88-809: The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's ) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore . The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) East Division . As one of the American League's eight charter teams in 1901, the franchise spent its first year as a major league club in Milwaukee as the Milwaukee Brewers before moving to St. Louis to become
176-582: A Baltimorean. The tradition is often carried out at other sporting events, both professional and amateur, and even sometimes at non-sporting events where the anthem is played, throughout the Baltimore/Washington area and beyond. Fans in Norfolk, Virginia , chanted "O!" even before the Tides became an Orioles affiliate. The practice caught some attention in the spring of 2005, when fans performed
264-562: A black player's head. Now, however, baseball is fully integrated, and there is little to no racial tension between teammates. Between 1943 and 1954, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League fielded teams in several Midwestern towns. American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs , known simply as the American League ( AL ), is the younger of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in
352-620: A faint but audible "O!" could be heard on the television broadcast of Barack Obama 's pre-inaugural visit to Baltimore as the national anthem played before his entrance. A resounding "O!" bellowed from the nearly 30,000 Ravens fans who attended the November 21, 2010, away game at the Carolina Panthers ' Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. A similar loud "O!" was heard from fans attending Super Bowl XLVII between
440-531: A group of Baltimore investors, and the team moved to Baltimore for the 1954 season , renaming themselves the Baltimore Orioles. The name has a rich history in Baltimore, having been used by Baltimore baseball teams since the late 19th century. The Orioles' early years in Baltimore were marked by a gradual climb to respectability, leading to their first World Series title in 1966 . The Orioles enjoyed
528-454: A limited liability company controlled by his personal attorney. In separate statements released by the team, Georgia and John Angelos refuted the claims. In the event of any sale, Major League Baseball has reportedly encouraged Cal Ripken Jr to be part of any incoming ownership group that may take control of the team. In April 2023, the Orioles went 19–9, setting a franchise record for wins in
616-642: A new era, and the team returned to the playoffs in 1996 and 1997. However, the late 1990s and 2000s were characterized by losing seasons and rebuilding efforts. The Orioles saw a resurgence in the 2010s, making the playoffs in 2012, 2014, and 2016, with Buck Showalter as manager. The team struggled again towards the end of the decade, leading to a major rebuild. The 2020s have been marked by rebuilding efforts and developing young talent, aiming for future competitiveness. In 2022, anticipated first-round pick catcher Adley Rutschman made his major-league debut in addition to rookie closer Félix Bautista . The Orioles finished
704-471: A period of sustained success from 1966 to 1983, winning three World Series titles and six American League pennants . After the 1983 World Series win, the Orioles experienced a decline, culminating in the 1988 season where they lost the first 21 games. In 1989, the Orioles showed improvement with the "Why Not?" Orioles finishing second in the AL East. The opening of Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 1992 marked
792-567: A postseason playoff series for the pennant and the right to play in the World Series. Until the late 1970s, league umpires working behind home plate wore large, balloon-style chest protectors worn outside the shirt or coat, while their colleagues in the National League wore chest protectors inside the shirt or coat. In 1977, new umpires (including Steve Palermo ) had to wear the inside chest protector, although those on staff wearing
880-431: A previously postponed contest. In 2023, the Orioles introduced a City Connect uniform, inspired by the art and culture of Baltimore and its neighborhoods. The uniform is mostly black base from the jersey to pants. Across the chest, it features the city name "BALTIMORE" in white lettering, and on the collar and sleeves features a small batch of colors and shapes, representing the neighborhoods of Baltimore . The cap, which
968-404: A sale in 2020 but John Angelos vetoed a potential deal. The suit claims Angelos unilaterally fired long-time employees loyal to his father, including former center fielder Brady Anderson , the longtime special assistant to the executive vice president for baseball operations. The suit claims John Angelos transferred tens of millions of dollars' worth of property out of his father's law firm and into
