The Baltimore Orioles started out the holiday season with a huge win Thursday as they captured the hearts of wide-eyed elementary students from the Barclay School in Baltimore.
Teaming up with the ESPNZone at the Inner Harbor, the Orioles hosted 90 students for the Orioles? 28th Annual Children?s Christmas Party for disadvantaged students.
“We realize we have an impact on the kids, we have an impact on the community,” Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts said. “We have the ability to affect peoples? lives in a good way, hopefully.”
Met by dozens of smiles, high-fives and autograph requests, Roberts was joined by current Orioles players Jay Gibbons and Melvin Mora, bullpen coach Rick Dempsey, and former O?s greats Scott McGregor and Dave Johnson.
Asked who is his favorite player, first-grader Cerzae Greer jumped out of his chair and shouted, “Everybody is.”
The players served trays of cheeseburgers, pasta, tater tots and chicken fingers to the children, whose smiles suggested they were in baseball heaven. The players also told jokes and handed out signed baseball cards.
“I think it?s great,” said Marcus McKeever, a giggling first-grader. “I?m going to play some games and I?m going to eat!”
Following the games, the children got a visit from Santa, who did not disappoint. Mr. Claus, a dressed-up Dempsey, handed out presents provided by the club.
“This is something that?s fun for all of us,” Roberts said. “Maybe see a kid smile that hasn?t smiled in a while or may not have as much to be thankful about as we do.”
