tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31563533410329950132024-03-13T19:46:18.843-07:00Museum Moments & MusingsBabe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-67404517640467273642012-07-16T09:13:00.000-07:002012-07-16T09:13:20.204-07:00NEWS AND NOTES<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2WYo9Eyr3vc/UAQ8-PW32_I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/But9BbCgOK0/s1600/babe_ruth_h_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2WYo9Eyr3vc/UAQ8-PW32_I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/But9BbCgOK0/s320/babe_ruth_h_0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After all my thirty years at the museum, I am still slightly
amazed how the <b>Babe Ruth</b> ‘brand’ continues
to hold its top-rung spot in the sports heritage universe, as well as the world
of sports collectables. Just the other day a rare photo of the bat-wielding
slugger in his Red Sox uniform made the internet rounds, setting off all kinds
of excitement. Last month, Ruth’s road Yankee’s uniform went for a record $4.4
million. Sports fans and collectors just don’t seem to be able to get enough of
<st1:city w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:city>’s
Bambino. I just wish there was a turn-back-the-clock machine so I could witness
the Ruthian whirlwind in up- close-and-personal living color! </div>
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Every year the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation hosts a gala
fundraiser to support our mission of preserving local sports heritage, and this
year’s edition promises to be something special. On September 5, at the
Baltimore Hilton at Camden Yards, we will salute Cal Ripken and Eddie Murray,
two of the most iconic and beloved Orioles of all time. “<b>An Evening with Cal and Eddie</b>” promises a unique, first-hand
opportunity for fans to enjoy the candor of a fireside chat between these Hall
of Fame baseball brothers. WBAL’s Keith Mills will moderate the program, with
several VIP guests set to pop in.
Tickets went on sale this week, and you can get yours by calling the
museum at 410-727-1539. Reserve your spot today for what promises to be an once-in-a-lifetime
experience.</div>
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I hope many of you can stop by the museum’s booth at the
upcoming <b>National Sports Collectors
Convention</b> in <st1:city w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:city>
August 1-5. We will be featuring some rare Ruth and Baltimore sports artifacts
that should make your visit well worth the effort. Thanks to Ray Schulte for
his kind assist with this project.</div>
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Back in January I prognosticated that 2012 just might be the
<b>“Year of Our Birds</b>.” And while the
boys of Buck Schowalter may not be pennant bound, they certainly have provided <st1:city w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:city> fans with a
satisfying first half of a season. As I wrote six months ago, it is always all
about pitching, pitching, pitching, so if the team can somehow straighten out
the starting rotation, we might still be root-root-rooting come September. The
team’s winning start, by the way, has jumped average attendance by about 4,500
per game, the third highest climb in the majors this year. Here’s hoping the
show goes on!</div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-59272676674804234502012-06-22T13:45:00.001-07:002012-06-22T13:45:15.170-07:00Baltimore Sports Writers Forum<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7VLucHyaJrc/T-TZHktXuDI/AAAAAAAAAFE/uiuvVdZGvlA/s1600/Sports+Reporters+panelists.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7VLucHyaJrc/T-TZHktXuDI/AAAAAAAAAFE/uiuvVdZGvlA/s320/Sports+Reporters+panelists.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white;">Last night our Sports Legends Museum partnered with the
Baltimore Sun to present a Sports Writers Forum at Johns Hopkins University’s
Shriver Hall. Former and current Sun baseball writers Tim Kurkjian, Ken
Rosenthal, Roch Kubatko and Ed Encina entertained</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">the 300 fans or so who braved Baltimore’s 102
degree heat assault to take in the more than 100 years of collective clubhouse
experience these four brought to the table.</span></div>
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And while they provided the expected behind-the-scenes
insight most everyone had anticipated, they also proved to be funny as all get
out. The diminutive Kurkjian, on one occasion, related how when he was a young
reporter working for a Dallas newspaper, he was sent to the home of the owner
of one of Dallas’ professional sports teams to try and scoop a breaking story. So
he knocks on the front door of the owner’s posh home, and when the guy answers,
Kurkjian says, “Hi, I’m Tim Kurkjian from the Dallas Morning News.” And,
without missing a beat, the guy responds to the teen-aged looking beat writer,
“Oh, gosh, l’m sorry, I forgot to pay this month’s bill. How much do I owe
you?”!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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There were stories about certain players not liking certain
writers, about how a large number of big-leaguers make discreet use of pine
tar, about the impact social media has on their reporting careers, and about
the extraordinary deadline demands of their jobs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But make no mistake, these extremely talented writers exuded
huge passion for what they do, and thank their lucky stars to be fortunate
enough to cover the game they’ve loved since childhood, up close and personal.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Great night, wish you could have been there!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mike Gibbons<o:p></o:p></div>
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Executive Director</div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-4539912309883623272012-05-25T15:40:00.000-07:002012-05-29T09:41:42.045-07:00What’s the Value?With the advent of television shows like <i>Antiques Roadshow</i>, <i>American Pickers</i>, <i>All Star
Dealers</i> and <i>P<st1:personname w:st="on">aw</st1:personname>n
Stars</i> the world of the museum curator has changed. What was once a steady stream of object
donations for museums and historical societies has been reduced to a
trickle. People now think that somewhere
in the boxes of family mementos is the golden ticket, the untapped treasure
that is going to pay for their kid’s college education or build them a
retirement home on a <st1:place w:st="on">Caribbean</st1:place> island. Sadly, the notion of preserving something for
future generations has been overshadowed by the hope for a cash payout.<br />
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Every week I get telephone calls from people wondering if
their memorabilia has any value. And
while I usually answer “yes,” my answer seldom equates to the cash reward the
caller is hoping for. See…objects and
memorabilia have three types of value; historical, financial and
sentimental. Every item has some, but
the latter most often tips the scales.</div>
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I usually start by asking some questions. “Is the item from a memorable moment in
time? Was it used by a legend in the
sporting world? Does it have a specific
story to tell?” These questions help
determine if the item has historical value.
Is it something a museum would want to exhibit?</div>
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The process gets difficult because historical value often
leads to financial value. But not all
items with financial value have historical value. It is complicated. A signed Babe Ruth baseball may be worth
thousands of dollars but have no historical significance other than being
signed by the Bambino. Now the dilemma
of what to do with the item starts to take form. Should it be preserved in a museum or sold
for a financial sum?</div>
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The process gets even more complicated when the item has
been passed down from generation to generation.
Now emotion has entered the picture.
That same Babe Ruth baseball may have financial value for being
autographed and sentimental value if the autograph was obtained by Grandpa when
he was a kid. Sentimental value is important.
It is the reason why we have boxes of mementos and memorabilia in our
attics in the first place.</div>
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Ultimately, determining value is very difficult. Not everything in those attic boxes is going
to sell at auction for a handsome sum.
Your father’s knitted Baltimore Colts hat has very little historical or
financial value. It is definitely not
going to be that golden ticket. But its
value lies in the story it tells about the person who cherished it.…and in the
end that story lasts longer than any reward from a quick sale.</div>
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<o:p><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></em></o:p></div>
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<o:p><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Shawn Herne is the Chief Curator for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</em>
</o:p></div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-1847676212874744822012-05-15T07:49:00.000-07:002012-05-24T07:56:24.926-07:00Ode to the Preakness<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6umTPis_GE/T75L9Sd2l7I/AAAAAAAAAE4/rnxw42zNn2Y/s1600/%236+Preakness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6umTPis_GE/T75L9Sd2l7I/AAAAAAAAAE4/rnxw42zNn2Y/s320/%236+Preakness.jpg" width="212" /></a>The Preakness is sponsored by the Maryland Jockey Club, the
oldest professional sporting association in the country. It also serves as the
face of <st1:state w:st="on">Maryland</st1:state>
horse racing, the one day of the year when Pimlico’s turnstiles flap to capacity
and her betting windows rake in the green. </div>
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The Preakness is hand-painted Black-Eyed-Susans, the call of
bugles, boisterous silk hats, the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Naval</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Academy</st1:placetype></st1:place> chorus, network
coverage, the Woodlawn Vase, and front-lawn parking at $25 a pop. </div>
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It is run at ‘Old Hilltop,’ before a mixed crowd of
upperly-crusted elite and beer-swilling sun worshippers. It is the
hopes-and-dreams of owners and trainers, a national platform for state
politicos, and the year’s top chance of being noticed for the who’s who crowd.</div>
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It is beautiful women and dashing dudes, yellow summer
dresses, white bucks and bow-ties, eagerly watching as the field of
thoroughbreds loads into the starting gate.</div>
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But mostly the Preakness is <st1:city w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:city>’s
annual opportunity to slip back to the days before the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Inner</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Harbor</st1:placetype></st1:place>
and Camden Yards, when steamboats and the B&O ruled the Bay and beyond.