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#17327657306351056-451: A single league, divided into two parts, also called leagues. This change in legal status had no effect on play, scheduling, and so forth. There were eight charter teams in 1901, the league's first year as a major league, and the next year the original Milwaukee Brewers (not to be confused with the current Milwaukee Brewers ) moved to St. Louis to become the St. Louis Browns , and the year after
1144-500: A straw hat, and false teeth and dance around the club level section (244) that he tended to. He also has an orange violin that spins for the fiddle solos. He went by the name Zillbilly and had done the skit from the 1999 season until shortly before he died in early 2013. Of course, that does nothing to explain why the Orioles' Audio staff began playing the song during every game's seventh inning stretch beginning in August 1975. In reality,
1232-830: A third round to the playoffs in the form of the American League Division Series , with the best second-place team advancing to the playoffs as a wild-card team, in addition to the three divisional champions. In 1998, the newly franchised Tampa Bay Devil Rays joined the league, and the Arizona Diamondbacks joined the National League: i.e., each league added a fifteenth team. An odd number of teams per league meant that at least one team in each league would have to be idle on any given day, or alternatively, that odd team out would have had to play an interleague game against its counterpart in
1320-476: A total of ten division championships (1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1983, 1997, 2014, 2023), seven pennants (1944 while in St. Louis, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1979, 1983), and four wild card berths (1996, 2012, 2016, 2024). The franchise was the last charter member of the American League to win a pennant, and the last charter member to win a World Series. After 14 consecutive losing seasons between 1998 and 2011,
1408-474: Is WBAL's fourth stint as the Orioles flagship. WBAL has carried Orioles games for most of the team's time in Baltimore. Prior to WBAL and WIYY, Orioles games were broadcast locally on WJZ-FM from 2015 to 2021. WJZ had earlier carried broadcasts from 2007 to 2010. Six former Orioles franchise radio announcers have received the Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting: Chuck Thompson (who
1496-535: Is also on a black base, features an italic white "B". In 2024, the City Connect uniform was worn with the home white pants for select games. The Orioles announced its first-ever jersey sponsorship deal with T. Rowe Price on June 10, 2024. A circular dark blue, aqua and white sleeve patch with the investment management firm's bighorn sheep logo debuted in a home game against the Atlanta Braves
1584-406: Is black with the word "Orioles" written across the chest. They first wore black uniforms in the 1993 season and continue to do so since; the current style with the letters lacking additional trim was first used in 2000. The Orioles wear their black alternate jerseys for Friday night games with the alternate "O's" cap (first introduced in 2005), whether at home or on the road; the regular batting helmet
1672-426: Is played (along with a video featuring several Orioles stars performing the song) only after wins. In the 2010s, " Seven Nation Army " was often played as a hype song while the fans chant the signature bass riff as a rally cry during key moments of a game or after a walk-off hit. In the 2023 season, closer Felix Bautista would come out of the bullpen to the ominous whistle of " The Wire " character Omar Little . During
1760-411: Is still used with this uniform. In 2017, the Orioles began to use their batting practice caps for select games with the black uniforms. The aforementioned caps resemble their regular road caps save for the black bill. Occasionally, the Orioles would also wear the black alternates on other days of the week, often pairing them with the home or road "cartoon bird" caps. After the "City Connect" uniforms became
1848-527: Is the official state bird of Maryland ; the name has been used by several baseball clubs in the city, including another AL charter member franchise which folded after the 1902 season and was replaced the next year by the New York Highlanders, later the Yankees . Nicknames for the team include the " O's " and the " Birds ". The franchise's first World Series appearance came in 1944 when
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#17327657306351936-458: The St. Louis Browns in 1902. After 52 years in St. Louis, the franchise was purchased in 1953 by a syndicate of Baltimore business and civic interests, led by attorney and civic activist Clarence Miles and Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro Jr. The team's current owner is David Rubenstein . The Orioles' home ballpark is Oriole Park at Camden Yards , which opened in 1992 in downtown Baltimore . The oriole
