Feel free to shelve this if it's been asked before but I couldn't find it in search.

Pretty straightforward question. Doesn't have to be a professional game necessarily...

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I've seen the Reds more times than I can count. Fondest memories are watching a front row Griffey home run and all of GABP chanting "steroids" at Barry Bonds only to be shut up by a near Ohio River banger mere seconds later. That was nuclear heat that a lot of heels could only dream of. As much as I hated him, it was a straight up pro wrestling moment in the middle of a baseball game.

Everything else for me has been minor league sadly. Dayton Dragons in MiLB and the defunct Dayton Bombers (ECHL) who I now sorely miss. I've unfortunately grown to detest crowds, ticket prices and traffic commutes in my older age and so I've yet to cross the Bengals, FCC, CBJ or Cavs off that list. Packers too if I could afford the waiting of 100 years to be accepted.

Amateur-wise, witnessing my high school win a state soccer championship at Crew Stadium was awesome. A little hick town beating a yuppie private school who had the finances to recruit was really cool to see.

A few years prior we also reached the state finals against LeBron in basketball and got our asses kicked. Didn't get to see Baby Bron but I did get to watch the buzzer-beater at Schuster that pushed us through to the finals.

I went to see the Saskatchewan Roughriders play five times. Four times in Regina, and once in Edmonton.

2-3 in those games I attended.

I’ve seen one NFL game (Chiefs/Cowboys), one NBA game (TWolves @ Mavericks), MLB games in KC (several, including a home win in the 2014 World Series), St. Louis and Washington, plenty of college basketball games at Mizzou and one at Iowa, and a few Omaha Minor League baseball games.

Generally my experience is that baseball is way better live than on tv, while basketball/football are better on television. Baseball looks mundane on tv (routine fly ball, easy grounder, etc.) while watching in person those feats are often much more impressive looking. Football and basketball look so incredibly difficult on television, then you get to the game and the field/court dimensions aren’t significantly different than what you’ve been playing on forever and it looks less impressive.

Hockey
Dec 7th, 1998 - Wayne Gretzky's second-last game at Maple Leaf Gardens. Rangers won 6-2. My dad was gifted two tickets from a home building company that he did lots of business with and he dropped me and my sister off so we could both see the game (only Leaf fans in the family).

I have seen the Leafs twice since, once in Calgary and once in Edmonton. The Calgary game was in the 2012/13 season and the Leafs won. The Edmonton game was this past February and the Leafs blew a 2-0 lead and lost 3-2.

Aside from Leafs games, I have only been to a handful of WHL games, specifically the Saskatoon Blades and Kelowna Rockets. I think I went to a Calgary Hitmen game at one point too. I couldn't tell you what games or who they played, except for the last Rockets game I went to before leaving Kelowna. They played the Tri-City Americans and came back from 2-1 down to win in overtime. That was a blast because Kelowna was also fighting for a playoff spot at the time. There was like 3 fights that game and the arena was sold out. One of the best live games I've ever been to.

Basketball
I got to see Michael Jordan live in the flesh in Chicago. I can't remember the specific date, I would have to go dig up my ticket stub at my mom's house in Ontario, but it was during the 97/98 season and they played the Toronto Raptors. My dad was a firefighter and on his crew was a guy named Keith Kitchen. His brother, Mike, was assistant coach for the Maple Leafs for several years back then. They all went golfing together one day and while shooting the shit, my dad asked that since the Raptors and Leafs fell under the same ownership, would it be difficult to get Raptors tickets, specifically when they play the Bulls? Mike said it would be pretty easy as long as you were willing to pay for them. My dad said I was a huge Bulls fan and would love to see them play, and Mike said he would see what he could do. About a week later, Keith showed up for work and handed my dad two tickets to the Raptors/Bulls in Chicago. My dad was expecting a game in Toronto. I've never seen him that excited, and I was blown away. Anyway, we planned a family trip and made a weekend of it and I got to see the GOAT destroy Toronto live in person.

I also saw Chicago play in Toronto but that was after the dynasty years. Friend won tickets in a draw and asked me to go with him. Toronto won that one. This was in 2007 and strangely enough, that game happened the same day as the Grey Cup in Toronto between Saskatchewan and Winnipeg. Neither me or my friend even knew the game was happening, and we got downtown and were greeted by thousands of drunk Riders fans. It was awesome. And also strangely enough, this was just a few months before I moved to Saskatchewan. Life is weird.

Baseball
Went to a ton of Blue Jays games as a kid and a few as an adult whenever I am home in the summer. My grandad's company used to own a luxury box at the Sky Dome and he was upper management so he got tickets pretty often. He took all the grandkids to that box 2-3 times a year. We drank too much pop and ate too many chicken wings and the Jays usually lost.

When I was in college the Jays were extra bad and they had an event called Toonie Tuesday where the tickets for the upper bowl of the stadium were only $2. They did this once a month and my friends and I went to every game because we were always broke, but we had TTC passes and could afford $2 tickets. Anyway, one of the games we went to they played the Red Sox and after the 2nd inning it was something like 13-1 for Boston. We looked at the price of beer at the stadium and realized we could spend half that if we left and went to a bar, so we did. Watched the rest of the game from down the street. One of my friends fell asleep during the 1st inning and we snuck away and left him there. He didn't wake up until like the 6th or 7th inning and was calling us like "wtf!?" :lol: He got to the bar and we were all hammered and he was tired and pissed off so he just went home. Ahh memories.

I also went to a Philadelphia Phillies game in Philly when I was like 5 or 6 years old. I barely remember it. My mom worked at a waste management company called BFI and my parents were friends with the owner and his wife at the time. They owned a ranch near Orlando and would road trip down every year for vacation, and usually invite us along. During one of those road trips we had to detour to Philadelphia for a couple nights so they could pick up their son and his family who lived there, and we all went to a game. The only things I remember is that they played the Cubs, I ate ice cream out of a mini baseball helmet, and the Philly Phanatic was hilarious.

...

Those are the highlights for me. I still have yet to make it to an NFL game despite living near Buffalo for so many years. One day. I would love to go see them play in Seattle or something and make a weekend of it, go to a Kraken game too or something. Anyway.

MLB stadiums I've been to Camden Yards, Nats park, RFK, PNC park, Fenway, Citzens bank, Great american ballpark, Turner field, Progressive field, PNC park being my favorite.

I went to some ncaa tourney games in 2006 and 2008

I've been to probably 5 Redskins games,  tons of Caps game, a few maryland and georgetown bball games, I think the last time I went to an NBA game was when Jordan was with the Wizards. I went to a Navy game at the Ravens stadium, and the 2010 Birmanham Bowl

I've seen every CFL team play and been to an All Stars game. I've also seen the Oilers play more than a handful of times and been to a Blue Jays game. Not a baseball fan but 'When in Rome'...