Simpler days, when the locals were more parochial than global, more cultured
than course, and the second leg of racing’s Triple Crown was our cozy city’s
chance to shine in the national spotlight.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4NzvjDJbjcY/T75L8Mjn2kI/AAAAAAAAAEw/gHdznMFh30Q/s1600/%2311+Head+On+2004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4NzvjDJbjcY/T75L8Mjn2kI/AAAAAAAAAEw/gHdznMFh30Q/s400/%2311+Head+On+2004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-87805371084208310582012-05-11T12:35:00.001-07:002012-05-11T12:37:33.766-07:00JON MILLER TO MAKE APPEARANCE FOR MUSEUM<br />
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<b><i> May 22nd Fireside Chat to Celebrate Broadcaster’s 14 years in Baltimore</i></b></div>
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There’s a
reason why Jon Miller is enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The
winner of baseball’s prestigious Ford Frick Award for excellence in
broadcasting, Miller combines the uncanny ability to call a play as it unfolds
with the unique talent of humorous, insightful storytelling.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Zw3DVmzy6g/T61qTCF1NXI/AAAAAAAAAEk/_cBjeoBvYF8/s1600/BRM---Jon-Miller-website-image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Zw3DVmzy6g/T61qTCF1NXI/AAAAAAAAAEk/_cBjeoBvYF8/s400/BRM---Jon-Miller-website-image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I met Jon
in the winter of 1983, the year he came to <st1:city w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:city> to broadcast Orioles baseball on
WFBR radio. I had heard that he could do a pretty fair Babe Ruth impersonation,
and I was looking for a voice for a Babe Ruth animatron we were producing. We
met in <st1:city w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:city>
just before he headed south to spring training that year, and he ‘auditioned’
his Ruthian impression for me in his room at the Belvedere Hotel. I was sold,
hook, line and sinker. The next day Jon laid down six short scripts at a local
recording studio, and over the course of that one-hour session sound engineer
Betsy Harmatz and I came to learn what a treasure Baltimore was about to
embrace. In between takes he charmed us with his extraordinary wit and humor,
reeling off one-liners like a baseball version of Johnny Carson.</div>
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For the
next fourteen years Miller was the voice of Baltimore Orioles baseball,
delighting us with his calls of the 1983 World Series victory over
Philadelphia, the 1989 “Why Not” season, the opening of Oriole Park, “2131” and
Eddie Murray’s 500<sup>th</sup> home run. But of all his special moments in <st1:city w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:city>, Jon says the
one that stays with him the most is the night in 1988 when the Orioles came
home to Memorial Stadium with a record of 1-23. That was when they started the
season 0-21, setting an all-time MLB record for season-starting futility. That
night at Memorial Stadium, 51,000 fans showed up to root on their orange and
black. They called it Fantastic Fans night, and the <st1:city w:st="on">HOF</st1:city> broadcaster says he never saw anything
like it, before or since.</div>
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Jon Miller
will be at Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Central Library on May 22 for “Sports
Legends Museum presents Jon Miller,” one of several programs our museum is
doing to celebrate the 20<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the opening of Oriole
Park. That night, after a meet and greet with fans, Jon will take to the stage
to once again share with his Baltimore fans the sense of humor and hyperbole
that landed him in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.</div>
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<b><i>For ticket information for “Sports Legends Museum presents Jon Miller,”
call 410-727-1539.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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Mike Gibbons</div>
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Executive Director</div>
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Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation</div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-30011153317270913522012-05-04T17:22:00.005-07:002012-05-04T17:22:53.137-07:00Behind the Scenes for the Opening of Oriole Park<br />
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In the hectic days and weeks counting down to the opening of
Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 1992, with our museum engaged in myriad
activities and events, my primary focus was the dedication ceremony that had
been scheduled during the Saturday evening, April 4<sup>th</sup>, black-tie
gala that would provide 4,000 guests with a sneak preview of what everyone else
would see at the home opener two days later.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gOWK1ZpE9N4/T6Ryh8mAdDI/AAAAAAAAAEY/7R2kXuNxSh4/s1600/BRM+Speech.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gOWK1ZpE9N4/T6Ryh8mAdDI/AAAAAAAAAEY/7R2kXuNxSh4/s200/BRM+Speech.png" width="183" /></a> My job was
to write the park’s dedication speech, to be recited by none other than the
distinguished actor, James Earl Jones, and then establish a long-distance line
of communication with the “Field of Dreams” star, presently in <st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region> working
on a new feature film. Back then, before the days of global internet and
cellular service, transatlantic dialogue was slow and tedious, but by the time
he arrived in <st1:city w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:city>
the afternoon of the 4<sup>th</sup>, we had edited the speech to his liking,
while at the same time securing the signoffs of Maryland Governor William
Donald Schaefer and Orioles president Larry Lucchino.<o:p></o:p></div>
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With an
able assist from <st1:city w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:city> actor and museum
enthusiast Doug Roberts, I was also working with the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Morgan</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">State</st1:placename></st1:place>
choir, which was providing a wonderful choral arrangement to accompany Mr.
Jones’ powerfully evocative baritone testimonial. Doug and I enjoyed an
afternoon rehearsal led by Morgan’s choirmaster, the brilliant Nathan Carter,
before I set off to fetch James Earl from a high-end downtown hotel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While
waiting for the famous actor in the hotel lobby, I was entertained by a
formally attired bride and groom, who were just about to exchange their nuptial
vows near the hotel’s grand staircase. But then down those steps strode Mr.