2024-691: The Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers . The "O!" chant was also heard during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , when Baltimore native Michael Phelps received his gold medal for the 4 × 200 m freestyle on August 9, 2016. In recent years, when the Orioles host the Toronto Blue Jays , fans have begun to shout out the multiple instances of the word "O" in " O Canada ". Washington Capitals fans will do
2112-764: The Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since the 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and
2200-634: The New York Highlanders replaced the disbanded original Baltimore Orioles. Those eight franchises constituted the league for 52 seasons until the Browns moved to Baltimore and took up the Orioles name. The eight original teams and their counterparts in the "Classic Eight" were: Following the 1999 season, the American and National Leagues were merged with Major League Baseball, and the leagues ceased to exist as business entities. The position of
2288-730: The Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues, the China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During
2376-587: The United States and Canada consists of the National League (founded in 1876) and the American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in the other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with the advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are
2464-598: The United States and Canada . It developed from the Western League , a minor league based in the Great Lakes states , which eventually aspired to major league status. It is sometimes called the Junior Circuit because it claimed Major League status for the 1901 season, 25 years after the formation of the National League (the "Senior Circuit"). Since 1903, the American League champion has played in
2552-514: The World Series against the National League champion with only two exceptions: 1904, when the NL champion New York Giants refused to play their AL counterpart, and 1994, when a players' strike resulted in the cancellation of the Series. Through 2024, American League teams have won 68 of the 120 World Series played since 1903. The New York Yankees have won 27 World Series and 41 American League titles,
2640-449: The designated hitter rule. Under the rule, a team may use a batter in its lineup who is not in the field defensively, replacing the pitcher in the batting order, compared to the old rule that made it mandatory for the pitcher to bat. In the last two decades, the season schedule has allowed occasional interleague play. In 1969, the AL (and NL) were divided into East and West divisions, with
2728-571: The "O!" cry at Washington Nationals games at RFK Stadium . The "O!" chant is also common at sporting events for the various Maryland Terrapins teams at the University of Maryland, College Park . At Cal Ripken Jr. 's induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame , the crowd, composed mostly of Orioles fans, carried out the "O!" tradition during Tony Gwynn 's daughter's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner". Additionally,
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2816-510: The "Roar from 34", led by Wild Bill Hagy and others, in the late 1970s, it has been a tradition at Orioles games for fans to yell out the "Oh" in the line "Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave" in " The Star-Spangled Banner ". "The Star-Spangled Banner" has special meaning to Baltimore historically, as it was written during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812 by Francis Scott Key ,
2904-423: The "cartoon bird" but switched to a white-paneled black cap with orange brim in 1975. Also that same year, they wore orange-paneled black caps to pair with the orange alternates, but these lasted only two seasons. In 1989, the full-bodied bird logo returned along with the all-black cap, with a few tweaks along the way. Initially the cap was used regardless of home or road games, but in 2002 the caps were worn only on
2992-493: The 2018 season, marking the first time since the Orioles' arrival that their games are not on local broadcast television. Previously, WJZ-TV carried the team from their arrival in Baltimore in 1954 through 1978. In the first four seasons, WJZ-TV shared coverage with Baltimore's other two stations, WMAR-TV and WBAL-TV . The games moved to WMAR from 1979 through 1993 before returning to WJZ-TV. From 1994 to 2009, some Orioles games aired on WNUV . Since its introduction at games by
