Ready for Sho-time?

Buck wants to know -- are we ready?

Ready??     OF COURSE WE'RE READY !!!!

The Merry Marketeers will be on site beginning at 5:30 AM tomorrow.  We'll be tweeting, blogging, facing, flickering, tubing, elbowing, goosing, and whatever else it takes to capture the spirit of Opening Day at Camden Yards.

It is a going to be a beautiful day, with a dynamic crowd and high energy from the dugout to the upper decks.

Join us tomorrow as we capture it for you.  From the first whiff of Boog's Barbecue to the last toast at Turn Ten, Terry and the Merry Marketeers will be here to remind you, in the immortal words of Thomas Boswell, Why Time Begins on Opening Day.

S'no Kidding

The daffodils are blooming at Camden Yards, but that nasty word is back in the forecast tonight.  It is supposed to stay in the northwest parts of the state if it happens.  However, we would be remiss if we didn't note it was on this day in 1984 that a convoy of Mayflowers pulled out of Owings Mills, in the dead of night and a frigid flurry of flakes.

On Opening Day, March 31, 2003, Baltimore was treated to yet another freak of nature.  The snowfall during the early innings actually delayed the game against the Cleveland Indians.  For those willing to brave the elements, the O's did slosh their way to a victory in the 13th inning.

So bundle up.  Spring is here, but sometimes in brings a surprise.

Keep your fingers crossed for clear skies and sunshine on Monday!

The Hot Corner at Turn Ten

As Team Terry ambled up Camden Street on the way to Turn Ten, the conversation turned to all the changes taking place on the traffic strip between Washington Boulevard and Russell Street. 

Some of the landscaping changes are to accommodate the impending Baltimore Grand Prix and the stands that will overlook the exciting stretch of the course.  But the grassy area on the southern most point, opposite third base in Oriole Park, will have a more permanent structure as a welcoming gateway to Baltimore.  For it is here, in October, that the statue of Orioles' great Brooks Robinson will be unveiled.

Although the legendary third baseman never played in Camden Yards, he spent his entire Major League career with the Orioles.  His likeness is captured in much the same way we all remember him -- making an off-balanced throw to first after a spectacular scoop at third.

Like his fielding, the statue will be larger than life, rising nine feet above a six foot pedestal on the landscaped pedestrian strip.  The bronze depicts Brooks as he looked in his prime, during the 1960s and 1970s. As a nod to his amazing talents on the field, his glove will be burnished gold -- denoting the 16 Gold Glove honors he received during his Hall of Fame career.  The sculptor is Joseph Sheppard, who created the statue of Pope John Paul II for the Basillica Prayer Garden on Charles Street.

Brooks, of course, is still very much a part of the Maryland sports scene, as a partner and the franchise face of the Blue Crabs, pride of Southern Maryland and anchor of Regency Furniture Stadium.  The folks in Waldorf and the entire region have benefited from his association with the popular team and all the activities the stadium has hosted in its three years.

So we still have a few months before Brooks takes his place beyond third base, over there at Turn Ten.  We'll be happy to welcome him to the neighborhood, and be sure to touch that Gold Glove for luck every time we head over there for a team meeting.

Opening Day

“Time begins on Opening Day . . . (when) we know that something fine, almost wonderful, is about to (happen).”
                                 Thomas Boswell

The Washington Post's gifted columnist (and great fan of Camden Yards) penned this many years ago, using the lead as a title for his book of essays about baseball.

The sentiment applies to  Opening Day in every baseball stadium, but I like to think he had us in mind.  There's nothing like Opening Day at Camden Yards.

It's a family reunion, celebration of spring, and the chance to let hopes soar with the prospects of a new season and fresh state.  For some, it's playing hooky from work for a few hours.  For others,  (like those assembled on Washington Boulevard) it's an all-day festival.  For all, it's magical.

Since this blog focuses on the economic contributions of sports in Maryland, let's convey it in those terms -- a bonanza.

This year, Opening Day attendance set a new record of 48,891 -- breaking last year's previous high of 48,607.  The numbers at the turnstiles and concession stands are only part of the story, though.  Local watering holes opened for breakfast at 6:00 AM.  Some didn't close until 2:00AM.  Street vendors, parking lots, hotels, restaurants, and charter companies all shared the largess.

We hear from visitors throughout the country who tell us visiting the ballpark at Camden Yards is the highlight of their summer.   On Opening Day, Marylanders are the ones who celebrate this beautiful complex, its downtown ambiance, and all the local color that makes us the envy of the league.

If you missed Opening Day, you can still enjoy the best fan experience Major League Baseball has to offer.  The season has just begun and there is a lot more to come.  Check out the schedule here:

Of Coral and Carnelian

There's a wonderful scene in "Blind Side" where Leigh Anne Tuohy emotionally tells Michael Oher that she loves him and will support him and be there for every single one of his games if he chooses to attend loathsomeTennessee.  But she draws the line at wearing orange.  "It just isn't in my color wheel," she protests.  Fortunately, Michael chooses Ole Miss, so she is spared that indignity.

