Jack Gibbons and I must be about the same age because it was that magical 66 season that hooked me on baseball. What a great year! Lots of memories with FRobby and Brooksie, Boog, and the great young arms. I remember the O's going to Minnesota for a big 5 game series and winning all 5 games.
Super memories!

Even though I've lived in Maryland for the better part of 16 years, (26 years old) and my favorite sport is baseball hands down, I never really grew attached to the Orioles. When they were winning in '96 and '97 I took a slight interest in them because they are the local team, but that's all.

I lived in Minnesota for about 4 years when I was younger, but those 4 years were enough for me to become a pretty fanatical Twins fan. I really can't recall one specific thing that drew me to the Twins. I suppose the only reason I love them so much is it got passed down to me from my Dad. Watching Puckett for his entire career certainly had something to do with my love of the team I'm sure. But they've really been the only team I've supported, enough that my Dad and I take a trip each summer to a different ballpark to see them play. (Pittsburgh last year for interleague, Kansas City this year) Even through the tough times from 93-99 when they were pretty awful to say the least, I still followed them every single day through the box scores. (would have been a lot easier back then with blogs and real-time stats and the like!) Even though I do love Roch Kubatko's blog, I gotta admit I do surf to the Minneapolis Star Tribune's online sports section every single morning before I go to the Sun online sports section.

I have always been a baseball fan, though fanatic would not be the word to describe my love of baseball, and more importantly, the Baltmore Orioles. I think the better word would have to be obsessed. Back in 1995, I was just 11 years old, watching the ALDS, the first year of the wild card team. The Yankees just happened to be that team, and my father had begun to build what is now my complete hatred for the evil empire. This is when baseball went from passion to obsession. 5th game, and the Mariners had climbed out of an 0-2 hole in the series. Bottom of the ninth, and with Ken Griffey, Jr. standing on first base as the winning run, Edgar Martinez rips a double. Griffey rounds third, slides as the throw is getting to homeplate, and is called safe. A (celebration) in Seattle ensues, while my dad and I jump up and down, hooting and hollering. To me, that was the first of many great baseball moments these eyes have ever seen, and the cause for my immense passion and obsession with the game of baseball.

Started following the Os in about 1956, but I can't remember a whole lot, except for the fact that I loved Billy Gardner and Al Pilarcik...

First memory of being at a game was --- this is the truth --- right field bleachers for my 10th birthday present with about 5 of my friends, and Hoyt Wilhelm threw the no-no.

We were just goofing off, not really paying attention to the on-field happenings because it was HOT and the bleachers were splintering, and, heck, we were just little boys. My friend, Joey, looked up at the scoreboard in the 7th inning and said, "Hey, he has a no-hitter!" Then Joey took what popcorn was left in that orange cardboard megaphone and tossed it into the air and we all cheered and sort of payed attention for the last two innings.

I'll never forget it.
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What a first game story. Do you remember how when you started getting to the bottom of those megaphones and there wasn't much popcorn left, that it would begin to trickle out of the small hole? Maybe it was just me.
--Bill O.

First of all, the game vs. Cleveland that Frank hit it out of the stadium was a doubleheader.. I know, because I was there. 12 years old, and on our way to the World's Fair in NY, my dad got us tickets to the game..Everyone in the stands knew it was a blast, but I'm not sure anyone thought it exited Memorial Stadium until the PA announcer(Rex Barney?) told us in game 2..
Some of my favorite memories though,were just listening to Chuck Thompson call the game back in the 60's and 70's on the radio. Let's call them the Glory Years.
Got to see game 3 in the '66 series vs. the Dodgers when Blair hit the solo shot to win 1-0, and Brooksie put on a fielding clinic vs. the Reds in '70..Thanks Dad.. It seems fitting that Father's Day was just 3 days ago..
Unfortunately, my own sons have endured a lot of losing lately..but we remain faithful because we are true O's fans.

Growing up I was never a big fan of baseball. I had two older brothers who were more interested in football and golf than baseball. In my 20s I moved to Northern VA and made some dear friends who took me to my first MLB ballgame. It was at Oriole Park and our seats were right next to the bullpen. Elrod Hendricks was in the 'pen and every now and then he'd chat with one of the fans. My friend told me to ask him about the health of Eric Davis, who at the time was battling cancer. I did and Elrod said Davis was doing ok and thanked me for asking. At the end of the game, I caught a ball one of the other bullpen coaches tossed over the fence to the fans and I got Elrod to sign it for me. I've been an Orioles fan ever since. I still have that ball.

I'm sort of an opposite Paul, above. I've lived in Minnesota all my life, but fell in love with baseball and the Orioles around 1959. Best early memories are the run they made in 1960 and Gentile's two grand slams in Minnesota in 1961. Just last Friday I saw a game in Baltimore for the first time. Great park, lousy team these days, but I keep hoping for a change.

i wonder what orioles fans will remember mothers day for now a days.... oh yeah.

September 5, 1965. It was a Sunday.

Curt Blefary settled a see-saw game with the Indians in the seventh inning by blasting a two-out, tie breaking grand slam that scored Russ Snyder, Boog, and B Robby. With that hit he gave the young Phenom Jim Palmer the fourth of his 268 wins.

That game had a lot of future in it.

The game was a nail-biting slugfest of 22 total hits. The Indians took a two-run lead in the top of the first. The Orioles cut it to 2-1 in the first, tied it in the third and took a 4-2 lead in the fourth.

Not to be denied, the Indians came back with one in the fifth and tied it at 4-4 with another run in the sixth.

The Orioles took the lead back in the bottom of the sixth on a home run by Curt Blefary.

Again the Indian battled back scratching out a run off Palmer in the top of the seventh on a walk, a sac, and a single.

In the Oriole seventh, Norm Siebern (PH for Palmer) and Louie Aparicio flied out.

Then, with two outs, the magic hits – Snyder and the Boog both get singles. With men on first and second Brooks hits a grounder to first for the final out, but as required by Oriole Magic, the Indian first baseman boots the ball, loading the bases for the hero of the last inning – Curt Blefary.

AND HE DID IT AGAIN – GRAND SLAM! With two homers in two plate appearances in two innings, Curt knocked in five runs and the Orioles take a 9-5 lead.

I was 9. We lived in a shack in a little fishing village on the Chesapeake. No running water, wood stove in the main room for heat, dead father, Mom was very sick with MS - not a whole lot was going good for me. I remember listening to that game (Chuck Thompson, most likely) on a little white transistor radio.

The Orioles, especially Curt Blefary, showed that no matter how many times you get knocked down, you can always be a hero in the bottom of the inning; twice in a row, if you need to.

It’s personal with me - I’ve been a die hard fan O’s from that day forward.

I've lived in Rochester, NY my whole life. Up until recently Rochester was the Orioles AAA farm team. Saw a lot of Oriole greats pass through town, but 1971 was when I really got hooked. Rochester won the Junior World Series that year. All seven games played in Rochester due to scheduling conficts with the Denver stadium. Bobby Grich was called up then and never looked back. A lot of wonderful memories.