3080-538: The 2022 season with a 83–79 record, becoming the second team in MLB history to have a winning season only one year after losing 110 or more games. On June 9, 2022, Louis Angelos sued his brother, Orioles chairman and CEO John P. Angelos, and mother Georgia Angelos in Baltimore County Circuit Court. Louis Angelos claims that their father intended for the brothers and their mother to share control of
3168-409: The 2022 season, when the universal DH rule was implemented. In 2023, American League teams played 46 regular season interleague games against all 15 National League teams, 23 at home and 23 on the road. In 2000, the American League ended its status as a legally independent entity when the American and National Leagues were both merged into the legal entity Major League Baseball (MLB). This left MLB as
3256-489: The Browns lost to the St. Louis Cardinals . The Orioles went on to make six World Series appearances from 1966 to 1983, winning three in 1966 , 1970 , and 1983 . This era of the club featured several future Hall of Famers who would later be inducted representing the Orioles, such as third baseman Brooks Robinson , outfielder Frank Robinson , starting pitcher Jim Palmer , first baseman Eddie Murray , shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. , and manager Earl Weaver . The Orioles have won
3344-1010: The NL Central. At the same time, the Detroit Tigers were moved from the AL East to the AL Central, making room for the Devil Rays in the East. Even after expansion, the American League then continued with 14 teams. This situation changed again in 2013 when the Houston Astros moved from the National League Central division to the American League West. The Astros had been in the NL for 51 years since beginning as an expansion team in 1962. Since their move, both leagues now consist of 15 teams. For
3432-553: The Nationals deserves a greater fee from MASN due to the team's recent success and market growth. When fees paid to each team were first negotiated, both teams were paid the same fees. WJZ-TV was the Orioles' broadcast TV home, completing its latest stint from 1994 through 2017. Since MASN acquired rights in 2007, its coverage was simulcast on WJZ-TV under the branding "MASN on WJZ 13". MASN elected not to syndicate any Orioles or Washington Nationals games to broadcast television for
3520-533: The Oakland Athletics was held without a public–address announcer. Barney was replaced as Camden Yards' PA Announcer by Dave McGowan, who held the position from 1998-2011, after Chris Ely finished out the 1997 season. Lifelong Orioles fan and former MLB Fan Cave resident Ryan Wagner soon took over as the PA announcer. He was chosen out of a field of more than 670 applicants in the 2011–12 offseason. He held
3608-1072: The Orioles experimented with longtime TV writer/producer Ken Levine as a play-by-play broadcaster. Levine was best noted for his work on TV shows such as Cheers and M*A*S*H , but lasted only one season in the Orioles broadcast booth. MASN , co-owned by the Orioles and the Washington Nationals, is the team's exclusive television broadcaster. MASN airs almost the entire slate of regular season games. Some exceptions include Saturday games on either Fox (via its Baltimore affiliate, WBFF ) or Fox Sports 1 , or Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN . Many MASN telecasts in conflict with Nationals' game telecasts air on an alternate MASN2 feed. Veteran sportscaster Gary Thorne served as lead television announcer from 2007 to 2019, with Jim Hunter as his backup along with Hall of Fame member and former Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer and former Oriole infielder Mike Bordick as color analysts, who almost always work separately. In 2020, Thorne and Palmer were removed from
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3696-546: The Orioles for his pregame remarks on MASN , the team-owned network, two weeks earlier. During a "seemingly benign" introduction to a game against the Tampa Bay Rays , Brown observed that the team had not won a series at Tropicana Field in the past several seasons. It was described in The Athletic as a "petty" move by John Angelos, "the only person [in the organization] with enough power that no one dare question
3784-497: The Orioles have an overall win–loss record of 5,658–5,530–12 (.506) through the end of 2024. The Orioles franchise can trace its roots back to the original Milwaukee Brewers of the Western League (WL) , beginning in 1894 when the league reorganized. The Brewers were still league members when the WL renamed itself the American League (AL) in 1900. At the end of the 1900 season, the AL removed itself from baseball's National Agreement,