I've yet to take in an NFL or NBA game, but always wanted to.

I love that I got to see Kimbo Slice fight live. He ended up passing away shortly after that fight, it was a sloppy fight that got a lot of hate but I think MMA fans kind of missed the whole point of what he was. The beard I’m growing out and the mood I’ve been in I have been channeling him as my spirit animal.

Also got to see the very first NFL games ever in NRG stadium in Houston in 2002 preseason the first 2 home games ever for the Texans(their actual debut was in Canton that preseason when they played the Hall Of Fame game). Also that I got to see Mike Alstott play live in one of them easily a top 3 all time favorite ever, plus that same Bucs team would win that years Super Bowl, so that was really special to see them even if it was preseason.

Saw a ton of Orioles games, 50 at a conservative estimate, between 85-86 and 2014-15 with the most notable being The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, Cal Ripken Jr., tying Gehrig's "unbreakable" streak. Happiness is chanting "Cito Sucks," "Yankees Suck," and booing the Red Sox from 2005 on. Other notable games include the Bus Game (my first), the Rick Dempsey Fight/Squirted With Mustard Game, the Game That Made Why Not, the Doug Jones Meltdown, the Brad Pennington Meltdown/Griffey Moonshot Game, the Boat Game, the Horsemen Shirt Guy Game, the Drunk History Teacher Game, the Ricardo Jordan & Tim Crabtree Game, the Chris Hoiles Game, the 2012 pennant race slugfest with the Yankees in front of a red hot crowd game, the Stan Javier Game, the Curtis Pride Game, the Game That Turned Me on the Red Sox, the Paul Molitor Batting Practice Game, the Elrod Hendricks "Kiss My Ass" Game, and....I kind of want to elaborate on all these and more, but I won't. For now... Oh, and Maryland's own Harold Baines is already a Hall of Famer, but he turned into Babe bah gawd Ruth whenever I saw him at Camden Yards. Heck, I even remember the games I passed on that proved to be memorable, like the Mike Mussina near no hitter and the Josh Hamilton 4 home run game.

Saw most of the local minor league affiliates as well- Bowie Baysox twice during the 90s, Aberdeen Ironbirds roughly 5-6 times during the 2000s maybe into the 2010s, and either Frederick Keys or Hagerstown Suns (possibly both?) during my year in the Boy Scouts back in 89 or 90.

Went to 5 Ravens games from 97 to the early 2000s with the most notable being the last game in Barry Sanders' storied career, and the best being a Ravens/Jags shootout that saw the Ravens score their first ever win over the hated Jags. There was also a "thrilling" overtime field goal fest with the Cardinals.

My dad brought me with him to a Baltimore Colts game or two when I was very, very young. Too young to remember. But there are pictures to prove I was there. 

My only live college football experience is seeing Maryland/Virginia Tech in 2005. Terps hung around in the first half before succumbing to the superior team in the second.

Went to a few CFL games in 94-95. Maybe 4? Don't remember who I saw, or anything about the actual games, but these were a hoot. The Stallions were second only to the mighty Orioles in my heart. I loved our CFL team almost as much as I loved shouting "COLTS" along with 30,000+ fellow Baltimoreans whenever the PA guy would say "your Baltimore CFL..." Those bully boy bitches at the No Fun League can't sue us all! If Cal Ripken is the greatest man who ever lived (he is) then Jim Speros was the most mistreated. Baltimore dropped that great man like a bad habit the second those assholes at the NFL noticed us. Sad! Oh, and I once got picked to go on the field at halftime to throw a football to a man dressed like a giant cookie in order to win a sweet Oreo bookbag that I still have to this day.

Also went to a Colts/Jets flag football old timers game in 89 or 90. It was the 20th Anniversary of Super Bowl III. The Jets were still a bunch of dirty cheaters and Joe Namath was still the worst.

Went to a bunch of indoor soccer games in the 80s-90s. Maybe 10? 12? These were a lot of fun. The Spirit/Blast did a lot of stuff in the community, so these were usually birthday parties, team outings, etc. My brother once got to go on the field at halftime to represent his school (with a bunch of our other friends) in a penalty kick challenge against other local schools. Alas, my boys did not do well. The Blast are far more famous, but I actually remember the Spirit (92-98) more, so that must have been the heyday of indoor soccer for me. They also had an awesome soundtrack that would play during games.

Saw two college lacrosse games- Johns Hopkins/UMBC and (I think) Towson St./Loyola. This would have been 88-90.

Saw our minor league hockey team, the Baltimore Skipjacks, once in the late 80s. We got a pair of mini-Skipjack hockey sticks at the game that we made great use of.

Made my first and only trip to the horse racing track in 2013. Pro Tip for gamblers: the favorite won literally every race. 

Saw too many high school games to list. Even played in a few myself! 

Flops

Earned tickets to a Washington Bullets game through some sort of academic achievement I forget the details on. Was given a choice of 3-5 games. I picked the Suns game with no hesitation as they were my favorite team at the time (December 94). This was peak Charles Barkley. I even had a Suns Starter jacket! Alas, it was not to be. We get there all hyped up. But the game doesn't start on time. Waiting...waiting...waiting. Punch to the gut! Game is postponed because the Capitals ice was seeping up through the hardwood. Don't remember why I didn't attend the makeup date. Weird that I didn't go back. But true!

I had a golf fanatic buddy in the early 2000s who talked me and another mutual friend into going to a PGA tour event outside of DC (northern Virginia probably) in 00-01. Remember he had major heat with a golfer named Woody Austin. Anyway, we get lost on the way there. Then it starts raining. By the time we finally find the place, play has been canceled due to inclement weather for the remainder of the day. This, unlike the NBA flop, was actually a fun little trip though. Even though I'm sad we never got to heckle a pro golfer in that stupid Woody Austin. 

- Eli Mannings first career start vs Michael fucking Vick and the Falcons.

- Game 5 Yankees vs Orioles of a best of 5 series. Yankees won.

- Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl champions vs the Jets on SNF.

- Derrick Rose and Memphis vs Duke.

- Went to Shea Stadium, Citi Field, Old Yankee Stadium, New Yankee stadium and even saw Rays vs Yankees in Tampa when we went down to Florida.

I really want to experience playoff games for NY teams but the prices for the tickets are laughably expensive considering how shitty the seats are for $1000.

Oh also my biggest regret ever.