Jones, whose celebrity caused a brief hiccup in the ceremony, as the bride and
groom stopped to get his autograph!<o:p></o:p></div>
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A couple of
hours later, with the gala in full swing, Doug, James and I awaited our
ceremony cue in the Orioles’ not-yet-used clubhouse. Small talk dripped to dry as
the minutes ticked away, but then James broke the silence. “Michael,” he said,
“I have to pee!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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And then it
was show time. The choir sang, the actor spoke, the new ball park was
dedicated, and my words never sounded so good!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Happy 20<sup>th</sup>
anniversary, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, you remain baseball’s best!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mike Gibbons<o:p></o:p></div>
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Babe Ruth Birthplace and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Sports</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Legends</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Museum</st1:placetype></st1:place><o:p></o:p></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on"><br /></st1:placetype></st1:place></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Mike Gibbons is the executive director for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</i>
</st1:placetype></st1:place></div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-21667801147741789882012-04-05T07:37:00.000-07:002012-04-05T07:37:41.915-07:00An Ode to Opening Day<div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3nmUyUbZFyA/T32t5CcYw5I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/rHhx4aTc05c/s1600/Os+Opening+Day+Block+Park.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3nmUyUbZFyA/T32t5CcYw5I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/rHhx4aTc05c/s200/Os+Opening+Day+Block+Park.JPG" width="200" /></a>For Baltimore baseball fans, Opening Day conjures up a myriad of sentiments and sensations that tug close to the heart and delve deep into the mind. It also signals the restart of the day-to-day rituals associated with following our home team Orioles. Like getting up each morning, coffee, cream and sugar, to pour over yesterday’s line score and where we are in the standings, which spills over to a string of mental probes centered on our prospects for the next game up. Can the starting pitcher get into the seventh? Will the GM call up the Double-A hotshot who’s been ripping it up a Bowie? Will the return of the cartoon bird bring about a magical return to our winning ways (how’d that one slip in there?). Is the left-fielder really fast enough to bat leadoff? And on and on it goes, every day, for six months. Morning to night. The daily ritual of baseball fandom.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But Opening Day also means the smell of cut grass, of fathers and sons, side-by-side, year after year. Of playing catch, the iconic crucible of horsehide pounding leather. And getting out of school early and feeling special. And wearing that old Orioles warm-up jacket, and being proud it still almost fits. And remembering other home openers, from the first time you walked up the ramp and saw the perfectly manicured green and brown diamond in 1954, to the sunny April 1<sup>st</sup> day when the wind chill was so severe they called the game and all the media at first took it for an April Fools joke. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But mostly Opening Day is about renewal; the real start of Spring, when we look forward with hope to the new season, while at the same time remembering and sensing all that came before, all that got us to this moment in time. Baltimoreans have a long tradition of Orioles’ home openers that dates back to 1882, the year the team took its name. Since then they’ve played in the American Association, the National League, the International League and the American League, but play they have, establishing one of the great legacies in all of sport. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And for <st1:city w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:city> baseball fans, the startup of yet another campaign brings all those years and all those team, and all their fans, and all those memories, together to make for one hell of an orange and black smorgasborg!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Happy Opening Day, Baltimore!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Mike Gibbons<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Executive Director of the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation<o:p></o:p></i></div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-91980165848342463902012-04-04T06:18:00.000-07:002012-04-04T06:18:05.139-07:00For this Bird fan, Hope Springs Eternal<div class="MsoNormal">Every year around this time, baseball fans begin evaluating their team’s chances for the fast-approaching regular season, and –in turn- predicting their place in the standings, a post-season appearance, or, even a championship! Here in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:place></st1:city>, most fans are far more pessimistic than otherwise, and for good reason. That’s what 14 straight losing seasons does.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But this fan, for one, predicts that things will start to turn for the better in 2012, and that’s because pitching is the name of this game, and I am really starting to believe that this years’ Birds might be a whole lot better than anyone is anticipating. And because history, every once in a while, repeats itself.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Here’s what I’m getting to: in 1960, the team’s 7<sup>th</sup> year in the league, our Orioles enjoyed their first-ever pennant chase. They went into mid-September challenging the Yankees for first place supremacy, and even swept three from <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state> here in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:place></st1:city> before folding down the stretch. They were able to make that run primarily on the good arms of a very young pitching staff, nicknamed the “Baby Birds.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Guided by veterans like Skinny Brown and Hoyt Wilhelm, five young pitchers, Steve Barber, Chuck Estrada, Jack Fisher, Milt Pappas and Jerry Walker propelled <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:place></st1:city> to 89 wins, a second place finish, and a league-low 3.54 ERA. Their average age…21!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Which brings me to my optimism over this year’s installment of Baltimore Orioles baseball. Over this past off-season, new GM Dan Duquette’s top priority was loading up with enough arms to give manager Buck Showalter some real competition for starting sports and relievers. From where I’m watching, the plan looks like it just might be working. Through Monday night’s 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh, Showalter’s hurlers have held the opposition to an ERA just under 3.00, the fourth lowest in MLB this spring!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Can this carry over into the regular season and all those games against American League East opponents? Certainly not, but I think this year’s pitching corps is markedly better than the 2011 group, and if pitching is the name of the game, then might we not be in for a pleasant surprise?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I think so. Just call me mister optimistic. Let’s revisit this in September and see if history, indeed, can repeat itself!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Mike Gibbons is the executive director for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</i> </div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-15461511104005564112012-03-09T17:03:00.000-08:002012-03-09T17:03:45.689-08:00Why I’m a Little Optimistic<div class="MsoNormal">This year is the 20<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. It is hard to believe it has been twenty years. Think back to all the hope and excitement we had back then. The Birds were going to soar to new heights. And they did…for a while.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">By now you might be thinking this is going to be another piece about all the losing seasons…the empty seats at Oriole Park…or the lack of this and that in the clubhouse. It isn’t. The arm-chair managers have all said that more than we care to listen.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Instead, I’m a little optimistic about this upcoming season and it is not because we have a new GM or new acquisitions in the clubhouse. I’m optimistic because we have seen this before. I want to offer a little hope about what this season could be. Hope, that is, if you are just a little superstitious.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">At the end of the 1991 season the Orioles left Memorial Stadium. The team went 67-95, scored only 686 runs and allowed 796. They were 6<sup>th</sup> in the A.L. East. Fast forward twenty years. The 2011 Orioles were 69-93, scored 708 runs and allowed 860. The Birds were 5<sup>th</sup> in the A.L. East. On paper, the numbers were quite the same.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But the 1991 Orioles had some big names on their roster. Cal Ripken, Chris Hoiles, Brady Anderson, David Segui, Mike Mussina…all were part of that losing team. But they had potential. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The following year the Orioles went 89-73. They finished third in the A.L East and were only 7 games back of first place at the end of the season. And that is the beauty of baseball. The fortunes of any team can change from season to season. Losers one year can be playoff contenders the next. The lineup in 1992 hadn’t changed much in an off-season but the team certainly had.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m not looking at 2012 as another year of the same ol’- same ol’. Instead, I’m looking for that same magic that took a losing team in 1991 and made it a winning team in 1992. That Oriole Magic that might make this 20<sup>th</sup> anniversary a real year to celebrate.</div><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Shawn Herne is the Chief Curator for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</em>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-1233712266094264532012-03-07T08:41:00.000-08:002012-03-07T08:41:50.791-08:00Heroes<div class="MsoNormal">As a kid growing up in northern <st1:state w:st="on">New York</st1:state> and southern <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Quebec</st1:place></st1:state> in the 1970s and 1980s I was a Montreal Expos fan. There weren’t a lot of us, but we still loved our team. Gary Carter was my favorite. He was “the Kid” and I thought he was amazing behind the plate.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">During those years I also loved auto racing. Formula One driver Ayrton Senna was my hero. I couldn’t wait for my family’s annual trip to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Montreal</st1:place></st1:city> to see the cars race. Senna was “the Brilliant Brazilian.” He was incredible behind the wheel of a car…faster than anybody else. I was probably his biggest fan.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On May 1, 1994 Senna was killed at the San Marino Grand Prix. The steering on his car broke and he hit the wall. A piece of the suspension pierced his helmet. As I stared at the television as the medical crews tried to save him I knew it was over. My hero just died before my eyes. A piece of my childhood was over.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is odd the deep bonds we develop with our favorite athletes. As kids we know everything about them, we dream of being like them, we hope to follow in their footsteps. It is hero worship in its purest form. We are crushed when they are traded, saddened when they retire, and mournful when they pass <st1:personname w:st="on">aw</st1:personname>ay.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In 1986, I felt that way about Gary Carter. I couldn’t believe he was going to the Mets! Not the Mets! I was angry! I was betrayed! But he had a stellar career there and deserved to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I was proud he went in as an Expo.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Today I’m a little sad…not just because another one of my childhood heroes is gone, but because a great man of only 57 years has left us. His battle with cancer was probably more heroic than any of his accomplishments on the ball field. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I never met him, personally, but he was still a part of my childhood. He was a great player. Thanks for the memories, <st1:city w:st="on">Gary</st1:city>…and thanks for giving a kid in northern <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state> a hero to follow!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><em style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Shawn Herne is the Chief Curator for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</em></div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-91360970751090483692012-01-30T11:03:00.000-08:002012-01-30T11:05:49.657-08:00The Year of the Bird<div class="MsoNormal">Now that the Ravens have been literally ‘kicked’ out of the playoffs, it is only natural that <st1:city w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:city>’s sports attention shifts to baseball, with pitchers and catchers due to report to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sarasota</st1:place></st1:city> in less than three weeks. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I don’t know about you, but I get pretty jazzed up over the start of spring training every year. It is a time when baseball fans everywhere get to think big and dream the improbable. In <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Baltimore</st1:place></st1:city>, where we have suffered 14 consecutive losing seasons, we wonder if our young arms can rebound from a mostly disastrous 2011. We wonder about new GM Dan Duquette. We wonder if this might just be the Year of our Birds.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">After listening to Buck Showalter and Brady Anderson at an event at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Sports</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Legends</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Museum</st1:placetype></st1:place> the other night, and then again to Scott McGregor at a stop on the Hot Stove baseball banquet over the weekend, I have reason to believe it just may be.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Brady, who was recently appointed as a special assistant to Mr. Duquette, has been working this off-season with a handful of players on conditioning and strength. He says the exercise has gone well, especially with Brian Matusz, who never recovered from an early season injury lat year and wound up going 1-9 with a 10.69 ERA! Brady thinks things will be different for the young left-hander this season, and I trust Brady.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I trust our manager, too. Buck Showalter knows the game, knows his team, and on top of that is a full-fledged history buff. He is more than aware of the proud tradition of Baltimore Orioles baseball, and seems hell bent on restoring that tradition. At Legends, Buck told us that while Dan Duquette may not have any blockbuster moves under his belt thus far, he has created better depth throughout the system, while at the same time acquiring enough arms to create a legitimate competition for the five starting rotation spots.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Finally, there was something Scott McGregor said at the Oldtimers Baseball banquet on Sunday that, quite frankly, I had forgotten about. Scott recalled that at the end of last season, mid-way through September, to be exact, the Orioles competition pretty much was all contenders, and we won four series and tied one!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So if we could consistently beat <st1:state w:st="on">New York</st1:state>, <st1:city w:st="on">Boston</st1:city>, <st1:placename w:st="on">Tampa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype>, <st1:city w:st="on">Detroit</st1:city> and <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state>, powerhouses all, as they were all vying for playoff berths, then why can’t we carry that over into 2012! And as much as we wanted Prince Fielder or some other big-time slugger right in the middle of our every day, we all know that it is pitching, pitching, pitching that will make or break this year’s Orioles. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My guess…this will be the Year of the Bird! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">See you out there!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Mike Gibbons</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Mike Gibbons is the executive director for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</i> </div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-47606780282963694862012-01-20T10:24:00.000-08:002012-01-20T10:24:56.727-08:00Painting the Town<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mx5YU_Uzt0k/TxmuWcxBFqI/AAAAAAAAAEI/o1zHoVFi_i0/s1600/BBJ_Ravens%255B2%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nfa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mx5YU_Uzt0k/TxmuWcxBFqI/AAAAAAAAAEI/o1zHoVFi_i0/s200/BBJ_Ravens%255B2%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We’ve painted the town purple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have Ravens caravans traveling the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Marching Ravens Pep Band is playing the fight song.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone is wearing purple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The parties are planned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are ready for this weekend’s AFC Championship game.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> is definitely a football town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We love our Ravens and support our team like no other city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Boston</place></city> flooded in blue light?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">New York</place></state>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are loyal fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True, the Patriots’ fans are incredibly loyal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So are the Giants’ fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they don’t paint the town like we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I think that in cities like <state w:st="on">New York</state>, <city w:st="on">Boston</city>, <city w:st="on">San Francisco</city>, even <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Pittsburgh</place></city>, few people remember what it was like before football.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their teams have always been there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first kick-off off the season is just assumed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one from these towns has experienced the emptiness of an autumn without the NFL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Marylanders know what it means to lose a team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know what it feels like to see a pro-football season open with no one to cheer for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know the empty feeling of being left out of the National Football League.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Football is an incredibly strong part of our community’s identity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are proud, we are loyal because we remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are also grateful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grateful that we have a strong team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grateful that we have icons like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed to call our own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grateful that on any given Sunday from August to January we have someone to cheer for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ravens are OUR team. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Go Ravens!</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To see Purple Pride photos from around the community, check out this page on the Raven's Official Website: <a href="http://photos.baltimoreravens.com/1495768382/ravens-purple-pride-fan-photos:most_voted">http://photos.baltimoreravens.com/1495768382/ravens-purple-pride-fan-photos:most_voted</a></span></div></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Shawn Herne is the Chief Curator for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></em></span> </span></span></span>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-28911586710896639532012-01-13T10:41:00.000-08:002012-01-13T10:41:28.976-08:00Baltimore and NFL Playoff Games<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MaVd308Y2jM/TxB4ntXbNOI/AAAAAAAAAEA/B-mm1c09ya8/s1600/Fans_celebrate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" kba="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MaVd308Y2jM/TxB4ntXbNOI/AAAAAAAAAEA/B-mm1c09ya8/s400/Fans_celebrate.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">30,000 Colts Fans at Friendship Airport (now BWI), welcoming the team home<br />
after a championship victory in 1958</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">With our city totally juiced over this Sunday’s home playoff game, I thought it might be fun to take a look back at hour <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> teams have faired in NFL post-season play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s start with this fact: 2011 marks the 47<sup>th</sup> year that <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Charm</placename> <placetype w:st="on">City</placetype></place> has been in the NFL. The Colts tenure ran 31 seasons, from 1953-1983. The Ravens’ franchise, which kicked off in 1996, is now completing year number 16. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And of those 47 campaigns, you ask, how many merited post-season play? The answer: 18. <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city>’s Colts went to the playoffs ten times: 1958, 1959, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976 and 1977. For our Ravens, Sunday’s divisional game marks the eighth year the purple and black have made it to the playoffs: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 and this year. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Over the span of those 18 years <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> teams have played 28 games so far, winning 15 and losing 13. Among those wins, they have chalked up five league championships and two Lombardi Trophies.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Brian Billick’s squads went post-season four years and compiled a 5-3 playoff mark. John Harbaugh teams are now appearing in their fourth post-season, too, and are currently 4-3 in the playoffs. Don Shula and Ted Marchibroda each took three Colts’ teams to the post-season, with Weeb Ewbank and Don McCaffrey going twice. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">With Sunday’s home game, <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> will have hosted 10 playoff games and been the visiting team 16 times. Three Super Bowl appearances were played at neutral sites.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But regardless of the team, coach, year or location, the one constant has been what playoff football means to the community. When the Colts won their first championship in 1958, 30,000 fans flooded <placename w:st="on">Friendship</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Airport</placetype> (now BWI-Thurgood Marshall) to welcome back the team from <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">New York</place></state>. Today, thousands of fans have flocked to enemy cities to root on their post-season Ravens.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And each and every citizen, football fans or not, seems to have a noticeable extra zip in their step. Playoff football does that…always has.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I say Ravens 24, Houston 6. Hope I’m right, because then we get to zip-zip-zip all over again next week!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">See you out there,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mike Gibbons</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mike Gibbons is the executive director for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></i></span> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div></span></span>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-16249735998528842692012-01-06T09:09:00.000-08:002012-01-06T09:09:51.954-08:00Show Some Respect<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-luwP3tHDJ8Y/Twcqm490J6I/AAAAAAAAAD4/a5O_tS5sgfE/s1600/Part_4_JoeFlacco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-luwP3tHDJ8Y/Twcqm490J6I/AAAAAAAAAD4/a5O_tS5sgfE/s320/Part_4_JoeFlacco.jpg" width="267" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I took a friend of mine to the Ravens’ Christmas Eve game against the Browns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the first time in thirty years that he had attended a professional football game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was very impressed with the Ravens’ pre-game festivities and the level of passion shown by the <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was surprised, however, by the lukewarm reception given our quarterback during the player introductions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crowd’s enthusiasm for Joe Flacco was just mediocre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was definitely a roar for other players.