3872-430: The Orioles' final homestand of the season, it is a tradition to display a replica of the 15-star, 15-stripe American flag at Camden Yards. Prior to 1992, the 15-star, 15-stripe flag flew from Memorial Stadium's center-field flagpole in place of the 50-star, 13-stripe flag during the final homestand. Since the move to Camden Yards, the former flag has been displayed on the batters' eye. During the Orioles' final home game of
3960-485: The Orioles. His voice became a fixture of both Memorial Stadium and Camden Yards, and his expression "Give that fan a contract", uttered whenever a fan caught a foul ball , was one of his trademarks – the other being his distinct "Thank Yooooou ..." following every announcement. (He was also known on occasion to say "Give that fan an error" after a dropped foul ball.) Barney died on August 12, 1997, and in his honor that night's game at Camden Yards against
4048-469: The United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ") is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of
4136-403: The caps had the full-bodied bird logo between 1954 and 1965, alternating between an all-black cap and an orange-brimmed black cap. They also wore a black cap with an orange block-letter "B" for part of the 1963 season. The "cartoon bird" was first used in 1966, and with minor tweaks, was prominently featured on the team's caps until 1988. Initially, the Orioles kept the orange-brimmed black cap with
4224-470: The end of the 2006 season in favor of MASN, a joint venture with the Washington Nationals . It had been the Orioles' cable partner since 1984, when it was known as Home Team Sports. The Orioles and the Washington Nationals have been in a dispute since the early 2010s, MASN is owned by both teams with the Orioles holding an 80% stake. The dispute which is ongoing as of October 2020 contends that
4312-399: The first 96 years, American League teams faced their National League counterparts only in exhibition games or in the World Series. Beginning in 1997, interleague games have been played during the regular season and count in the standings. As part of the agreement instituting interleague play, the designated-hitter rule was used only in games where the American League team is the home team, until
4400-473: The first time since 2014, and claiming their first 100+ win season since 1980. On July 30, the pitching staff of Dean Kremer , Mike Baumann , Shintaro Fujinami , Danny Coulombe , and Yennier Canó combined to set a franchise record for the most strikeouts in a 9-inning game against the Yankees. The 2023 pitching staff also broke the Orioles franchise record of single-season strikeouts on September 6. However,
4488-508: The following night on June 11. In Baltimore, Orioles radio broadcasts can be heard on WBAL-AM and WIYY , both owned by Hearst Television . Geoff Arnold , Melanie Newman , Brett Hollander, Scott Garceau and Kevin Brown alternate as play-by-play announcers. WBAL feeds the games to a network of 36 stations, covering Washington, D.C., and all or portions of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. This
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#17327657306354576-578: The formal understanding between the National League (NL) and the minor leagues, and declared itself a competing major league. During 1901, the first season the AL operated as a major league, the Brewers finished last among the league's eight teams. In 1902, the team moved to St. Louis and became the "Browns", named after the original name of the 1880s club now known as the Cardinals . Although they usually fielded mediocre teams, they were very popular at
4664-502: The gate. In 1916, after years of prosperity at the gate, Robert Hedges sold the team to Phil Ball , who made a considerable effort to make the Browns competitive. However, Ball's tenure was marked by errors, including the firing of Branch Rickey , which eventually benefited the Cardinals, who shared Sportsman's Park with the Browns. The 1944 season saw the Browns winning their only St. Louis-based American League pennant, becoming
4752-568: The good-luck charms, beginning in August. During a nationally televised game on September 20, 1997, Denver himself danced to the song atop the Orioles' dugout, one of his final public appearances before dying in a plane crash three weeks later. Songs from notable games in the team's history include " One Moment in Time " for Cal Ripken's record-breaking game in 1995, as well as the theme from Pearl Harbor , "There You'll Be" by Faith Hill , during his final game in 2001. The theme from Field of Dreams
4840-593: The group will acquire 40% of the team with the Angelos family selling the remainder of Peter Angelos' stake after his death. The deal includes the Orioles' majority stake in MASN. Peter Angelos died aged 94 on March 23, 2024; his death occurred four days before the sale of the Orioles was finalized. On August 1, 2024, the Orioles’ majority ownership group led by private equity billionaire David Rubenstein took full control of