Me and my friends had a choice. Eminem/Jay Z concert or Ravens @ Jets in the opening night in MetLife for the Jets on Primetime.

We choose the Jets. They lost and I missed the GOAT Eminem.

Jun 30, 2024 23:24:39 GMT Baker said:

Went to a few CFL games in 94-95. Maybe 4? Don't remember who I saw, or anything about the actual games, but these were a hoot. The Stallions were second only to the mighty Orioles in my heart. I loved our CFL team almost as much as I loved shouting "COLTS" along with 30,000 fellow Baltimoreans whenever the PA guy would say "your Baltimore CFL..."

I'm guessing your CFL and MY CFL are not the same thing. :lol:

Jun 30, 2024 23:34:46 GMT iron maiden said:

Jun 30, 2024 23:24:39 GMT Baker said:

Went to a few CFL games in 94-95. Maybe 4? Don't remember who I saw, or anything about the actual games, but these were a hoot. The Stallions were second only to the mighty Orioles in my heart. I loved our CFL team almost as much as I loved shouting "COLTS" along with 30,000 fellow Baltimoreans whenever the PA guy would say "your Baltimore CFL..."

I'm guessing your CFL and MY CFL are not the same thing.

They are! The CFL expanded south to America during the early-mid 90s with teams in Las Vegas, Sacramento, Shreveport, apparently Memphis, Birmingham, San Antonio (don't remember these 3), and Baltimore. I was a huuuuuuuuuuge CFL fan when we had a team in 94-95. We were really good too! Lost the Grey Cup in 94 and won it in 95. Our stars were Tracy Ham, Mike Pringle, Jearld Baylis (sp?), OJ Brigance, a receiver named Armstrong, former NFLer Donald Igwebuike, and future NFLer Josh Miller. 

The old Baltimore Colts left for Indianapolis in 83-84 leaving a football-sized hole in the heart of Baltimore which was a rough, tough old school football town on par with Chicago, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, etc. We played by the rules, lobbied real hard for an expansion team only to get screwed over by NFL Commissioner Paul TagliaBOO when he awarded new franchises to Carolina and Jacksonville after altering the process a few times. Enter Jim Speros and the CFL.

Speros was a businessman who brought the CFL here. Tired of being screwed over by the Evil Empire that was the NFL, Baltimore and I embraced the CFL with its 110 yard fields and rouges. Before long, I knew all about the Stampeders, Roughriders, Rough Riders, etc. Some of the players I was already familiar with- Doug Flutie, Darren Flutie, David Archer, Danny McManus, etc. And I soon learned to appreciate the likes of Pinball Clemons and Lui Passaglia. 

We had the old blue & white Colts color scheme and were slated to be called the "CFL Colts" when the Evil Empire intervened again to legally block us from calling our team the Colts. So for that first year we technically didn't have a nickname. The team itself couldn't say "Colts." But we the fans could! So we did. Over and over again. It was our way of giving the NFL the finger. 

Anyway, I believe we had the best attendance in the CFL in 94 and the first part of 95. Then the NFL's Cleveland Browns announced they were moving here and interest plummeted as tens of thousands of Baltimorons went crawling back to the NFL like an abused lover. I stayed true to the bitter end, celebrated our Grey Cup victory, and I honestly think my CFL love is why I never really took to the Ravens, before turning on them completely in 2000. 

I tried following it for a few more years but it was hard to do now that the CFL had no tv here and very little newspaper coverage. 

Still, we'll always have 94-95. And I still have my Baltimore Stallions hat! Oh, they became the Stallions in '95 rather than the CFL "Colts". 

Jun 30, 2024 23:31:17 GMT KING KID said:

- Game 5 Yankees vs Orioles of a best of 5 series. Yankees won.

:verysad:

Jul 1, 2024 0:05:10 GMT Baker said:

Jun 30, 2024 23:34:46 GMT iron maiden said:

I'm guessing your CFL and MY CFL are not the same thing.

They are! The CFL expanded south to America during the early-mid 90s with teams in Las Vegas, Sacramento, Shreveport, apparently Memphis, Birmingham, San Antonio (don't remember these 3), and Baltimore. I was a huuuuuuuuuuge CFL fan when we had a team in 94-95. We were really good too! Lost the Grey Cup in 94 and won it in 95. Our stars were Tracy Ham, Mike Pringle, Jearld Baylis (so?), OJ Brigance, a receiver named Armstrong, former NFLer Donald Igwebuike, and future NFLer Josh Miller. 

The old Baltimore Colts left for Indianapolis in 83-84 leaving a football-sized hole in the heart of Baltimore which was a rough, tough old school football town on par with Chicago, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, etc. We played by the rules, lobbied real hard for an expansion team only to get screwed over by NFL Commissioner Paul TagliaBOO when he awarded new franchises to Carolina and Jacksonville after altering the process a few times. Enter Jim Speros and the CFL.

Speros was a businessman who brought the CFL here. Tired of being screwed over by the Evil Empire that was the NFL, Baltimore and I embraced the CFL with its 110 yard fields and rouges. Before long, I knew all about the Stampeders, Roughriders, Rough Riders, etc. Some of the players I was already familiar with- Doug Flutie, Darren Flutie, David Archer, Danny McManus, etc. And I soon learned to appreciate the likes of Pinball Clemons and Lui Passaglia. 

We had the old blue & white Colts color scheme and were slated to be called the "CFL Colts" when the Evil Empire intervened again to legally block us from calling our team the Colts. So for that first year we technically didn't have a nickname. The team itself couldn't say "Colts." But we the fans could! So we did. Over and over again. It was our way of giving the NFL the finger. 

Anyway, I believe we had the best attendance in the CFL in 94 and the first part of 95. Then the NFL's Cleveland Browns announced they were moving here and interest plummeted as thousands of Baltimorons went crawling back to the NFL like an abused lover. I stayed true to the bitter end, celebrated our Grey Cup victory, and I honestly think my CFL love is why I never really took to the Ravens, before turning on them completely in 2000. 

I tried following it for a few more years but it was hard to do now that the CFL had no tv here and very little newspaper coverage. 

Still, we'll always have 94-95. And I still have my Baltimore Stallions hat! Oh, they became the Stallions in '95 rather than the CFL ("Colts"). 

How do I not remember that? Seriously, it's like I blocked it out or something. Age is a hell of a thing. 

Tracy Ham was an Eskimo for years. You don't want to know how much I love Pinball Clemons. The day I met him was the best day. My cat Rocket was named after Rocket Ismail, but it was a coin toss (literally) between Rocket and Pinball. My team was the Argos after all. 

