Appreciating Orioles Magic

Some of you may already know this, but I'm also sure that a lot of you probably don't.  My friend Jim Henneman had something pretty cool happen to him recently.  He was commissioned by the Baltimore Orioles to write their official team history, which came out over the winter to celebrate the team's 60th anniversary.  I just finished reading it, and I must say, job well done.

There's obviously been a lot of publicity surrounding the book, especially in the Baltimore area, and I agree with the assessment that Jim was the perfect person to undertake such a project.  He's widely considered to have seen more Orioles games in person than anyone.  He's been involved with the team in some fashion for most of their 60 years.  After a long career as a sportswriter, he now works as an official scorer at Camden Yards.  A member of the BBWAA, he's the actual Hall of Fame voter that I always talk about when that time of the year comes around.

As Jim said in the note that he included when he signed my copy, "Even a die-hard Yankees fan can appreciate Orioles magic."  I certainly can.  You don't need to be a fan of a particular team to have a sense and appreciation of their history.  My trip to the Montreal Canadiens Hall of Fame last summer is another example of that.  As a baseball fan, I respect the Orioles and their place in the game's history (they were, after all, the first American League team to relocate in more than 50 years).

But that doesn't mean I didn't learn something while reading the book.  For example, I never knew that in the mid-70s, there was real talk about making the Orioles a Baltimore-Washington regional team.  Or that a fire led to the construction of Memorial Stadium, their original home, and was probably a big factor in Baltimore getting a Major League team.  Or that "Oriole Park at Camden Yards" was actually a compromise combination of two names.

While, other than a brief description of how the relocation came about, the book doesn't really touch at all on the team's past as the St. Louis Browns, the history of baseball in Baltimore prior to the Orioles' arrival is very well-chronicled.  From the original Orioles that played in the National League in the late 1800s to the 1901-02 American League franchise that moved to New York and became the Yankees to the highly-successful Minor League team that was always among the attendance leaders.

An entire chapter is dedicated to the Orioles' first season, but after that, the book is divided into segments that cover roughly five years apiece.  The divisions are logical.  Expansion in 1961.  The championships in 1966 and 1970 (which has my favorite chapter name "The Best Damn Team In Baseball".)  The arrival of Cal Ripken, Jr., and another World Series title in 1983.  The lean year that followed the ALCS appearances in 1996 and 1997.  Last season's incredible ALCS run in their 60th anniversary season.

Plenty of time is also given to the legends that wore an Orioles jersey.  The trade for Frank Robinson, which many consider a turning point in franchise history.  Jim Palmer, who actually wrote the foreword.  Earl Weaver, the "Earl of Baltimore." Brooks Robinson, the first face of the franchise.  Hall of Famer Eddie Murray.  Reggie Jackson even spent a year in Baltimore.  And, of course, Cal Ripken, Jr.

The lesser-known Orioles who were just as important to the team's history receive just as much time, though.  Original manager Paul Richards, for example, was given a day in his honor after he was fired as manager.  Fellow original Oriole Don Larsen, who they traded to the Yankees in 1954, two years before his World Series perfect game.  Rick Dempsey, the hero of the 1983 World Series who became an Orioles TV announcer.  Elrod Hendricks, the backup catcher-turned longtime bullpen coach.  Mike Flanagan, who had a long career as a starter, then came back as a veteran reliever and closed the old stadium on the mound.  Just to name a few.

Each chapter ends with a timeline of the most memorable games from that segment of Orioles history.  Some are noteworthy for obvious reasons (Cal Ripken's 2,131st consecutive game, the World Series clinchers), while others mark records or no-hitters, and still others represent significant dates in franchise history.

Great reverence is also given to Baltimore's two ballparks.  I was close to crying as I read the part about the ceremony held on the field after the final game at Memorial Stadium.  Camden Yards (which I can't believe is almost 25 years old) is called "The Ballpark That Forever Changed Baseball," which isn't a stretch.  An old-school, baseball-only ballpark was a radical idea during construction in 1989-90.  The end product was (and still is) absolutely beautiful, as well as the inspiration for all the new stadiums that have come after it.

Hundreds of photos from the Orioles archives are also included.  There's a little bit of everything, and they wonderfully blend with Jim's reverent words.  More than just pictures, there are some pretty cool artifacts, too.  A press badge from the 1966 World Series, an early scouting report of Brooks Robinson, the scorecard from Cal Ripken, Jr.'s final game.

When Jim first told me he was doing the Orioles book, I thought it was pretty cool and I was hoping I'd get a chance to read it.  I'm glad I did.  Because it was everything I was expecting and more.  For Baltimore Orioles fans, this book is a must-read.  But even if you're not, there's still plenty in there to appreciate.  Just like the author himself said.  Boy, was he right.