4928-549: The hotel once stood. In March 1904, Johnson moved the league's headquarters from Chicago to New York. Babe Ruth , noted as one of the most prolific hitters in Major League Baseball history, spent the majority of his career in the American League with the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees . From 1973 to 2022 The American League had one notable difference versus the rival National League , as it had
5016-426: The introduction of regular season interleague play in 1997, umpires working games across MLB beginning in 1999, and the NL's adoption of the designated hitter rule in 2022, the difference in play between the two major leagues has diminished considerably. Though both leagues agreed to be jointly governed by a commissioner in 1920, they remained separate business entities with their own presidents and management. This
5104-430: The job from 2012 to 2020. He was dismissed just hours before the team's 2021 home opener, reportedly because of his conduct on Twitter . Professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Major League Baseball in
5192-490: The last of the 16 teams that made up the major leagues from 1901 to 1960, to play in a World Series . In 1951, Bill Veeck purchased the Browns and introduced a series of promotions and wild antics. Veeck's efforts to drive the Cardinals out of St. Louis failed when Anheuser-Busch purchased the Cardinals. Veeck attempted to move the Browns to Milwaukee and then Baltimore , but both moves were initially blocked by other American League owners. Eventually, Veeck sold his stake to
5280-594: The late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with the major-league Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Negro leagues gradually faded. The process of integration did not go entirely smoothly; there were some ugly incidents, including pitchers who would try to throw directly at
5368-473: The league changed its name to the American League for the 1900 season and the next year developed into a second major league as a competitor to the older National League . This was prompted by the NL dropping four teams following the 1899 season after having absorbed its previous rival, the American Association , which disbanded in 1891 after ten seasons. In its early history of the late 1880s,
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#17327657306355456-439: The leagues developing slightly different strategies and styles of play. The American League was usually regarded as the less "traditional" league during the 20th century, a reputation most exemplified by the introduction of the designated hitter rule in 1973, which encouraged AL managers to largely abandon "smallball" tactics. However, with the advent of free agency in the 1970s allowing for more player movement between leagues,
5544-475: The minor Western League struggled until 1894, when Ban Johnson became the president of the league. Johnson pushed the league to rise to major league status, after the name change to the American League was decided in a league meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin , at the former Republican Hotel. A historical marker is at the intersection of North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and West Kilbourn Avenue where
5632-499: The month of April. By August 2023, the Orioles, led by a core of first-and-second-year players Adley Rutschman , Gunnar Henderson , Félix Bautista and Kyle Bradish , were in first place in the division and described in The Athletic as "young, fun and arguably the best story in baseball." However, the front office went under scrutiny when it was reported that play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown had been suspended indefinitely by
5720-505: The most in major league history. The Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics have won the second most AL titles with 15, followed by the Boston Red Sox with 14. For decades, Major League baseball clubs only played teams from their own league during the regular season and playoffs, with only the two pennant winners meeting in the World Series. The AL and NL also employed and trained their own umpires , who only worked regular season games in their own league. These differences resulted in
5808-471: The oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to the major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in
5896-402: The other league. The initial plan was to have three five-team divisions per league with inter-league play year-round—possibly as many as 30 interleague games per team each year. For various reasons, it soon seemed more practical to have an even number of teams in both leagues. The Milwaukee Brewers agreed to change leagues to become the National League's 16th team, moving from the AL Central to