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why not for Joe?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs are institutions in this town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For years they have been the face of the Baltimore Ravens and they have earned every second of respect and recognition they receive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even Ray Rice and Torrey Smith receive warmer welcomes than old Joe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has he not delivered?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has he not surpassed all the previous Ravens’ QB records?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hasn’t he led the Ravens to the playoffs every year since his debut?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So what’s the problem?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joe, in many ways, is the Pete Sampras of football.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He regularly gets the job done but otherwise is happy to keep his profile under the radar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t have a flashy intro dance like Ray Lewis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t have a trademark wrestler move like Aaron Rodgers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t scream and yell at the officials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t lash out at the media.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t hang out with runway models or party with the <place w:st="on">Hollywood</place> crowd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He just quietly goes about his business. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s kind of boring.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Perhaps that’s the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joe is the victim of his own creation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t have a swagger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t talk trash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He really doesn’t promote himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Facial hair aside, he’s just a regular guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unitas didn’t talk trash, but he certainly walked with a swagger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His cool demeanor came across as confidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t lead like a quarterback, he led like a general.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> likes drama…a little theatrics both on and off the field grab headlines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We like fire and passion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We like a little trash talk that is backed up on the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is why we love Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are fiery and passionate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joe’s a little too sedate…more like a librarian than a professional athlete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I think for Joe to rise to the level of respect of some of his teammates he is going to have to open up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needs to show some fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needs to show confidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needs to show the crowd that he has as much passion as we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needs a swagger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps then the crowd will go wild when he walks out of the tunnel.</span></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Shawn Herne is the Chief Curator for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></em></span></span>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-52151724169738716502011-12-28T10:10:00.000-08:002011-12-28T10:10:51.182-08:00ALL I WANT FOR XMAS IS…<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As the clock keeps ticking towards the holidays, and the rush of last minute shopping gets neatly wrapped and under the tree, many of us will probably take a few minutes to reflect back on the year just passed, and also of the myriad of possibilities that encompass the next twelve months.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For me, I am grateful that our Ravens have provided the thrill of a fourth consecutive playoff campaign. Having a successful sports franchise, year-in-and-year-out, brings a sense of continuity to the community that it otherwise would lack. The Ravens are something everyone wants to talk about, regardless of their level of interest in sports. Aside from the weather, winning sports teams are what communities have in common. Thank you, Ravens!</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Looking forward, all I really want from Old Saint Nick is for the Orioles to return to the good graces of the baseball gods. We fans need desperately for our orange and black to be back in contention. If young people thrill to the steady victory of Ravens football, imagine how they will react to a Major League pennant race! Baseball comes at you every day, and it doesn’t get any better than to have your home team battling for a playoff spot deep into the season. Good luck, Orioles, and let’s hope that 2012 will be the year we remember as the start of the turnaround.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Same thing for Maryland Terrapin football and basketball. Our Terps have a new AD and two new head coaches. And while this year’s edition on the gridiron and over at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Comcast</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place> leave a lot to be desired, you have to hope that both programs can generate a healthy turnaround in the immediate and not-too-distant future. Remember Ralph’s first year? Remember how Cole and Comcast rocked with <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gary</st1:place></st1:city>? We need that back, pronto!</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So as the year winds down, here’s hoping that all our teams get or stay competitive, and that sports can take its rightful place, along with weather, around the community water cooler, month after month, year after year. That’s the way it should be.</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Happy Holidays,</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mike Gibbons</span></div></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mike Gibbons is the executive director for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></i></span>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-41943157165258463742011-12-09T14:40:00.000-08:002011-12-09T14:41:14.741-08:00“Why are we still doing this?”<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kt8dW2Evxzo/TuKN-pKaBLI/AAAAAAAAADw/_wUGkQ2kIio/s1600/Colts+gala.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kt8dW2Evxzo/TuKN-pKaBLI/AAAAAAAAADw/_wUGkQ2kIio/s320/Colts+gala.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Mark Lane</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Last Tuesday night Artie Donovan asked these words to a crowd of more than 700 guests gathered to see the Hall of Fame Baltimore Colt and six others inducted into the Sports Legends Museum’s Hall of Legends. Donovan couldn’t imagine that after all these years Baltimore still cared.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But Baltimore does care. These guys, Artie Donovan, Lenny Moore, Raymond Berry, Gino Marchetti, John Mackey, Weeb Ewbank, and Jim Parker did more than wear a horseshoe on their helmet and give lip service to the fans. They immersed themselves in the city, they took jobs in our factories, shared drinks in our neighborhoods and became part of our family. They didn’t just play for Baltimore, they were Baltimore. And they are as much part of this city today as they were back in their playing days. Our relationship with them is special.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Baltimore is fortunate to have such legendary sports icons such as Babe Ruth, Johnny Unitas and Cal Ripken to claim. But we are equally fortunate to have Jim Mutscheller, Bruce Laird, Lydell Mitchell, Toni Linhart, Sam Havrilak, Rick Volk and so many others who are willing, after all these years, to help remember and celebrate the glory days of Baltimore Colts football. Even though the team packed up and left, the heart and soul of those teams remained true to Baltimore.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tuesday night’s event was truly a special occasion. For a few hours the Colts were Baltimore’s again and our heroes wore blue, not purple. Our favorite defensive end was a Marchetti, not a Redding. The best tight end was a Mackey and the meanest offensive linesman was a Parker. The band played the fight song and we all cheered “Fight, Fight, Fight” for the Colts, one more time.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why are we still doing this? Because people like Artie, Lenny, Raymond and the rest are more than just retired football players. They are family. And like family, they stuck by us and we’ve stuck by them. We are proud of them and grateful for what they did for us, all those years ago.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Shawn Herne is the Chief Curator for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></i>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-16496694204069835152011-11-27T17:13:00.000-08:002011-11-27T17:13:41.517-08:00Thank You, Baltimore Colts<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wg7BbfkyQ_Q/TtLgCpRvCBI/AAAAAAAAADo/TUaN-VEkPWY/s1600/BRM-Colts-Gala-Graphic+NEW+pt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="160" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wg7BbfkyQ_Q/TtLgCpRvCBI/AAAAAAAAADo/TUaN-VEkPWY/s320/BRM-Colts-Gala-Graphic+NEW+pt2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This December 6 our museum hosts its annual gala at Martin’s West in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city>. And as we pause from the busy pulse of the workplace to spend Thanksgiving with our families and friends, I want to shoot out a special offering of thanks to the seven Baltimore Colts we will pay tribute to at the gala. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Weeb Ewbank, Jim Parker, John Mackey, Raymond Berry, Lenny Moore, Gino Marchetti and Art Donovan are being inducted into our <em>Hall of Legends</em> that evening, because of what they meant to the Colts and to the NFL, but, more importantly, what they mean to Baltimore.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">These seven men came along at a time when <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> was fighting to reinvent itself. Following the heady manufacturing days of WWII, the city had gone into rapid decline in terms of industry and image. By the late fifties we were best known as the rest-stop between <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Washington</place></state> and <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Philadelphia</place></city>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But then along came the Baltimore Colts, who, under head coach Weeb Ewbank, rapidly rose from a shaky expansion franchise foundation in 1953 to kings of the pro football world in 1958. In their first-ever title game, against the Giants at Yankee Stadium in <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">New York</place></state>, the Colts triumphed in dramatic, sudden-death fashion, in what became known as the “Greatest Game Ever Played.” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That game, featuring two heart-stopping drives, one in regulation, one in over time, and orchestrated by Johnny Unitas, father of the two-minute drill, put the NFL, and Baltimore, on the map.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Off the field, these seven represented the changing face of a city in transition. Moore, Parker and Mackey, black athletes who overcame the shackles of racism by soaring to superstardom on the gridiron, eased <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city>’s path to integration. Artie, following his “gladiator” days with the Colts, became “Fatso,” late night TV star and popular radio personality. Gino gave us “The Giant” hamburger, and Raymond made us proud by moving into the head-coaching ranks and taking <place w:st="on">New England</place> to a Super Bowl.