. 

I was surprised to see a family of five, decked out in bright orange and black, among the early morning commuters heading my direction.

And they were REALLY fretting about the weather.

The family outing to Oriole Park was part of a very special school field trip the O's and MASN have been doing with WJZ-TV and their popular First Warning weather team for the past four years.

About 6,000 students and room parents made the early trip to Oriole Park for a lesson in meteorology, followed by an afternoon game against the Red Sox.  Participating schools came from all over Maryland (and included a few ringers from Delaware and Pennsylvania.)

Not only did they get to watch their favorite personalities (that's Bob Turk taking the field) explain the science of weather in terms they could understand, but they had fun learning how weather conditions relate to their everyday lives. 

Head Groundskeeper Nicole Sherry, fearless in the face of sudden thunderstorms, root rot, and flooded dugouts, shows how one touch of a static generator will make her hair stand on end.


Other presenters included Chris Strong from the National Weather Service and Lee Billingsley from the nearby Maryland Science Center.

For meteorologist Bernadette Woods, coming to Oriole Park is a special treat.  She was married here a few years ago, on Flag Court, which you can see just behind her.



That's meteorologist Tim Williams helping to explain how weather balloons are a forecasting tool. 

(The Bird seems very interested in this. Maybe he's trying to figure out why the two weathervanes on the scoreboard often point in different directions.)












Did the kids have a great time?   Take a look.  Do you remember ever getting this psyched over science class?  Not me.  Nor do I ever remember the field trips I chaperoned being this much fun. 

Weather Day is only one of many ways our teammates the Orioles connect with the community.  It is a source of pride to us here at the Maryland Stadium Authority that our facilities and our teammates provide so many other memorable experiences for the residents of our state.

And wouldn't you know it?   It never did rain, despite the misgivings of the excited family on the train.  It was their first trip to Oriole Park, but somehow I know it won't be their last.

(Special thanks to Todd Olszewski of the Baltimore Orioles for the great pictures.) 

A Banner Day for Camden Yards visitors

Baltimore's very popular (FREE) shuttle service around downtown has sprouted another appendage.

The new "Banner Route" will be of particular interest to Camden Yards visitors because it is within easy walking distance of several points on our campus, and it provides transportation to Fort McHenry.

In this Bicentennial year of the War of 1812, Fort McHenry merits even greater attention because of the pivotal role it played in defending the young nation against British Naval Forces, and also the inspiration for the Star-Spangled Banner.

The State of Maryland has been gearing up for this celebration for several years now, including a complete renovation of the Visitors Center at Fort McHenry.   The new interpretive film relates the circumstances that led to the War, and the importance of Baltimore's stand after significant losses in Washington and other parts of Maryland.




With the opening of the new Banner Route, Fort McHenry is now connected to the Inner Harbor and Federal Hill.

For Oriole Park visitors, that means just a short walk down Conway Street (by the light rail station) to Light Street, where the Banner stops at the intersection.

From the M&T Bank side of the complex, crossing either Hanover Street or the pedestrian bridge will take you to the Gwynns Falls Trail.  Follow north to Henrietta, and east to Williams.  The Banner Route stops a few blocks north at Key Highway.

As Camden Yards (and the nearby Convention Center and hotel) are magnets for out-of-town visitors, this new and convenient transportation option is going to make it much easier for them to add on a trip to Fort McHenry and pick up a valuable American history lesson in the process.

(Does anyone else wonder if the Tottenham delegation will stop by when they're visiting Under Armour in the same neighborhood?  The irony is delicious.)

And speaking of Under Armour, they have their very own stop on the Charm City Circulator route, too.  Only it isn't by bus.  The transportation system also includes two water taxi routes, and one of them connects the Maritime Park in Harbor East with Tide Point, home of Under Armour.

With the opening of the Banner Route and the seasonal water taxi routes, it is now possible to visit just about anywhere you want to go in Baltimore for free -- and from within walking distance of Camden Yards.

For some other suggestions on the entertainment and dining options available along the Charm City Circulator line, look at the maps here:

But be sure to include Fort McHenry.  The Star-Spangled Banner will never sound the same after you experience what inspired it.

Wow, What a Show!!

When we left the paddock at M&T on Friday afternoon, Maryland was under a tornado watch from the heavy winds and violent thunderstorms -- both of which dropped by that night.

But as often happens, the day after the havoc was blessed with spectacular weather --sunny and cool.   Fans flocked to Camden Yards to enjoy it with the Monster Trucks and their teams.