5984-504: The outside protector could continue to do so. Most umpires made the switch to the inside protector, led by Don Denkinger in 1975 and Jim Evans the next year, although several did not, including Bill Haller , Russ Goetz , George Maloney , Bill Kunkel and Jerry Neudecker , who became the last full-time MLB umpire to use the outside protector in 1985. In 1994, the league, along with the National League, reorganized again, this time into three divisions (East, West, and Central ) and added
6072-457: The road until 2008. An orange-brimmed variety was also introduced in 1995. Initially exclusive to the team's black uniforms, this style became the home cap in 2002 and became the team's regular cap (home or away) from 2009 to 2011. In 2012, the Orioles brought back a modernized version of the "cartoon bird" along with the white-paneled and orange-brimmed black cap for home games and the orange-brimmed black cap for road games. An alternate uniform
6160-514: The same when they play one of the NHL's Canadian teams. It has been an Orioles tradition since 1975 to play John Denver 's " Thank God I'm a Country Boy " during the seventh-inning stretch . In the edition of July 5, 2007, of Baltimore's weekly sports publication Press Box , an article by Mike Gibbons covered the apocryphal details of how this tradition came to be. During "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", Charlie Zill, then an usher, would put on overalls,
6248-576: The season, The United States Army Field Band from Fort Meade performs the National Anthem prior to the start of the game. The Band has also played the National Anthem at the finales of three World Series in which the Orioles played: 1970 , 1971 and 1979 . They are introduced as the "First Army Band" during the pregame ceremonies. For 23 years, Rex Barney was the PA announcer for
6336-464: The season, ending their respective tenures with Baltimore. The Orioles' current manager is Brandon Hyde , while Mike Elias serves as general manager and executive vice president. Two years after finishing 52–110 in 2021, the Orioles went 101–61 in 2023, en route to winning the AL East for the first time since 2014. From 1901 through the end of 2024, the franchise's overall win–loss record is 9,120–10,084–110 (.475). Since moving to Baltimore in 1954,
6424-605: The song was tremendously successful nationwide, topping the Billboard Top 100 for one week in 1975, and was played in stadiums across the country. The Orioles were chasing the Red Sox for the American League East Division title and incorporated numerous "good luck charms." After an inspiring comeback win, Oriole staff began playing this song at the seventh inning stretch of every home game as one of
6512-501: The team qualified for the postseason three times under manager Buck Showalter and general manager Dan Duquette , including a division title and advancement to the American League Championship Series for the first time in 17 years in 2014 . Four years later , the Orioles lost 115 games, the most in franchise history. The Orioles chose not to renew the expired contracts of Showalter and Duquette after
6600-470: The team was "wonderful". In May 2023, following the team's new water-themed celebrations, Camden Yards created a Bird Bath splash zone in left field, where fans in one section had the opportunity get sprayed by the water hose-wielding "Mr. Splash" following an Orioles extra base hit. The Orioles finished the 2023 season with a record of 101–61, winning the American League East division for
6688-417: The team's Friday home uniform (see below), the black alternates were only used on Friday road games and on home games depending on the preference of the starting pitcher. The Orioles also wore orange alternate uniforms at various points in their history. The orange alternates were first used in the 1971 season and were paired with orange pants, but these lasted only two seasons. The second orange uniform, which
6776-521: The team's attendance came from the metro Washington area. In 2013, ESPN ran a "Battle of the Uniforms" contest between all 30 Major League clubs. Despite using a ranking system that had the Orioles as a #13 seed, the Birds beat the #1 seed Cardinals in the championship round. The Orioles' cap design have alternated between the team's iconic "cartoon bird" logo and the full-bodied bird logo. Initially,
6864-629: The team's successful season ended in the postseason American League Division Series, with the Orioles losing three straight games to the Texas Rangers. The series sweep was the first time since the 2022 season that the Orioles had been swept in a series. Manager Brandon Hyde was awarded 2023 AL Manager of the Year, and players Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson both were awarded the Silver Slugger Award . Additionally, Henderson
