Making Camden Yards the HOME field
We all know what it's like when the Yankees and Red Sox come to town. Camden Yards turns into Yankee Stadium South or Fenway Park Far South.
I find it annoying and I confess, I'm not a native Baltimorean. Actually, I find it a lot more than annoying.
Which brings us to a grassroots -- or guerrilla -- effort to let the interlopers know that there's still a pulse among Orioles fans (even though we have our doubts about the team at times). The folks at a local fan blog, thelosscolumn.com, are trying to rally the troops to attend the Sept. 8 game against the Red Sox, vowing to Take Back the Yard. The point is to make Camden Yards actually feel like it's the home field of the Orioles for a change when the Red Sox are there.
The folks at thelosscolumn make it clear that they're not encouraging physical confrontations with or vulgar behavior toward Red Sox fans -- after all, this isn't Philadelphia -- but they are urging a demonstration of the type of spirit that this town has been known for (and still exhibits for the Ravens).
Last year, you may recall that local radio personality Nestor Aparicio organized a fan demonstration that was actually a walk-out from a late-season Orioles game to show the fans' strong disapproval of owner Peter Angelos' stewardship. This current effort is not that type of protest. It's merely a way to remind friend and foe alike that Camden Yards belongs to Baltimore.
Photo credit: Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun
Comments
Forget about it! I've attended my last "Oriole" game until such a time I am satisfied that they they're back on the winning track. Not a real fan you say? I've got my last ten years worth of losing ticket stubs to prove I can take a beating. I've been loyal, the Orioles now need to prove they are too. Period. We are a disgrace. As far as I'm concerned, the place can bear the name of Boston, NY and anyone else until we stop making insanely stupid baseball decisions. We don't need a Take Back the Yard Game. Just win, nothing else will attract my attention now.
Posted by: Gene | July 16, 2007 11:11 AM
Peter nees to sell the team! This is the only option for me to buy a ticket to an Oriole game.
Posted by: Captain Jack | July 16, 2007 11:36 AM
I am all for this believe me - having those obnoxious fans in OUR park that WE PAID FOR just grates me to no end. The worst part about this is the clear and obvious tolerance the ushers have for bad behavior from visiting fans and the zero-tolerance for anything fun that the ushers have for O's fans. The fact that I can't wear a t-shirt to an O's game that says "Yankees Suck" is simply ridiculous. I think if you wore that to Fenway they'd give you a free hot dog. Not at OPACY - they make you turn it inside out or leave. Yankee go home.
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Really??? You have to turn it inside out?
-- Bill O.
Posted by: bryanintimonium | July 16, 2007 12:43 PM
If you want to take back the yard, the proper way to do it is to put a product on the field that people want to pay to see. All we've seen for the past 10 years is losing, turnover, and chaos. You have a lousy franchise - you can't expect people to pay to see it. I sure won't.
Posted by: StrangeLove | July 16, 2007 1:50 PM
grew up near Philly now live in Balt and follow both teams.You missed point about Philly fans.The vulgar and drunk baseball fans are in NY not Philly.Philly fans won't stand for incompetence and boo the home team when they see stuff like Patterson swinging and missing at a wild pitch.Take back the Yard by winning games as they started to do vs NY.
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Thanks for writing but you're talking to the wrong guy about Philly fans. I grew up there, saw games in Connie Mack Stadium and even the first one at the Vet (against the Expos, Don Money hit a HR, Bunning was the winning pitcher, still have the ticket stub). Worked as a sports writer up there. Yes, Mets fans can be wicked but Phillies fans take a back seat to no one in that department. They're not in a league with Eagles fans, but plenty tough and wouldn't let out-of-town fans take over the ballpark.
-- Bill O.
Posted by: jrlions | July 16, 2007 4:05 PM
I can vouch for Bryan in Timonium - I had to take my "Yankees Suck" shirt off, too. My understanding is that it's not because of the anti-Yankees sentiment, it's because they think the language is inappropriate. Which seems a little silly to me - if it said (blank) the Yankees, then I would understand. But my lovely usher gave me a bumper sticker for not being difficult about it. I knew it wasn't her fault, she was just doing her job.
Posted by: Anne T | July 16, 2007 4:43 PM