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And then there was Weeb. After leaving the Colts following the 1962 season, he coached the New York Jets to victory in the NFL’s other most important game, a 16-7 vanquishing of our Colts in Super Bowl <stockticker w:st="on">III</stockticker>. That victory put the <stockticker w:st="on">AFL</stockticker> on par with the NFL, and set pro football on a path to success it still enjoys today.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, thanks to our Baltimore Colts honorees. I hope to see you at our very special tribute on December 6. Happy Thanksgiving.</span></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mike Gibbons is the executive director for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></i></span> </span></span>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-35687580637301620932011-11-18T09:02:00.000-08:002011-11-18T09:02:59.317-08:00The Next Ice Age<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ThDw5kdjvHU/TsaPb0jLEnI/AAAAAAAAADY/O4EVy3OGMg0/s1600/nia-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ThDw5kdjvHU/TsaPb0jLEnI/AAAAAAAAADY/O4EVy3OGMg0/s320/nia-1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As the Chief Curator of the <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Sports</placename> <placename w:st="on">Legends</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Museum</placetype></place> and the Babe Ruth Birthplace I am often asked what makes athletes like Babe Ruth, Michael Phelps, or Cal Ripken different from everyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What makes a good athlete into a great athlete?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My standard answer has been “skills and talent.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any young athlete can be taught the right skills to compete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, skills can only build on what gifts the young person naturally possesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like becoming an artist is more than learning how to hold a paint brush, sports is more than learning proper techniques.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You either have it or you don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has been my standard answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Two weeks ago I had the privilege of watching an open rehearsal by the Gardens Ice House’s resident skating company, The Next Ice Age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The NIA is a non-profit company dedicated to “the preservation and growth of artistic ensemble skating through performance and education.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They call themselves “a dance company on ice.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the NIA is certainly much more than that.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Watching the skaters perform was a treat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their poise, professionalism and artistry were nothing short of amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their level of performance certainly exceeded my expectations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To the spectators there that evening, there was no doubt that they were athletes AND artists.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But the biggest surprise for me came after the performance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the guests retreated to a small room upstairs for light refreshments the young skaters made their way around to introduce themselves, express their appreciation for our support and to tell us a little more about the performance we just s<personname w:st="on">aw</personname>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They talked about their work ethics, their practice schedules, and their appreciation for the love and support they receive from their families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, their poise and maturity were remarkable. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly their coaches and choreographers were good teachers both on and off the ice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was during these conversations that I realized my opinion of what the difference between a good athlete and a great athlete was had a significant fl<personname w:st="on">aw</personname>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I forgot about passion…the willingness to practice day in and day out for hours at a time to become better at a craft…the willingness to sacrifice sleep, friends, and other opportunities in order to become the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it takes talent…you either have it or you don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it takes skill…learning the fundamentals and practicing them everyday is important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it also takes a belief that hard work pays off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These young skaters from the Next Ice Age were amazing…not just for their incredible performance…but for the ability to inspire the rest of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who knows, one of them might just be the next “great one.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://www.thenexticeage.org/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.thenexticeage.org</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L7mX3cvRX7c/TsaPjJmbbxI/AAAAAAAAADg/nV08kxBhlCA/s1600/nia-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L7mX3cvRX7c/TsaPjJmbbxI/AAAAAAAAADg/nV08kxBhlCA/s320/nia-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Shawn Herne is the Chief Curator for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></em></div></div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-12020577535274892672011-11-11T10:49:00.000-08:002011-11-11T10:49:51.000-08:00So You Want to Build a Sports Statue<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KVtNnsiLpfg/Tr1tQvfEq7I/AAAAAAAAADQ/rxD4GCouKrk/s1600/Brooks+statue1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KVtNnsiLpfg/Tr1tQvfEq7I/AAAAAAAAADQ/rxD4GCouKrk/s320/Brooks+statue1.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brooks Robinson Statue <br />
Photo by Maroon PR</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My home town of <city w:st="on">Baltimore</city>, <state w:st="on">Maryland</state> once held the moniker of “<place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Monumental</placename> <placetype w:st="on">City</placetype></place>” because of the hundreds of statues and monuments that adorned our downtown plazas. And while we don’t generate the same kind of burgeoning numbers of artsy tributes today as we did, say, after the American Civil War or World Wars One or Two, you can still go to one or two unveilings a year, regardless of America’s current martial meanderings. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Three of our city’s most recent statues celebrate local sports heroes, their presence on our monumental landscape indicative of how far sports heritage has come in the modern era. Prior to the unveiling of the Babe Ruth statue at Camden Yards in 1995, there had never been a statue dedicated to a local sports icon in the downtown area. In 2002, a statue of Baltimore Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas was unveiled outside the main portal to M&T Bank Stadium, home of our Baltimore Ravens. And just last month, Mister Baltimore Oriole, Brooks Robinson, was on hand for the unveiling of his nine-foot bronze likeness just west of <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Oriole</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Park</placetype></place> at Camden Yards.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Aside from the obvious notion that each of the above-referenced monuments pay tribute to famous <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> sports figures, they have one other thing in common: they were all produced by our sports museum!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And after three projects of ‘monumental’ proportion, I can tell you one thing conclusively: the devil is in the detail. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Why? Because even though a statue, at the time of its unveiling, seems like a relatively straight-forward, simplistic, artistic gesture(a bronze figure mounted atop a concrete and granite pedestal, adorned with a couple of plaques for donor recognition and narrative text), it isn’t! Because what you see at an unveiling does not accurately represent the full breadth and scope of complexity of such an undertaking. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Statue projects typically take years and years. Why? Well, once the creative or inspirational spark of an idea translates into enough individual or group motivation to get a project going, coordinators must start to move forward across multiple layers of endeavor, ensuring that all components of the project mesh together seamlessly, and on time. They must select the just-right artist, negotiate a contract, establish a production schedule, garner political approval and civic permission and corporate support, secure a construction company, locate the installation site, garner grass roots enthusiasm from the community, tickle and then grab the attention of local (and perhaps national) media, maneuver through a myriad of unveiling ceremony details, draft and enact long-term maintenance and security contracts, create post-unveiling souvenir and merchandising opportunities, and, in the end, pray that they don’t make any irreversible mistakes or missteps.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When we did our first statue project, Babe Ruth, everything went along relatively well all the way through the unveiling, with the governor and Babe’s daughter pulling the drape from the nine foot depiction of a young Ruth in his Baltimore Orioles uniform. But about a week after the grandstand had been dismantled and the dust had started to settle on the slugger’s bronze likeness, all hell broke loose. The artist had depicted Ruth carrying his right-handed fielding mitt, which would have been fine, except Ruth was a lefty!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Our committee of ‘experts’ surveyed and scrutinized until the cows came home, but not enough to prevent the mistake. News of the error went viral and spread across national news desks faster than one of the Babe’s home runs flying out of Yankee Stadium. Just like that, <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city>’s first sports statue was notorious. And our statue committee was dumbstruck. What could we do?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The answer, of course, was nothing, except live and learn. Which I think we did, because the Unitas and Robinson statues that followed have no errors that we are aware of, no wrong-handed mitt or uniform malfunctions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So if you want to build a statue, know that it is complicated, painstaking, unforgiving work, and if you make a mistake, it will be there for generations to contemplate. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Ruth statue error, by the way, turned out to be not all that bad, because that notorious right-handed mitt has made the Camden Yards monument a ‘must see’ for out- –of-town tourists and locals alike, sixteen years after the discovery…and counting.</span></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mike Gibbons is the executive director for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></i></span> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></i></span>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-49308409302799848862011-10-28T08:58:00.000-07:002011-10-28T08:58:56.482-07:00Risks of the Game<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On Monday, following the memorial services for Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon, who died last Sunday in the Indycar finale in Las Vegas, drivers and Indycar officials met to discuss how to make the sport safer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They want to find better ways to protect the drivers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But can it be done?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Wheldon died from blunt force trama to the head when his car went airborne in a 15-car melee that resulted in the former Indycar champion crashing headfirst into the retaining fence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doctors rushed to save Wheldon’s life, but his injuries were too severe.