You can see from the crowd at the afternoon Pit Party that this is a family affair.  While the show didn't start until 7:00, having the opportunity to visit the behemoths is the best part of the experience.  So the action here started early.

El Toro Loco, the rampaging orange bull from Texas with the menacing set of horns, was an eyecatcher.  El Toro Loco is one of the better known competitors on the circuit and is owned by Live Nation.






Yes, Monster Trucks are popular with girls, too.  This young lady is wearing the colors of Medusa, the Monster Truck named for a wrestling diva who became a driver after retiring from the ring.  She's getting her shirt signed by Tom Meents of Maximum Destruction.









As this year is Grave Digger's 30th birthday, (making him only slightly older than the Junquemobile,) the Pit Party featured a special exhibit dedicated to his heroics.

Fans who took their seats early were treated to some extra practice rounds before the competition began at 7:00 pm.

This is Mohawk Warrior, whose driver has a blond version of the truck's hairdo, and whose young fans were also sporting the look -- dyed some pyschedelic shade I haven't seen since the Dew Tour left.


Here's the Grave Digger, in mid-flight.  As mentioned in an earlier post, Grave Digger is not an only child.  In addition to the clones who also travel the country so simultaneous shows are possible, GD travels with his forebearers.

Grave Digger, The Legend, is one such antecedent, originally constructed from a 1951 Ford panel truck painted blue and silver.

In 2010, the Legend was exhumed and added to the stable with Dennis Anderson's son Adam at the wheel.

(We're not exactly sure what The Legend is doing here, but it looks like fun.)

At the end of the evening, Grave Digger was the big winner, taking both the Freesytle and timed competitions.

Perennial crowd-pleaser Max D responded to the crowd by performing a vertical ascent that seemed to put him on eye level with the upper deck.  From there, he did some kind of flip which bounced him onto to his roof for the landing. 

(I don't think Monster Trucks "turtle" like sailboats, but the end result sounds pretty much the same.)

So it was a great day all around. The Monster Jam, which we hope will become an annual stop on the tour, is the kind of event we love to host at Camden Yards because it is the kind of affordable entertainment that brings families to our complex and gives them opportunities to create lasting memories. 

(Like this indelible Grave Digger tribute.)

Construction in the End Zone

300 loads of dirt, more tarp than Florida after a hurricane, and a field of yellow junkers balanced on what looks like gargantuan gopher holes.  And one giant Caterpiller still on standby.

24 hours before show time, and the course is still getting sculpted into shape.

But the gladiators and their steeds have arrived and taken their places in the safety of M&T.

In fact, we ran into one of the stars of the show while inspecting the field.

Dennis Anderson, creater of Grave Digger, came by to make sure his ride arrived safely.  Like the pro he is, he also wanted to check how the course was progressing.

Grave Digger is arguably the most famous of the Monster Truck genre.  Like Santa Claus and the Budweiser Clydesdales, GD has been cloned and is actually more of a team, with a number of drivers on the circuit.  But Dennis is the originator of the brand, and he'll be wowwing the crowds tomorrow.

As for the Digger, he made a triumphant entrance down the ramp into the ops center while we were there --roaring down the ramp, and bouncing behind Spiderman and Metal Mulisha in perfect formation.




Near the front was the legendary Maximum Destruction, who astounded the audience last year with a back flip corkscrew.

Follow this link for a video of Max D's solo performance.  The stunt occurs after about two minutes of teeth-rattling warmup jumps.



While GD was getting detailed before his close-up (the cameras from Speed Channel were standing by,)  Dennis was joined by another luminary on the Monster circuit.

Tom Meents, he of the corkscrew theatrics, stopped in to see how Max D was faring in the paddock.  Like Dennis, Tom started his career in mud racing before moving to the Monster Truck  competitions.

Both these gentlemen enjoy the crowds and meeting fans.  One of the hallmarks of a Monster Truck event is the opportunity to interact with the drivers and get a close look at the trucks at the Pit Party preceding the competition.

This party will be held in Lots B and C Saturday afternoon.

This is the second annual visit of Monster Trucks to M&T Bank Stadium.  Thanks to our partners, the Ravens, MSA is delighted with the opportunity to present an affordable and family friendly action show for Marylanders to enjoy.

If you don't have your ticket yet, fret not --- I'm told there were about 7,000 walk ups last year who came on a last minute impulse and had a glorious time.  So plan to stop by.  This is great entertainment!