Scott Garceau: Something Magic Happened
Friday night 43,743 mostly orange clad fans packed Camden Yards to celebrate the Orioles 60th Anniversary. It was a magical night blending the elder Boys of Summer with Buck Showalter's current first place O's. Brooks and Frank, Eddie and Cal, Palmer and Boog and so many other Orioles who made the magic happen were in the house.
These proud Orioles cringed for 14 years as "The Oriole Way" was beaten into submission, but no cringing on this night. The Oriole greats were watching a team they could be proud of. Buck Showalter's Orioles were dressed in 1954 throw-back uniforms as they celebrated 60 years of hardball in Baltimore. J.J. Hardy hit two of six Oriole homers as the Birds hammered the Cardinals 12-2, it was their 9th win in the last 12 games.
Then the Orioles hit a grand-slam in their post-game ceremony with an emotional salute to the franchises greatest players that included a spectacular laser and fireworks show. After Rick Dempsey got on his knees and kissed home plate the current Orioles came on the field to honor those who laid the foundation to the franchise. The on-field exchange between Orioles young and old was genuine and moving and a perfect finish to a perfect Baltimore August night.
Fast forward 5 days the Yankees are in town and it looks like they'll win and split the 2-game mini-series with the Orioles. It looked that way until nearly 38-thousand fans witnessed a full dose of Orioles Magic. The O's held to 2 hits and only 1-run in the first 7 innings rocked the yard in the 8th.
Johnathan ("Johnny Baseball") Schoop tied the game at 2 with a shot over the left field wall. It was the rookie's 4th homer against the Yankees this season. Then with 2 on and 2 out in the same inning Adam Jones ripped a 3-run shot into the Orioles bullpen, the place went nuts! A great moment in Orioles history, a dramatic Yankee spanky as the Orioles won the game and their 8th straight series.
The Adam Jones game winner was his 12th career go-ahead HR in the 8th inning or later, the only Orioles with more are Hall of Famers Eddie Murray, Brooks Robinson and Cal Ripken. Two August nights just 5 days apart, those who witnessed it know what they saw, it was something special and in our town for over 35 years we've called it Orioles Magic!
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Here's my video of the week. The KC Royals have a legit shot to make the playoffs for the first time since 1985. Royals' Super Fan SungWoo Lee is more than excited. He's been all Royals all the time since 1995. This week his dream came true, he traveled from South Korea to see his Royals. He threw out the first pitch and when they won their 8th straight and moved into first place he got to put the "W" on the board. Has a fan ever been happier?
Check it out:
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