Oriole Magic came out of retirement Tuesday night at Camden Yards as a trio of rookies ? outfielder Nick Markakis, pitcher Adam Loewen and closer Chris Ray ? provided fans a glimpse of their potentially bright future. All three came through when called upon during a 6-1 win over the Minnesota Twins.
Markakis belted three homers, Loewen gave up one run in eight innings and Ray picked up the save in a game that showed Baltimore does have the ability to develop its own players.
However, if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? Only 19,756 fans witnessed the game, as Baltimoreans have grown impatient with a franchise mired in its ninth straight losing season. For any future Orioles? accomplishments to matter in Baltimore, the team needs to cultivate new fans and have them want to come out to the ballpark.
I witnessed how special a night at the ballpark could still be following Markakis? third blast of the night. It was at that moment that I saw my 3-year-old son, William, cheer with excitement over all the commotion as Markakis tipped his hat to the crowd. The night represented a special father-son moment: It was William?s first time at an Orioles game. But it was a night that he almost didn?t get to experience, having slept through the first inning.
When he finally awoke, the look on his young face resembled that of a child coming downstairs on Christmas morning. He looked around in amazement at the screaming fans, the scoreboard and the action on the field. To him, it didn?t matter that the Orioles entered the night 55-69 and 20 1/2 games out of first place in the AL East.
William just took it all in, from yelling “Charge!” to rally on the Birds to dancing to “Thank God I?m a Country Boy” during the seventh-inning stretch. Making the night an even more memorable experience was the kindness of two complete strangers. The first, Jerry Torbert, of Edgewood, offered my son an official Cal Ripken World Series hat. Then a few innings later, Mike Jacobs, of Pasadena, was kind enough to give William the foul ball he caught.
I also must give the Orioles credit for doing what they can to help make a child?s first game a memorable one. Along with getting the obligatory picture with the Oriole Bird, William also got a certificate to recognize the event.
I know there are many out there who are fed up with the Orioles and refuse to spend any more of their hard-earned money on a losing franchise. But, in its purest form, baseball can still hold a special place in the hearts of frustrated Charm City residents. Getting the chance to share that special moment with my son and his grandmother meant more to me than getting the chance to be in attendance at the World Series, Super Bowl or the NCAA basketball championship.
So, even if you no longer care what the Orioles do on the field, reach back into your memory files and try to remember that first trip you took to Memorial Stadium or Camden Yards with your loved ones. If it?s as memorable as mine just was, maybe the Orioles can expect a lot more fans in the stands in the future.
Ron Snyder is a staff writer for the Examiner. You can reach him at [email protected].
