The "Orioles Treat" Story

It was another ordinary day. We were on our way to Baltimore to see the Orioles play in Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The ballpark is located along the waterfront in Baltimore near Inner Harbor. Jim G. and I are taking the yearbook staff of MTHS to visit Inner Harbor and see the game. I was yearbook advisor for 31 years and Jim helped me for most of those years. We tried to schedule a trip to Baltimore every year in April or May as a reward for the staff for all their hard work on the school yearbook. Most years we were able to take a day off school and leave early on the bus so we could visit Inner Harbor first, have lunch and head to the ballpark for an afternoon game. I had to prove to the Principal that the trip was necessary in order to have free use of the bus and the day off school. He appreciated all the extras I did for the school, so it was always easy to convince him we needed to go. Worked for many years until the budget got tight and then our trip came to a halt. But, today we will see Camden Yards for the first time. It was recently finished and the Orioles are playing in the stadium for the first time this year. Today's game is against the Cleveland Indians. We have seats along the left field foul line, near the foul pole. Most seats in this park are turned toward the infield, so every seat has a great view. Jim and I have 12 girls and 3 boys with us today. My daughter is the Editor of the book this year. Sounds kinda fishy, doesn't it, that she would be the editor, but she was on the staff for four years and deserved the job. Never regretted I put her in charge. Probably was one of the best books the school every produced. The bus drops us off at Inner Harbor and I give the students a lecture on responsibility and the time that we will meet for lunch at Phillips Seafood Restaurant. Everyone must be with someone else for the morning. Back then you could trust the students to do what you asked of them. Had lunch at noon and headed over to the game. We had a great time, as we usually do! For years we went to the old Memorial Stadium at the north end of Baltimore to watch the game. We would try to get there early for batting practice, because they would let the kids sit in the first couple rows of seats in left field and talk with the players. Now that was a thrill for the high school kids. Since I had primarily all girls on the yearbook staff, the baseball players were very responsive to them calling out their names and yelling for them to come over to visit and.......the girls would toss them a pen and ask them to grab a ball and autograph it for them. They always obliged. How could you say "NO" to a bunch of good looking high school girls? It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - Pixs are from top: Inner Harbor area, Camden Yards and front of the old Memorial Stadium.