The Orioles home opener got underway following a great tribute to the late legendary Umpires Attendant Ernie Tyler and an awesome fly over during the National Anthem when Orioles legend and symbol of everything a manager should be, Earl Weaver, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

The 80 year old Weaver threw a left handed one hopper to Buck Showalter and if you felt bad about being critical of the pitch, don’t. Weaver was critical of himself too. “The right one can’t throw the ball,” Weaver said during the game broadcast according to Kevin Cowherd of The Sun.  “So I had to use the left. And that was no good, either. So what are you going to do?”

The pitch was smoothly scooped up by Showalter, who fans have quickly embraced in Baltimore.  T-Shirts featuring Buck weren’t in short supply among the sellout crowd of 46,593 at Camden Yards.  “Yes, sir, he’s gonna be a favorite here, it looks like, for a long, long time,” Weaver said.  “Whoever invented the phrase ‘Buck’s Birds,’ that should stick. Because that’s what it’s gonna be.”  We didn’t invent it, but we do sell an awesome Buck’s Birds t-shirt.

“When they were going bad, I was kind of disappointed and kind of got away from them,” Weaver said. “They’re still my favorite team and still the first box score I look at in the morning. But now, when they start winning, it’s exciting.”

Right on Earl.