6952-451: The team, when a deal closed for the group to purchase the remainder of the organization. [1] The Orioles' home uniform is white with the word "Orioles" written across the chest. The road uniform is gray with the word "Baltimore" written across the chest. This style, with noticeable changes in the script, striping and materials, has been worn for much of the team's history, but with a few exceptions: A long campaign of several decades
7040-424: The team. The lawsuit states the elder Angelos collapsed in 2017 due to heart problems and established a trust with his wife and sons as co-trustees. Louis Angelos is seeking to have his brother and mother removed as co-trustees of the trust that controls the Orioles and removed as co-agents of Peter Angelos' power of attorney. The suit claims Georgia Angelos wants to sell the team and an advisor attempted to negotiate
7128-459: The television booth due to COVID-19 concerns and replaced with Scott Garceau. In 2021, MASN let go Thorne, Hunter, analysts Mike Bordick and Rick Dempsey , and studio host Tom Davis, and added Ben McDonald as a secondary analyst. Starting in 2022, Kevin Brown became the primary TV play-by-play announcer, with Garceau, Arnold or Newman the backups. The Orioles severed their ties with Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic (now NBC Sports Washington ) at
7216-520: The validity of anything he says and does, no matter how foolish it is." Several broadcasters came to Brown's defense after the news broke. Gary Cohen said the team had "draped itself in utter humiliation" and Michael Kay said the suspension made "the Orioles look so small and insignificant and minor league." Brown returned to broadcasting for the team and stated in a public message that "recent media reports [had] mischaracterized my relationship with my adopted hometown Orioles" and that his relationship with
7304-443: Was a pullover style, was worn from 1975 to 1987, but were not worn at all in the 1983, 1985 and 1986 seasons. A third orange uniform was used from 1988 to 1992, returning to the button-down style. In 2012, the Orioles brought back the orange uniforms as a second alternate uniform; the team currently wears them on Saturdays at home or on the road, though they've also worn them on other days of the week either due to pitcher's preference or
7392-696: Was also the voice of the old NFL Baltimore Colts ); Jon Miller (now with the San Francisco Giants ); Ernie Harwell , Herb Carneal ; Bob Murphy and Harry Caray (as a St. Louis Browns announcer in the 1940s). Other former Baltimore announcers include Josh Lewin (currently with New York Mets ), Bill O'Donnell , Tom Marr , Scott Garceau (returned in 2020 season), Mel Proctor , Michael Reghi , former major league catcher Buck Martinez (now Toronto Blue Jays play-by-play), Joe Angel and former Oriole players including Brooks Robinson, pitcher Mike Flanagan and outfielder John Lowenstein . In 1991,
7480-504: Was played at the last game at Memorial Stadium in 1991, and the song "Magic to Do" from the stage musical Pippin was used that season to commemorate "Orioles Magic" on 33rd Street. During the Orioles' heyday in the 1970s, a club song, appropriately titled "Orioles Magic (Feel It Happen)", was composed by Walt Woodward, and played when the team ran out until Opening Day of 2008. Since then, the song (a favorite among all fans, who appreciated its references to Wild Bill Hagy and Earl Weaver )
7568-418: Was the case until after the 1999 season, when the American League legally merged with the National League under the auspices of Major League Baseball, which now operates much like other North American professional sports leagues, albeit with two "leagues" instead of "conferences". Originally a minor league known as the Western League , which existed from 1885 to 1899 with teams in mostly Great Lakes states,
7656-497: Was voted unanimous AL Rookie of the Year , marking the first time the team had a ROY winner since Gregg Olson in 1989. In January 2024, John Angelos reached a $ 1.7 billion deal to sell the Orioles to a group led by David Rubenstein , a Baltimore native and founder of The Carlyle Group . The group includes Cal Ripken, New York investment manager Michael Arougheti, former Baltimore mayor Kurt Schmoke , businessman Michael Bloomberg and NBA hall of famer Grant Hill . For tax reasons,
7744-411: Was waged by numerous fans and sportswriters to return the name of the city to the "away" jerseys which was used since the 1950s and had been formerly dropped during the 1970s era of Edward Bennett Williams when the ownership was continuing to market the team also to fans in the nation's capital region after the moving of the former Washington Senators in 1971. After several decades, approximately 20% of
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