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Auto racing is dangerous, but motorsporting events aren’t the only high-risk sports. Ridge Barden, a 16-year-old lineman from <placename w:st="on">John</placename> <placename w:st="on">C.</placename> <placename w:st="on">Birdlebough</placename> <placetype w:st="on">High School</placetype> in <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">New York</place></state>, died after sustaining a hit in a varsity football game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barden was able to sit up on his own but complained of a bad headache.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He died in the ambulance en route to the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>22-year-old Derek Sheely, starting fullback at <placename w:st="on">Frostburg</placename> <placetype w:st="on">State</placetype> <placetype w:st="on">University</placetype> died in August at the <placename w:st="on">Shock</placename> <placename w:st="on">Trauma</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Center</placetype> in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> after he collapsed at football practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His father believed his death was due to a head injury.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In each case the argument is made for safer helmets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But some doctors believe it isn’t the equipment that needs to change but rather our approach to sports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Michael Williams of Lifebridge Health’s Sandra and Malcolm Berman Brain & Spine Institute believes that in many sports the evolution of helmets has reached its pinnacle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brain injuries are often caused by two factors, a trauma to the head and the impact of the brain hitting the inside of the skull.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A helmet can significantly reduce the damage caused by the former but it can do nothing to alleviate the latter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much like taking an egg and shaking it, there is no physical damage to the outside shell, but the yolk inside is clearly scrambled.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It seems that with the improvements to sports equipment has come a false sense of security.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hockey, lacrosse and football injuries have not decreased because our players, amateur and professional, believe they can hit their opponent that much harder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A result of trying to make our sports safer is that we’ve actually made them more dangerous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just ask Sydney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins who continues to deal with post-concussion symptoms from head injuries sustained in January.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Recent attempts by the NFL and other leagues to enforce tougher penalties for illegal hits is just the beginning of a change that needs to happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to remember that sports are dangerous and to pass that message on to the kids playing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Safety doesn’t just mean safer equipment, it also means safer practices.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Shawn Herne is the Chief Curator for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></em></div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-82541224385779208642011-10-21T06:55:00.000-07:002011-10-21T06:55:23.618-07:00Monumental City Welcomes Number Five<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When I was growing up in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> back in the 1950s, the city carried the moniker of ‘Monumental’ because it had more statues and monuments per capita than maybe any other <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">US</place></country-region> municipality. From the <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Washington</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Monument</placetype></place> in <placetype w:st="on">Mt.</placetype> Vernon to Battle Monument on Calvert Street, Baltimore’s marble and granite commemorations of glories past were notable and numerous.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In recent times our monumental tradition has continued, expanded from its usual salutes to local politicians and military heroes by bronze tributes to iconic figures from <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city>’s burgeoning world of sports. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>To wit: in 1995 a statue of George Herman Ruth was unveiled at <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Oriole</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Park</placetype></place> at Camden Yards. It seemed fitting that Ruth, as the city’s most famous native son and the most celebrated name in international sports to this day, would be the first athlete so honored in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seven years later the Johnny Unitas statue became an important part of the M&T Bank Stadium landscape, a place where thousands of fans would come to mingle before Ravens’ games, forever mindful of what their high-topped quarterback meant to <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city>, and to the NFL.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But if Ruth and Unitas were so honored, wasn’t there someone equally deserving of a public gesture of permanent tribute? The answer, as any good <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> sportsperson can attest, is yes, of course, because if you honor the Babe and Johnny U, you have to do the same for baseball’s ‘human vacuum cleaner,’ Brooks Robinson.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This Saturday, October 22, <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city>’s third sports statue will be unveiled in the <street w:st="on"><address w:st="on">Russell Street</address></street> plaza just north or <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Oriole</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Park</placetype></place>, this one commemorating the greatest third baseman in Major League Baseball history. Brooks Robinson finally takes his iconic, rightful place with Ruth and Unitas. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> R</span>uth is important here because his rags-to-riches, unparalleled greatness uniquely demonstrates the hard-scrabble mettle of the blue-collar <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> from which he sprouted. Ruth illustrates Baltimoreans’ innately toughness, and their capacity for achieving the highest heights of any profession.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Unitas and Brooks, while not native sons, did more through their breathtaking, hall-of-fame careers to change the dreadful profile of post WW2 Baltimore than any other athletes or citizens, before or since. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As both men started their pro careers here in the middle 1950s, <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city> was regarded as not much more than a rest stop between <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Philadelphia</place></city> and <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Washington</place></state>. But, quickly, Unitas and Robinson turned their respective Colts and Orioles into championship franchises that became the toast of the nation. In lightening fashion, the city they represented was re-branded as ‘<place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Titletown</city>, <country-region w:st="on">USA</country-region></place>.’ </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Make no mistake, the unveiling of the Brooks Robinson statue this Saturday is an important, long overdue moment in the history of our <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Monumental</placename> <placetype w:st="on">City</placetype></place>, an occasion when we provide Brooks his rightful place of prominence among <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city>’s “<place w:st="on">Mount Rushmore</place>” of sports statues. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There will never be another Brooks Robinson, and we finally get to thank him for all he has done, and for all he has meant, to his adopted hometown community along the shores of the Patapsco. I hope to see you all on Saturday for the <time hour="12" minute="0" w:st="on">noon</time> unveiling of the Brooks Robinson statue.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Go to brooksrobinsonstatue.com or baberuthmuseum.com for details.</span></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mike Gibbons is the executive director for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></i></span>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-15130986119563865942011-10-14T13:13:00.000-07:002011-10-14T13:14:29.389-07:00Last Game at Memorial Stadium <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hDDXS5-lojY/TpiXNb1uzhI/AAAAAAAAADA/VfuWjGFmAIo/s1600/%2523324+Last+pitch+at+Memorial+Stadium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" oda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hDDXS5-lojY/TpiXNb1uzhI/AAAAAAAAADA/VfuWjGFmAIo/s200/%2523324+Last+pitch+at+Memorial+Stadium2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last Pitch at Memorial Stadium, October 6, 1991</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Twenty years ago last week an era in Baltimore’s sports history ended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was October 6, 1991.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The debate about the need for a new ballpark was over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hearings were concluded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The votes had been cast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now all that was left was for the players to take the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be the last time the Orioles would call Memorial Stadium home.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is hard to believe it has been twenty years since the Orioles played at 33<sup>rd</sup> Street. The game that day against the Detroit Tigers was not particularly exciting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Orioles weren’t fighting for a playoff spot. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, after going 67-95 they were the second worst team in the American League. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for everyone there that game was still special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The pre-game ceremonies honored Elrod Hendricks for spending more time in an Orioles uniform that anyone else in club history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first pitch honors were shared between Brooks Robinson and Johnny Unitas (no one fores<personname w:st="on">aw</personname> the Browns moving to town) as everyone expected this to be the last professional baseball or football game to be played at the stadium.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Starting pitcher Bob Milacki had a horrible game, giving up eight hits and five runs in the first 2 2/3 innings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bullpen settled down but by the ninth inning when Mike Flanagan came on to get the last out the Orioles trailed 1-7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it did not matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crowd was electric.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“To me, it was like the seventh game of the World Series,” Flanagan said. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Immediately following the game the real show began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clad in white tuxedoes, the grounds crew dug up home plate and transferred it by limousine to Camden Yards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then with the sounds of “Field of Dreams” music echoing throughout the concrete bowl that was <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Baltimore</place></city>’s House of Magic, players from every generation, starting with Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Boog Powell and Jim Palmer began to take their positions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When all was complete, a giant ring of Orioles, 119 from all four decades circled the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ceremonies closed with Auld Lang Syne and the words “Goodbye Old Friend” on the Diamond Vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long-time stadium PA announcer Rex Barney offered his famous “THANK YOU” from his hospital bed one last time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is hard to believe that magical moment in Orioles history occurred 20 years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rex Barney, Elrod Hendricks, Johnny Oates, Mike Flanagan and many more are gone, but time will not diminish the glory of their deeds…or that day.