Jun 30, 2024 23:24:39 GMT Baker said:

Saw a ton of Orioles games, 50 at a conservative estimate, between 85-86 and 2014-15 with the most notable being The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, Cal Ripken Jr., tying Gehrig's "unbreakable" streak. Happiness is chanting "Cito Sucks," "Yankees Suck," and booing the Red Sox from 2005 on. Other notable games include the Bus Game (my first), the Rick Dempsey Fight/Squirted With Mustard Game, the Game That Made Why Not, the Doug Jones Meltdown, the Brad Pennington Meltdown/Griffey Moonshot Game, the Boat Game, the Horsemen Shirt Guy Game, the Drunk History Teacher Game, the Ricardo Jordan & Tim Crabtree Game, the Chris Hoiles Game, the 2012 pennant race slugfest with the Yankees in front of a red hot crowd game, the Stan Javier Game, the Curtis Pride Game, the Game That Turned Me on the Red Sox, the Paul Molitor Batting Practice Game, the Elrod Hendricks "Kiss My Ass" Game, and....I kind of want to elaborate on all these and more, but I won't. For now... Oh, and Maryland's own Harold Baines is already a Hall of Famer, but he turned into Babe bah gawd Ruth whenever I saw him at Camden Yards. Heck, I even remember the games I passed on that proved to be memorable, like the Mike Mussina near no hitter and the Josh Hamilton 4 home run game.

Saw most of the local minor league affiliates as well- Bowie Baysox twice during the 90s, Aberdeen Ironbirds roughly 5-6 times during the 2000s maybe into the 2010s, and either Frederick Keys or Hagerstown Suns (possibly both?) during my year in the Boy Scouts back in 89 or 90.

Went to 5 Ravens games from 97 to the early 2000s with the most notable being the last game in Barry Sanders' storied career, and the best being a Ravens/Jags shootout that saw the Ravens score their first ever win over the hated Jags. There was also a "thrilling" overtime field goal fest with the Cardinals.

My dad brought me with him to a Baltimore Colts game or two when I was very, very young. Too young to remember. But there are pictures to prove I was there. 

My only live college football experience is seeing Maryland/Virginia Tech in 2005. Terps hung around in the first half before succumbing to the superior team in the second.

Went to a few CFL games in 94-95. Maybe 4? Don't remember who I saw, or anything about the actual games, but these were a hoot. The Stallions were second only to the mighty Orioles in my heart. I loved our CFL team almost as much as I loved shouting "COLTS" along with 30,000+ fellow Baltimoreans whenever the PA guy would say "your Baltimore CFL..." Those bully boy bitches at the No Fun League can't sue us all! If Cal Ripken is the greatest man who ever lived (he is) then Jim Speros was the most mistreated. Baltimore dropped that great man like a bad habit the second those assholes at the NFL noticed us. Sad! Oh, and I once got picked to go on the field at halftime to throw a football to a man dressed like a giant cookie in order to win a sweet Oreo bookbag that I still have to this day.

Also went to a Colts/Jets flag football old timers game in 89 or 90. It was the 20th Anniversary of Super Bowl III. The Jets were still a bunch of dirty cheaters and Joe Namath was still the worst.

Went to a bunch of indoor soccer games in the 80s-90s. Maybe 10? 12? These were a lot of fun. The Spirit/Blast did a lot of stuff in the community, so these were usually birthday parties, team outings, etc. My brother once got to go on the field at halftime to represent his school (with a bunch of our other friends) in a penalty kick challenge against other local schools. Alas, my boys did not do well. The Blast are far more famous, but I actually remember the Spirit (92-98) more, so that must have been the heyday of indoor soccer for me. They also had an awesome soundtrack that would play during games.

Saw two college lacrosse games- Johns Hopkins/UMBC and (I think) Towson St./Loyola. This would have been 88-90.

Saw our minor league hockey team, the Baltimore Skipjacks, once in the late 80s. We got a pair of mini-Skipjack hockey sticks at the game that we made great use of.

Made my first and only trip to the horse racing track in 2013. Pro Tip for gamblers: the favorite won literally every race. 

Saw too many high school games to list. Even played in a few myself! 

Flops

Earned tickets to a Washington Bullets game through some sort of academic achievement I forget the details on. Was given a choice of 3-5 games. I picked the Suns game with no hesitation as they were my favorite team at the time (December 94). This was peak Charles Barkley. I even had a Suns Starter jacket! Alas, it was not to be. We get there all hyped up. But the game doesn't start on time. Waiting...waiting...waiting. Punch to the gut! Game is postponed because the Capitals ice was seeping up through the hardwood. Don't remember why I didn't attend the makeup date. Weird that I didn't go back. But true!

I had a golf fanatic buddy in the early 2000s who talked me and another mutual friend into going to a PGA tour event outside of DC (northern Virginia probably) in 00-01. Remember he had major heat with a golfer named Woody Austin. Anyway, we get lost on the way there. Then it starts raining. By the time we finally find the place, play has been canceled due to inclement weather for the remainder of the day. This, unlike the NBA flop, was actually a fun little trip though. Even though I'm sad we never got to heckle a pro golfer in that stupid Woody Austin. 

I was like "CFL huh? Cool... Wait, 4-5 times? When did you move up north?" completely forgetting the only legit American CFL team was in Baltimore back then. I understand their desire but it's so weird where they expanded in some places. Shreveport!? Really?

Pretty sure the Spirit/Blast played in the same league as the Cleveland Crunch, who I loved watching on ESPN2 as a kid. As much as I enjoyed it, these little fuckers today really take the modern MLS for granted. We have come so, so very far from that era.

Always found it funny how Modell is Judas in Ohio and was even the catalyst for changes to our state laws (which later helped prevent the Crew from leaving Columbus for Austin, TX) but he might as well have been Jesus in Maryland lol. Curious if Papa Baker remained a Colts fan or did he ditch them once they left to adopt another team/the Ravens?

1st ever baseball game was the David Wells perfect game, still have the beanie baby and a baseball with the memory of it. Had no idea what was going on as a 9 year old.

Jul 1, 2024 13:25:47 GMT Blindy said:

1st ever baseball game was the David Wells perfect game, still have the beanie baby and a baseball with the memory of it. Had no idea what was going on as a 9 year old.

To be fair he was drunk and had no idea either. 😂 

Jul 1, 2024 6:17:46 GMT rad said:

I was like "CFL huh? Cool... Wait, 4-5 times? When did you move up north?" completely forgetting the only legit American CFL team was in Baltimore back then. I understand their desire but it's so weird where they expanded in some places. Shreveport!? Really?