Believe me, I can relate.  While I love our O's ever bit as much as the Ravens, I have a real problem wearing the colors.  Reminds me of what some old Dodger fan said about the San Franciso Giants, who share our pallet.  "We hate orange and black so much, we don't even celebrate Halloween."

Around the Warehouse, it's customary for us to dress in team colors.  It's kind of a tradition.  Not every day, but the True Believers definitely wave the sartoral flag for home stands.  And Opening Day is a must.  No peach or dreamsickle allowed -- you gotta wear orange.

I've tried to adapt accordingly, but learned a few years ago that jewelry can make the transition work while accommodating theWarehouse dress code.  So when the Birds fly home, I break out the coral and carnelian.  Thanks to eBay, there are enough beaded baubles to get me through the summer.  It isn't amethyst or charolite, but it covers the bases.

I can't help but think Leigh Anne must have been relieved when the Ravens drafted Michael Oher.  Purple is definitely in her color wheel (and we certainly know how good it looks on HIM.)

Birds on the Wing

It was still daylight when I left the Warehouse last night.  A welcome harbinger of spring that makes those grimy slosh piles a distant memory.

An even more cogent reminder greeted me in Mount Vernon.  I often hear honking at the busy intersection, but this was coming from overhead.  Several battalions of Canadian geese, flying in v-shaped formations, were heading north.  I've never quite understood why they squawk like an Aflac commerical (it's supposed to have something to do with cheering the flock leader) but for as long as I can remember, it signaled the changing of the seasons.

When I lived in Annapolis, I marvelled at the osprey couple who were my closest neighbors.  They always returned from wintering in South America between the Ides of March and St. Patrick's Day.  First came the male, who tidied up the nest, and then the female a few days later.  I don't know if they vacation separately, or she stays behind to close the nest in Rio, but be assured -- in several days you'll be seeing ospreys in and around the Chesapeake Bay.

Which brings me to our other migrating birds -- the ones currently in Sarasota, tuning up for another spring and summer here at Camden Yards. They'll be here a few weeks after the ospreys, but they can be assured that we've been spending the winter tidying up their nest, too. 

While they've been basking in the Florida sun, we've been replacing the seats in the lower bowl, (even during the blizzard,) upgrading the clubhouses, touching up paint, repairing concrete damage, installing a new energy efficient climate control system, developing a sustainable landscaping plan, and generally getting the place in tip-top shape for their triumphant return next month.

When the weather is as beautiful as it's been today, spring is in the air.  Very soon, our birds will fly north to spend another summer with us.

The Red Sox are coming, the Red Sox are coming !!

I may get flamed for this, but hear me out. The times I most enjoy hanging around Camden Yards is when the Red Sox play. The team plays Monday night, but the fans will start lurking around the Warehouse about noon.

I know this is heresy to those who resent having Oriole Park taken over by a sizable (and highly vocal) contingent of opposing fans, particularly when they all come in costumes and sit together. They do seem to take over the place. But they also bring enough energy to light south Baltimore, and demonstrate a real appreciation for the game.

That’s not all they appreciate. I’ve spent a lot of time talking to them – on Eutaw Street and in my favorite haunt, Pickles Pub – and what I hear repeatedly is how much these folks from New England enjoy coming to Camden Yards. For many, the trip to Baltimore is a family vacation, a weekend with the guys, or even a romantic getaway. (No kidding!) For some, it is the only chance they get to see their favorite team in person since Fenway Park tickets are so scarce (and expensive.) As one group of guys told me (while swilling at Pickles) it’s cheaper to catch an AirTran out of Boston or Southwest out of Providence, get a hotel at the airport and light rail to the stadium, than it is to pay for tickets and parking in Boston. At Pickles, you can’t have a conversation without comparing StubHub steals.

In fact, said one, they enjoy coming here so much they call it “Fenway South” (I don’t think I’ll share that with Mr. Angelos anytime soon.) When one shouts across the bar to another “I'll catch you at Boog’s” you know it isn’t their first time here. For some, it’s an annual migration.

So while many O’s faithful (and probably the Birds themselves) resent the highly partisan Sox fans in their roost, look at it from an economic standpoint. Not only do the interlopers stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, visit attractions, and drink in bars (particularly the latter) but they also buy concessions and souvenirs at the stadium. With the hospitality industry hit particularly hard by a soft economy, these free spenders from the north are a welcome bump for the local economy.

That isn’t the reason I like the Sox visits the most, though. It’s the genuine admiration they express for Camden Yards and the experience they have when visiting here. Anyone who appreciates what a special place we Marylanders have is OK with me.

Don’t let the Beantowners have all the fun. Come to a game and spend the day or evening around the park. Be a tourist in your own state and see what we have that is the pride of the Major Leagues. Oriole tickets are available here:
baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/ticketing/index.jsp?c_id=bal