You can say what you will about interleague play or the Orioles versus Nationals rivalry, but the combination brought out large crowds at Camden Yards for the weekend series that has become known as the Battle of the Beltways. Of course, as we Baltimoreans know, 695 reigns supreme.
Friday’s game drew a crowd of 24,442 filling 50 percent of Oriole Park, on Saturday 33,107 showed up and Sunday 33,626 were in attendance. Not too shabby.
While I know it’s tough to believe, I tend to think that rivalry has to be the reason for the crowds. I, like Jeremy Guthrie, am a fan of interleague play and seeing NL teams a few times a year, but in an AL ballpark without the pitcher hitting it isn’t overly exciting. Perhaps fans are starting to catch on to this O’s versus Nats buzz.
What else could it be?
24K is more than half full this year – OPaCY has a reduced capacity due to renovations over the winter. Sellout is now just under 46K.
Good point. I was going based on the attendance records on ESPN.com. I suppose they haven’t updated Camden Yards new capacity.
You ask “What else could it be?”.
Friday night is student night, which adds 5k-10k of walk ups each time.
Saturday was Dugout Club day, adding thousands of kids and then also each kid has parents/families and such, which a few ushers told me they thought added at least 10k-15k, and it was also scouts night, bringing in at least a few thousand scouts and their families.
Sunday was little league day. I have pictures of it, but by the time I entered the park at 11:30, there were already thousands of people there, and between the thousands of kids on teams that were in the parade and their families, one usher told me they thought it could easily be 20k accounted for that.
So that’s what it could be.
Who cares how they got there, the fact is they were there. I for one, enjoy the inter league play and the chance to see other teams. I’m a fan of interleague.
I’m from Boston. This article is hilarious.
@Buck –
Yeah buck, it’s hilarious because it reminds you of the times when the Red Sox stunk and failed to draw even what the Orioles are drawing now after 13 straight years of losing. Boston is not some kind of baseball mecca, the way you “new wave” Sawx fans pretend it to be. You are front runners, just like every body else. Go check http://www.baseballreference.com, look at your attendence stats in the 80’s, 90’s when you stunk (23,000-25,000) per game and look at the Orioles attendence the last 13 putrid years- ~30,000. You and Red Sox Nation are front runners like all the other cities, outside of those at Wrigley.
Avi — Great points…Something else to consider…Ol’ Bruz was a season ticket holder for more than 15 years, dating back to 1991 on 33rd St…I’ve yet to be contacted to “rejoin the team” in the few years since I dropped my tickets…My e.mail hasn’t changed…Nor have has my mailing address…Nor have my phone numbers…And yet the O’s ticket folks have yet to communicate with me, all while they set new season lows for attendance year after year…Go figure!
Let’s face it – Baltimore is #4 in the nation in homicides and the team is owned by Peter Angelos.
The Charlotte Orioles can’t be far off.
Lets face it SCHMESS, your next drug binge can’t be far off…
No, Intimidator, I am not from Baltimore.
You cannot deny the facts. Baltimore, just isn’t a big-league town. It can only have “lofty expectations” (as Mr. Wilt puts it) of 75 win seasons because it is such a third-rate city. No true world class city like NYC, Philly or Boston would ever put up with Peter Angelos.
Your town is third rate, so there are no viable alternatives to third-rate ownership. The world class cities chew up Angelos-type owners and spit them out. Baltimore has no ability to do that.
In the meantime, you have people like Zach Wilt writing how the folks here should be happy. I agree. Everyone should be happy with their lot. It’s just that your lot is one of mediocrity.
@SCHMESS, school wasn’t too kind to ya huh? You should have realized that rockin’ the head gear with all that acne isn’t a real crowd pleaser… You have got to be steam rollin’ the lines of white powder cause I don’t know where you get your “FACTS” from…
Baltimore 3rd rate? Are you stupid? You compare Baltimore to NY, Boston, Philly but like in any sport things are cyclical… Those 3 cities are sitting pretty because their baseball teams are doing good. Attendance will be up. Go back to the “90’s” and B-More was in the Top 4 in attendance with most years at #2…
And refresh my memory, don’t the O’s have more World Series Trophies than Boston and Philly? In fact, Baltimore beat Philly in “83”… And even though we are talking baseball lets hit football for a minute… Didn’t the Ravens beat the NY Giants in the Super Bowl?
For a “3rd Rate” city it seems that we have the “1st Rate” cities number…
Your opinion is as worthless as a bra on a stipper, so here’s what I suggest Stroker, go live your dream… Move to India or Pakistan and become a cab driver…
@SCHMESS Did your parents have any children who survived? Look, you’ve bounced back on your feet since your bout with roofies, but getting on here and acting like your a lifelong Sox or Phils fan should just prove to your parole officer that the rehab ain’t working. It’s a sad but true testimony to your lifestyle, that to this date consists of hookers, Cheetos, and stale beer. Look, shaking that hippy lettuce takes time, compadre, and you need to confront your demons head on. Your mom’s meatloaf will only take you so far. If the other fellas from the Star Wars Club know you’ve given into sports, that will just compound your problems. It’s time you give up the fight, we won’t try to talk you down this time. But, when you do jump, make sure the surf is calm otherwise you’ll just end up a vegetable.
@BILL – You are a Poet Laureate….
@SCHMESS – Look, I’m trying to be your friend here and by the looks at the way Billy ram rodded you, you need me…
Look SCHMESS, You need to act like an adult… You’re a man now Muchacho, you can now do “manly” things like going on riverboat gambling trips, making your own beef jerky and tossing dollar bills at the skanks at 1:00 in the morning down at the corner “Skank Bank”…
Word of advice SCHMESS… You have got to stop letting your boyfriend dangle his dice on your forehead, people are talking and its not good…
Now here’s a question SCHMESS that if you know the answer, will help you out in the future… What color does a smurf turn when you strangle it?
@Shmess –
You’ve got to be like 15 years old to have posted what you just did. A “First rate” city like New York put up with George Steinbrenner running the team into the ground for the better part of a decade. Were you aware that he was banished from baseball for associating with gamblers and blackmailing one of his players, Dave Winfield? Of course you weren’t or you wouldn’t have been dumb enough to list them among your elite cities.
As far as attendance, check baseball reference.com and look at both the Phils and Sox figures during their down years….not a guess on my part, but a fact, when the teams were down in the 90s (as the Orioles are now) attendance in those two cities was worse than in Baltimore the last 13 years, despite the historically bad performance by the Orioles.
Please do not spout off dribble and “facts” you did not check before posting.