Pretty sure the Spirit/Blast played in the same league as the Cleveland Crunch, who I loved watching on ESPN2 as a kid. As much as I enjoyed it, these little fuckers today really take the modern MLS for granted. We have come so, so very far from that era.

Always found it funny how Modell is Judas in Ohio and was even the catalyst for changes to our state laws (which later helped prevent the Crew from leaving Columbus for Austin, TX) but he might as well have been Jesus in Maryland lol. Curious if Papa Baker remained a Colts fan or did he ditch them once they left to adopt another team/the Ravens?

Which reminds me. Neo Zeed I know you live(d) in the Shreveport metropolitan area. Did you ever get Shreveport CFL games on tv?

Yeah, the Cleveland Crunch were in the Spirit's league. I had to check and will confess to not remembering that team. The non-Spirit team I remember most from that league is the Harrisburg Heat. They were our rival. Hated 'em. They were dirtier than a Buddy Ryan coached team. Lee Tschantret(sp?) was the WORST. Funny thing is he later played for a Baltimore team and last I heard was coaching at a fancy private high school in the area. 

My old man hated the Indianapolis Colts with a burning passion. Most Marylanders did. Especially the older generations. I genuinely believe Bob Irsay would have been killed Murder on the Orient Express style had he been dumb/brave enough to walk the streets anywhere in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Put it this way. The Colts started out 0-13 in '86 (the first year I followed football) before finally winning one and my dad was super pissed about this because he wanted them to go winless.

Of course, me being me, I actually became a Colts fan in '87 when they acquired Eric Dickerson and went worst to first. I was also a huge John Elway fanboy when he was Baltimore Public Enemy #2 behind only Irsay. It's safe to say kiddie Baker embraced the heel role. 

My dad would have told you he was a Vikings & Chargers fan in between the Colts and Ravens since he had always liked those teams, but it would be more accurate to say he was a fan of whoever played the team I was rooting for that week lol. We were almost always on opposite sides. He hated the Indy Colts and Redskins. Oh, Redskins were the 2nd least popular team among my peers because the NFL tried pushing them down our throat as the new 'local' team. This was strongly rejected. You have to understand Baltimore has a major inferiority complex, so we hate all things DC, and the old Colts fans never liked the Redskins to begin with. Anyway, my father liked the Stallions and Ravens, but never LOVED them the way he had the Colts.

Colts were still hated by many here through the 2000s. I was a Peyton Manning Guy dating back to his Tennessee days, and a Brady hater, so I often found myself rooting for the 2000s Colts. Especially when the Steelers were out of it. Remember a Ravens/Colts playoff game in 2007 (2006 season) that had huge buzz around town. "Beat Indy" shirts sold like hotcakes. I still see people wearing them from time to time (even see people wearing Baltimore Stallion shirts once in a while). Old memories and old insults were dredged up, making this basically our Super Bowl. Or if you don't want to go that far, it was at least a Revenge Bowl 23 years in the making. 

The Ravens ended up losing a boring field goal fest. I took a walk after the game. It being a gray, drizzly day best suited for naps. I swear there were people crying on the way to their cars. Not just one or two, but many, just bawling their eyes out. Have to admit something snapped in me that day. Now don't get me wrong. I had once been the same way, taking this stuff super seriously, treating it like a matter of life and death…As a kid. Even as a teenager. But seeing grown ass adults cry over a stupid football game.....I vowed never to be that person. And I never really took sports that seriously again. Closest I ever came was maybe the 2012-2014 Orioles, but even then, it was only like maybe a 7/10 passion. Nowadays I couldn't care less. Am I dead inside? Yeah, probably.

Anyway, the old Colts hatred more or less died out soon after that playoff matchup. It just wasn't a thing anymore by the 2010s. The Colts have been gone 40 years now. Younger people don't really care and many of the old timers who did are now dead or indifferent to the NFL (this is where my dad is). Plus, the Ravens have two Super Bowl championships. Generations of Baltimore football fans have only known the Ravens. They are truly Baltimore's team now, and have been for a long, long time. 

Now I'm on a Baltimore Stallions kick. This is a pretty cool video...

Jul 1, 2024 17:03:08 GMT Baker said:

Jul 1, 2024 6:17:46 GMT rad said:

I was like "CFL huh? Cool... Wait, 4-5 times? When did you move up north?" completely forgetting the only legit American CFL team was in Baltimore back then. I understand their desire but it's so weird where they expanded in some places. Shreveport!? Really?

Pretty sure the Spirit/Blast played in the same league as the Cleveland Crunch, who I loved watching on ESPN2 as a kid. As much as I enjoyed it, these little fuckers today really take the modern MLS for granted. We have come so, so very far from that era.

Always found it funny how Modell is Judas in Ohio and was even the catalyst for changes to our state laws (which later helped prevent the Crew from leaving Columbus for Austin, TX) but he might as well have been Jesus in Maryland lol. Curious if Papa Baker remained a Colts fan or did he ditch them once they left to adopt another team/the Ravens?

Which reminds me. Neo Zeed I know you live(d) in the Shreveport metropolitan area. Did you ever get Shreveport CFL games on tv?

Yeah, the Cleveland Crunch were in the Spirit's league. I had to check and will confess to not remembering that team. The non-Spirit team I remember most from that league is the Harrisburg Heat. They were our rival. Hated 'em. They were dirtier than a Buddy Ryan coached team. Lee Tschantret(sp?) was the WORST. Funny thing is he later played for a Baltimore team and last I heard was coaching at a fancy private high school in the area. 

My old man hated the Indianapolis Colts with a burning passion. Most Marylanders did. Especially the older generations. I genuinely believe Bob Irsay would have been killed Murder on the Orient Express style had he been dumb/brave enough to walk the streets anywhere in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Put it this way. The Colts started out 0-13 in '86 (the first year I followed football) before finally winning one and my dad was super pissed about this because he wanted them to go winless.

Of course, me being me, I actually became a Colts fan in '87 when they acquired Eric Dickerson and went worst to first. I was also a huge John Elway fanboy when he was Baltimore Public Enemy #2 behind only Irsay. It's safe to say kiddie Baker embraced the heel role. 

My dad would have told you he was a Vikings & Chargers fan in between the Colts and Ravens since he had always liked those teams, but it would be more accurate to say he was a fan of whoever played the team I was rooting for that week lol. We were almost always on opposite sides. He hated the Indy Colts and Redskins. Oh, Redskins were the 2nd least popular team among my peers because the NFL tried pushing them down our throat as the new 'local' team. This was strongly rejected. You have to understand Baltimore has a major inferiority complex, so we hate all things DC, and the old Colts fans never liked the Redskins to begin with. Anyway, my father liked the Stallions and Ravens, but never LOVED them the way he had the Colts.