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Shawn Herne is the Chief Curator for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></em></div>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-49170687357870628492011-10-07T09:13:00.000-07:002011-10-07T09:22:12.498-07:00Between the Lines: A Path to Peace<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This month I’m on my way to <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Oakville</city>, <state w:st="on">Ontario</state></place>, to attend the annual conference of the International Sports Heritage Association (ISHA), a fraternity of 130 sports museums and halls of fame from all over the globe. One topic I plan on addressing with my colleagues stems from an article in a recent issue of Sports Illustrated that focused on the burgeoning notion that sports might be on the verge of playing an important role in securing and maintaining world peace for generations to come!</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></i></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">At first, the idea might seem sophomoric, almost silly. But the more you think about it, the more the concept resonates. With few exceptions –the 1972 Olympic basketball game between the USSR and USA being one- sporting events on the international stage have been hugely harmonious, demonstrating that athletes from all sorts of political/economic/ethnic backgrounds can compete, even-keeled, as good, fair-handed sportspersons all.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The SI article examined youth-sports initiatives in a number of developing and challenged countries, noting how athletic programs, stressing hard work and team work, were helping kids to achieve a more positive perspective of themselves, and of their communities. As these initiatives mount and take hold, the end result might be that a kid from some dust-choked field in <country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</country-region> winds up playing against some kid from a hardscrabble street in <place w:st="on">Brooklyn</place> in a round of World Cup soccer. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That would certainly be a more positive interaction than Afghans and Americans currently experience. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Good sportsmanship is something all cultures accept and embrace. Athletic competition is governed by rules and regulations that are universally understood. Along with music, mathematics…and love, sports might be one of the few things the whole world can truly and enthusiastically embrace.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So that’s what I plan on discussing at the International Sports Heritage gathering, how sports might be a path to peace, and how ISHA might collaborate to promote an idea whose game-clock is just beginning to tick, tick, tick.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thanks, Sports Illustrated! <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1190627/index.htm">Full Article</a></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mike Gibbons is the executive director for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></i></span>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-17756486968683246892011-09-23T10:41:00.000-07:002011-09-23T10:41:34.881-07:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KWZx7m3KNn0/TnzEKaKdTjI/AAAAAAAAAC8/yFmAHStKqhI/s1600/Morgan+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KWZx7m3KNn0/TnzEKaKdTjI/AAAAAAAAAC8/yFmAHStKqhI/s320/Morgan+1.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Earl "Poppa Bear" Banks</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I love the fall…the cooler weather, the changing colors, and, of course, the football. Football’s roots run deep in <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Maryland</place></state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The City-Poly Game (or Poly-City Game if you are a Poly alumnus) is the second-oldest football rivalry in the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Loyola and Calvert Hall’s rivalry is almost as old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our colleges, too, have long football traditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Naval Academy, Maryland and Johns Hopkins all boast histories of football legends dating back to the nineteenth century.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">One of my favorites comes from <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Morgan</placename> <placename w:st="on">State</placename> <placetype w:st="on">University</placetype></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout the 1960s <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Morgan</placename> <placename w:st="on">State</placename></place> was a football powerhouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Led by Earl “Poppa Bear” Banks, Morgan had one of the most dominating football programs in the country. Like any football coach Banks was tough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Poppa Bear led his team to a 94-34 record with three unbeaten seasons and five conference championships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over a five year period from 1964-’68 the Bears won 32 games in a row!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His .839 winning record as head coach placed Banks’ name among the elite in his field.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But Earl Banks wanted more than to develop his players’ athletic abilities, he wanted to develop their character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">“About two days a week I talk life, not football, to my boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tell them if they act like a man they will be treated like one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may come to us as boys, but they leave as men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good men with a purpose in life. I want to develop a good citizen, a man who can contribute something-give something back to society”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">He claimed that 99 percent of his players graduated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True or not, 35 of his boys made it to the NFL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Four made it all the way to <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Canton</place></city>!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Football is uniquely American.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We get it and the rest of the world doesn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is loud, rough, and full of tradition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it is also dangerous…but we like that aspect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has its cast of characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Earl “Poppa Bear” Banks was certainly one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He inspired his players and, in the process, gave all of <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Maryland</place></state> something to be proud of.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em>Shawn Herne is the Chief Curator for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</em></div></span>Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3156353341032995013.post-43236330114351238852011-09-16T08:00:00.000-07:002011-09-16T08:00:17.422-07:00An Evening With Earl<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ncs8kO-1XmI/TnNiniXMWHI/AAAAAAAAAC4/mtPterv5ba0/s1600/IMG00892-20110915-1806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ncs8kO-1XmI/TnNiniXMWHI/AAAAAAAAAC4/mtPterv5ba0/s320/IMG00892-20110915-1806.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Legendary Orioles Manager Earl Weaver </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last night our <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Sports</placename> <placename w:st="on">Legends</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Museum</placetype></place> hosted an evening with Earl Weaver and it proved to be more than any of us could have hoped for. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Earl Weaver managed his last game for the Orioles to conclude the 1986 season, when he had come out of retirement, mid-season, to try and resurrect a ball club in decline. But his real last game, the one we all remember, occurred in 1982, when his Orioles team closed with a rush to finish a game behind Milwaukee for the division title. After that last game at Memorial Stadium, a disappointing loss that knocked his team out of the playoffs, the Earl of Baltimore received a thunderous, thirty minute standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 53,000. To this day, many consider it the greatest moment in Orioles history.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ten years later, <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Oriole</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Park</placetype></place> at Camden Yards opened to rave reviews, a dazzling shrine to the winning legacy of Baltimore Orioles baseball, a legacy expertly crafted by their hall of fame manager, Earl Weaver.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And so as guests gathered at Sports Legends last night, they did in the shadow of <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Oriole</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Park</placetype></place>, the baseball landmark whose genesis was the winning ways of the man they were there to honor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The evening began with a one-hour meet and greet with Earl and his family, and special guests including Orioles’ manager Buck Showalter, the radio voice of the Orioles, Joe Angel, and hall of fame third-baseman Brooks Robinson, who stopped by to say hey to his old manager.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Later, with guests gathered in an intimate, semi-circled seating bowl, Earl and WBAL Radio’s Keith Mills, who served as emcee for the program, took center stage for one hour of what would turn out to be the best kind of ‘hot stove’ chat you could ever imagine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Number four has been out of the game for 25 years now, but you’d never know it by his candid, insightful responses to Mills’ casual yet probing line of questions. Was Earl happy that third baseman Doug DeCinces was traded in 1982? No, but that was management’s decision, he responded. What about Roenicke and Lowenstein, Weaver’s ultra-successful left field platoon? Roenicke was the better athlete, but Lowenstein could “hit a high fastball with the best of them.” How about what he was most proud of? “My players,” the diminutive leader cracked back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And on and on it went, with questions from the guests, and occasional input from Buck, Brooks and Joe Angel. Earl Weaver might be getting up there in age (81), but he hasn’t lost an insightful step; his recall crystal clear, his grasp of the game as confident as 1968.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Our evening concluded with the ever-gracious star of the show patiently posing for a photo with every guest and, finally, with our museum staff. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An Evening with Earl </i>was truly as good as it gets, and then some.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><object height="386" style="clear: left; float: left;" width="525"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/D13-QS5eQMM?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/D13-QS5eQMM?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="525" height="386" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">See you out there, </span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mike Gibbons is the executive director for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.</span></i></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div></div><img height="77" src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 100px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 967px; visibility: hidden;" width="96" />Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00099769671418851074noreply@blogger.com0