The Baltimore Orioles open the first home stand of their 2013 season later today at Camden yards. WYPR’s Mary Rose Madden stopped by the ball park recently to check on the preparations.
Camden Yards was buzzing this week. Fans were lined up at the ticket booths, strategizing; which seats, which games, what price.
Xavior Boone, 63, was helping a co-worker decide. He already has a 29-game season ticket plan.
“My mother worked at memorial stadium when I was a kid. I had the baseball scrapbook and the baseball cards.”
Boone, who says he bleeds black and orange, has been a season ticket holder since Camden Yards opened in 1989. But there’s another season ticketholder in the stadium who’s got him beat.
“Justin Vitrano, 84, grew up in Little Italy on High Street.”
Today, Vitrano will attend his 60th Orioles home opener.
“They came in 1954 – and I was fortunate to go to that one and I’ve been every one since then. Some friends of mine go with me - Monsigor Lynch and Bishop Newman - old baseball players from around Baltimore.”
Vitrano says he always sees someone he knows at the ballpark – he was a member of the infamous “knothole gang”.
“The International Team Orioles were our favorite team then – they used to play at old Orioles park on 29th street – we could get a ticket at the Flag House as the knothole gang. With that ticket we could get in for a nickel. You got a hotdog for a nickel and a soda for a nickel. For a quarter we could take the streetcar home.”
The streetcars are gone now, but the light rail runs right next to Camden Yards. It drops you off close to the ticket booth, a brew pub, and the team store. Two good friends had just stepped outside after buying a few orange and black items for their wardrobe.
“Got a couple hats, wear that today so everybody knows who’s the best team in the league.”
Denmore Mcdermott and Robert Walker are born and bred Baltimoreans. McDermott -
“Love these guys – been following them since we were little kids.”
Walker, like many, has not come down from the excitement of the Orioles play-off run last fall.
“Last year was ridiculous – one run games and thrillers. Of course, low expectations, you know it was nice to beat The Red Sox and The Yankees. It’s gonna be a good season.”
Inside the Orioles’ team store, fans are searching for a new shirt – or perhaps a scarf; it’s been that cold. It may not feel like spring, but one bird is not deterred.
“Tweet tweet – Oriole Bird, Can I have an interview? Will you be working overtime this year? Tweets the Charge! song.”
Seems like the Orioles Bird is expecting to have another post-season run.
On this run through of Camden Yards, there’s just one thing left to do to: make sure the field is ready.
We are walking on the new natural warning track that we just installed.
Nick Rozdilski is the assistant head grounds keeper.
Reporter: Could you describe how players use it?
Rozdilski: "Sure, if Adam Jones is running down a fly ball in the outfield and it’s getting really close to the fence, he can’t just take a quick look and say man, I’m ten feet from the fence – as soon as his foot hits the track – he’ll know “I’m about ten feet away from the wall.””
I’m Mary Rose Madden reporting from right field in Camden Yards for 88-1, WYPR.