Colts were still hated by many here through the 2000s. I was a Peyton Manning Guy dating back to his Tennessee days, and a Brady hater, so I often found myself rooting for the 2000s Colts. Especially when the Steelers were out of it. Remember a Ravens/Colts playoff game in 2007 (2006 season) that had huge buzz around town. "Beat Indy" shirts sold like hotcakes. I still see people wearing them from time to time (even see people wearing Baltimore Stallion shirts once in a while). Old memories and old insults were dredged up, making this basically our Super Bowl. Or if you don't want to go that far, it was at least a Revenge Bowl 23 years in the making. 

The Ravens ended up losing a boring field goal fest. I took a walk after the game. It being a gray, drizzly day best suited for naps. I swear there were people crying on the way to their cars. Not just one or two, but many, just bawling their eyes out. Have to admit something snapped in me that day. Now don't get me wrong. I had once been the same way, taking this stuff super seriously, treating it like a matter of life and death…As a kid. Even as a teenager. But seeing grown ass adults cry over a stupid football game.....I vowed never to be that person. And I never really took sports that seriously again. Closest I ever came was maybe the 2012-2014 Orioles, but even then, it was only like maybe a 7/10 passion. Nowadays I couldn't care less. Am I dead inside? Yeah, probably.

Anyway, the old Colts hatred more or less died out soon after that playoff matchup. It just wasn't a thing anymore by the 2010s. The Colts have been gone 40 years now. Younger people don't really care and many of the old timers who did are now dead or indifferent to the NFL (this is where my dad is). Plus, the Ravens have two Super Bowl championships. Generations of Baltimore football fans have only known the Ravens. They are truly Baltimore's team now, and have been for a long, long time. 

Yes we did I remember that well that Summer that was a big deal crazy they couldn’t keep that team going it would have only been bigger over time.

We lived in East Texas which only got Shreveport tv and radio, the Pirates would have been massive over time here, the Mudbugs minor league hockey team has a big following.

Jul 1, 2024 17:03:08 GMT Baker said:

Jul 1, 2024 6:17:46 GMT rad said:

I was like "CFL huh? Cool... Wait, 4-5 times? When did you move up north?" completely forgetting the only legit American CFL team was in Baltimore back then. I understand their desire but it's so weird where they expanded in some places. Shreveport!? Really?

Pretty sure the Spirit/Blast played in the same league as the Cleveland Crunch, who I loved watching on ESPN2 as a kid. As much as I enjoyed it, these little fuckers today really take the modern MLS for granted. We have come so, so very far from that era.

Always found it funny how Modell is Judas in Ohio and was even the catalyst for changes to our state laws (which later helped prevent the Crew from leaving Columbus for Austin, TX) but he might as well have been Jesus in Maryland lol. Curious if Papa Baker remained a Colts fan or did he ditch them once they left to adopt another team/the Ravens?

Which reminds me. Neo Zeed I know you live(d) in the Shreveport metropolitan area. Did you ever get Shreveport CFL games on tv?

Yeah, the Cleveland Crunch were in the Spirit's league. I had to check and will confess to not remembering that team. The non-Spirit team I remember most from that league is the Harrisburg Heat. They were our rival. Hated 'em. They were dirtier than a Buddy Ryan coached team. Lee Tschantret(sp?) was the WORST. Funny thing is he later played for a Baltimore team and last I heard was coaching at a fancy private high school in the area. 

My old man hated the Indianapolis Colts with a burning passion. Most Marylanders did. Especially the older generations. I genuinely believe Bob Irsay would have been killed Murder on the Orient Express style had he been dumb/brave enough to walk the streets anywhere in the Baltimore metropolitan area. Put it this way. The Colts started out 0-13 in '86 (the first year I followed football) before finally winning one and my dad was super pissed about this because he wanted them to go winless.

Of course, me being me, I actually became a Colts fan in '87 when they acquired Eric Dickerson and went worst to first. I was also a huge John Elway fanboy when he was Baltimore Public Enemy #2 behind only Irsay. It's safe to say kiddie Baker embraced the heel role. 

My dad would have told you he was a Vikings & Chargers fan in between the Colts and Ravens since he had always liked those teams, but it would be more accurate to say he was a fan of whoever played the team I was rooting for that week lol. We were almost always on opposite sides. He hated the Indy Colts and Redskins. Oh, Redskins were the 2nd least popular team among my peers because the NFL tried pushing them down our throat as the new 'local' team. This was strongly rejected. You have to understand Baltimore has a major inferiority complex, so we hate all things DC, and the old Colts fans never liked the Redskins to begin with. Anyway, my father liked the Stallions and Ravens, but never LOVED them the way he had the Colts.

Colts were still hated by many here through the 2000s. I was a Peyton Manning Guy dating back to his Tennessee days, and a Brady hater, so I often found myself rooting for the 2000s Colts. Especially when the Steelers were out of it. Remember a Ravens/Colts playoff game in 2007 (2006 season) that had huge buzz around town. "Beat Indy" shirts sold like hotcakes. I still see people wearing them from time to time (even see people wearing Baltimore Stallion shirts once in a while). Old memories and old insults were dredged up, making this basically our Super Bowl. Or if you don't want to go that far, it was at least a Revenge Bowl 23 years in the making. 

The Ravens ended up losing a boring field goal fest. I took a walk after the game. It being a gray, drizzly day best suited for naps. I swear there were people crying on the way to their cars. Not just one or two, but many, just bawling their eyes out. Have to admit something snapped in me that day. Now don't get me wrong. I had once been the same way, taking this stuff super seriously, treating it like a matter of life and death…As a kid. Even as a teenager. But seeing grown ass adults cry over a stupid football game.....I vowed never to be that person. And I never really took sports that seriously again. Closest I ever came was maybe the 2012-2014 Orioles, but even then, it was only like maybe a 7/10 passion. Nowadays I couldn't care less. Am I dead inside? Yeah, probably.

Anyway, the old Colts hatred more or less died out soon after that playoff matchup. It just wasn't a thing anymore by the 2010s. The Colts have been gone 40 years now. Younger people don't really care and many of the old timers who did are now dead or indifferent to the NFL (this is where my dad is). Plus, the Ravens have two Super Bowl championships. Generations of Baltimore football fans have only known the Ravens. They are truly Baltimore's team now, and have been for a long, long time. 

Ngl I shed a little tear when the Bengals ended their playoff drought. I immediately thought of my late grandfather and all the fans who didn't get to see it and you just had to be a fan of the team to really understand. We'd been a punch line for so damn long, it was a gigantic weight being lifted off the city, all of Western/Southern OH & Northern KY.

But to cry as an adult over losing a playoff game? Yeah, no. Unless you're the Falcons (and even then) there's no justification for that lol

Jun 30, 2024 23:24:39 GMT Baker said:

Saw a ton of Orioles games, 50 at a conservative estimate, between 85-86 and 2014

In an absolutely mad project, I've been researching all the Oriole games I remember attending and plan on making a monster post (or series of posts) chronicling them over the next few days. In the meantime, here's a cross post from the Old School NFL Thread chronicling all the football games I attended...

10/27/89 Jets vs. Colts- Old Timers Flag Football Game- Memorial Stadium- This was the 20th anniversary of stupid Super Bowl III. Basically, Baltimore boomer bait. Only thing I remember is some Jet jerk tackling a Colt to massive heel heat. Hoping I at least helped boo stupid Joe Namath out of the stadium.

8/27/92 Dolphins vs. Saints- Preseason Game- Memorial Stadium- This was a trial run to see if the NFL could still draw in Baltimore since we were under consideration for an expansion team that ultimately ended up going to Jacksonville & Carolina. It drew over 60,000 but we still didn't get a team because stupid Paul TagliaBOO hated Baltimore. Or at least that was the local narrative at the time. Remember nothing about the game other than it being hot.

94-95- Three or four Baltimore Stallions CFL games at Memorial Stadium. I LOVED the Stallions and the CFL! Had a hat and everything! Still have it! They were the toast of Baltimore for a minute there. Don't remember the opponents or results. Do remember once going on the field at halftime to win a bookbag full of Oreos by throwing a football to a man in a giant cookie costume. Remind me to tell you the full story some time.

11/23/97 Cardinals vs. Ravens- Memorial Stadium- My first proper NFL game was a field goal fest between two bottom feeding teams. I "remembered" this being an overtime "thriller." Wrong! Cards actually won on a late field goal. Meh close enough. Went with my brother and the Three Brothers from my 90s wrestling fan clique. Strongest memory of this game is honestly waiting for their dad to pick us up afterwards. The middle brother picked his car out from many blocks away because he recognized the headlights. I called shenanigans. Turned out he was right, I was wrong.
Addendum: Pretty sure tickets to this game was the Middle Brother's birthday present. His present two years earlier? Tix to Survivor Series 95, baby! Meaning the Middle Brother's (my least favorite of the 3!) birthday inadvertently had a major impact on my life.

Sometime between 98-00 Steelers vs. Ravens- PSINet Stadium- Vaguely recall going to a Steelers/Ravens game during this era. No memory of the game beyond that though. Steelers won in Baltimore all three years which neither helps nor hurts in narrowing it down. Would have went with my dad and ?

12/27/98 Ravens vs. Lions- PSINet Stadium- Went with my 90s wrestling fan cousin to see two cellar dweller teams play a meaningless game in cold, rainy conditions on the last weekend of the regular season. It was basically depression in football form. BUT this game would become retroactively important because it was the final game in the legendary career of Barry Sanders. Also notable for (probably) being the first game I ever drove to.

12/19/99? Ravens vs. Saints- PSINet Stadium- Remember going to a Saints game because they were my favorite team once upon a time. 96 is too early and 02 too late. So it must have been this one. Again, no memory of the actual game beyond going with my dad and his new people.

9/10/00- Ravens vs. Jaguars- PSINet Stadium- Easily the best and most memorable football game I ever attended. This was a wild back and forth shootout with the Ravens ultimately prevailing over the hated Jags*. Only recently did I discover I went to a game during the Ravens Super Bowl winning season. I turned on them this year while most of my previously indifferent friends hopped on the bandwagon. They somehow scored 39 points in this one! They'd later go multiple weeks without scoring a single touchdown lol. Again, went with my dad and his girlfriend

*Stole our expansion team. Upset the mighty Broncos in the playoffs that one year. Had stupid Tony Boselli. Beat the Ravens 8 straight times before this one. Yeah, I hated the stupid Jags in those days.

10/20/05- Virginia Tech vs. Maryland- Byrd Stadium- Went to my lone high profile college football game on a last minute whim with a lady friend who had attended VT and her sister. Tech was a highly ranked team quarterbacked by Michael Vick's brother Marcus while I'm sure Maryland was mediocre as usual. Terps played them close in the first half before VT pulled away. Brother, Cousin, and Governor Bob Ehrlich were also at this game on the other end of the stadium. Remember meeting up with my relatives at halftime. They told me they shook Governor Ehrlich's hand and Cousin asked him why he didn't have sideburns.

Jul 4, 2024 2:15:09 GMT Baker said:

In an absolutely mad project, I've been researching all the Oriole games I remember attending and plan on making a monster post (or series of posts) chronicling them over the next few days. 

After a few days of serious research, I am finally ready to get this show on the road. This is as much for my own personal records as for PW. Hope you read it though!

5/16/86?: Orioles 4, A's 8- Date is an educated guess. First game I remember going to was against the A's and I remember Carney Lansford playing for them. That name stuck with me. Went with just my dad. His car was in the shop, so my mom drove us, and we took the bus home. This was also my first time riding the bus. This was during my first year of little league baseball so I'm guessing my dad took me in an attempt to make me a baseballholic. It didn't take...yet. I enjoyed playing (to an extent) but did not yet desire to watch. Tbh I remember getting bored/tired as this night game dragged on, didn’t like all the noise, and we left early, though I did appreciate the novelty at first.

7/26/86: Orioles 2, White Sox 1- What a difference two months makes. Now I am a full-fledged baseball fanatic. You know how I was with wrestling in 95-96? That's how I was with baseball in the Summer of '86. When that summer started my mom would often walk my brother and I down the street to Rite Aid where she would buy us a pack of beautiful Topps baseball cards. That's all we needed. Went to this game with my whole family- dad, mom, and brother. It was wild to see my Oriole heroes in the flesh while the White Sox offered a touch of exoticism what with coming from the faraway land of Chicago. It just felt like the biggest thing in the world to kiddie me. And there was no bigger hero in my world than.....Jim Traber. LOL. The Orioles rookie sensation was the talk of the town. He was killing it filling in for injured longtime star first baseman Eddie Murray who had gone on the DL. Sadly, Traber's career peaked here. He never did much afterwards. It would be a stretch to even call him a journeyman. Amused by the fact my first baseball hero was Jim Traber and the first non-Oriole I knew of was Carney Lansford. Still remember my mom, who was neither then nor now a proponent of violence, saying she wanted to see two things- a home run and a fight. Full disclosure, she doesn’t remember this. But I swear it happened! Well, my mom didn't get the home run, but she did get to see a fight! When hotheaded Orioles catcher Rick Dempsey charged the mound after getting hit with a pitch. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon game which gave it a different perspective than that previous night game. The stadium was enormous! Filled with so many people! And I had never seen such beautiful grass! So green, so well-manicured. Really the platonic ideal of grass. The bespectacled teenager sitting behind me accidentally squirted mustard onto my shirt. My mom was not happy about this. But the Orioles won, meaning all was right with the world. A highlight of my life up to that point. Still didn’t care for all the noise tho.

6/27/89: Orioles 16, Blue Jays 6- This was during the magical "Why Not" season. It even made the documentary! Went to this game with my school frenemy Brian, his old man, and possibly another kid or two, one of whom perhaps being a future convicted murderer. One week earlier I watched my first ever R rated movie (Predator) with this same crew. Remembered Jay Tibbs starting for the O's, the final being "16-5," and worked it out from there. 

*I went to at least one game a year from 86 to 99-00ish, but don't remember every game I ever saw, so there will be gaps. Worth noting my mom and brother went to game in 1991 where a ball hit a bird and they got Ernie Whitt's autograph. Can't remember why I didn't go to that one.

May 92 or June 93: Orioles beat Mariners- Memorable because we walked from my grandmother's place to the harbor and took a boat across the water to this game. It was a night game, I thought on a Friday, but it may have been a Saturday. And I thought this was a game featuring some Chris Hoiles heroics, but I once again may have got my wires crossed. I do remember the Orioles winning. May have also been my first trip to Camden Yards (they left venerable old Memorial Stadium in 1991) but somehow, I doubt that.

The Chris Hoiles Game?- He hit a walkoff grand slam on 5/17/96 against the Mariners(!) and 2 grand slams in one game against the Indians on 8/14/98, but the Indians game feels like it came too late, and I can't help thinking I'd remember a walkoff grand slam in a more specific manner than a vague "Chris Hoiles did something good." Otoh that walkoff grand slam game was against the Mariners.... 

4/24/94 Orioles 6 Mariners 7- Orioles flamethrowing southpaw reliever Brad Pennington was basically supposed to be Johnny Rhodes....and I suppose he was because he gave up an absolute moonshot to a legendary left-handed slugger with a sweet swing. Only this time it was Ken Griffey Jr. rather than Roy Hobbs. And that one pitch cost the Orioles this game. Sat in right center with my family.

4/25/94? Orioles 8, A's 6- The Stan Javier Game. I "remembered" the journeyman A's outfielder hitting two triples. Wrong! That game appears to have existed only in my head. But here he hit a double and a homer, so it's probably this game. I can find no better option. Also means I went to back-to-back games. This would happen again in '95 if my research is to be believed, and I am 90% sure it is indeed accurate.

7/9/94 Orioles 8, A's 7- Memorable because Steve Ontiveros started for the A's, and Steve Ontiveros starting for the A's in 1994was a real "Tatanka in 2006 WWE" moment. Like where did they dig this guy up? I had his 1986 Topps card! Then I didn't hear a peep about him for 8 years. Then BAM! He's suddenly starting for the A's again like it's still 1986. So weird! But also memorable. And what’s even weirder is Ontiveros won the ERA title during this strike-shortened campaign.

*1994 fun fact. Lee Smith was our closer that year. It took him 5 minutes to walk from the bullpen to the mound. We loved it. Popped every time.

7/31/95? Orioles 3, Blue Jays 6- If I'm right, and I think I am, this is the most STUFF HAPPENING game I ever attended. It starts in batting practice. By this point we often had seats in left center by the bullpen and had learned to come early for BP in the hope of catching a batting practice homer. It was me, my brother, the Eldest of the Three Brothers, and our rather obnoxious (but in a good way!) friend Adam who gave off Eddie Haskell vibes and loved playing the heel. Adam and my brother had walked down closer to the fence, so it was Eldest and I in our seats. I was eating a hot dog or something when Paul Molitor crushes one that lands about a seat over and one row back from where I'm sitting. I just casually watch it land and take a massive bounce without moving a muscle.  I got nuclear heat from the boys for that lack of effort.

Sitting by the bullpen meant we got to talk to/heckle the relievers. Most of the time we were ignored by the opposition and given a nod of acknowledgement by the hometown heroes. Oh, you also have to realize the Blue Jays were Public Enemy #1. They were my least favorite MLB team from 89 until....well, right around this time, and I/we HATED their manager, Cito Gaston. For years "Cito Sucks" was a very popular chant Camden Yards. But, for some reason, perhaps amused rather than put off by our antics, two Blue Jay relievers, Tim Crabtree & Ricardo Jordan, actually started talking to us. These two rookies just chatting away with 3 obnoxious teens and my non-obnoxious brother. If I have my dates right, Ricardo Jordan actually got the save here. The first one of his career. I always rooted for those two after this. They were cool dudes.

Remember me listing "obnoxiousness" as Adam's defining character trait? Well, he was his usual heelish self throughout the game, including heckling venerable Orioles bullpen coach Elrod Hendricks. Oh, it gets worse. Adam wasn't even an Orioles fan. He was a Yankees fan!   Anyway, after the game Elrod, always a gentleman and a scholar, is signing autographs when Adam gets to the front of the line. Elrod stops what he's doing, kisses his hand, turns around, smacks his own ass, and walks away, basically telling Adam to kiss his ass without actually saying it. Had the rest of us rolling. Legendary move by the veteran Oriole coach.  Elrod 1, Adam 0. Oh, and I remember Pat Hentgen starting for the Jays. That’s how I was able to narrow down the date.

8/1/95: Orioles 10, Blue Jays 12- Back-to-back part 2. This time I'm in right center with my brother, dad, and either my mom or a friend who isn't Adam. O's are looking good with a 10-6 lead going into the 9th. Shaky closer Doug Jones comes out in relief. The crowd groans. But we've got a 4 run cushion. Not even Doug Jones could blow this one, right? WRONG! He gives up 6. We lose again to the stupid Blue Jays. Doug Jones leaves to a chorus of boos. Even I was booing, and I was loathe to boo Orioles. Doug Jones should have been awesome. He had a great mustache, a funky sidearmed delivery in the style of Dennis Eckersley, and three speeds- slow, slower, and slowest. He had success elsewhere. Was great with Cleveland in particular. Had even been an Orioles killer iirc. But he SUCKED during his one year as our closer in '95. Iirc this is where he FINALLY lost his closer privileges.