Oriole Park at Camden Yards became the official ballpark of the Baltimore Orioles on April 6, 1992. The park has a unique design and draws visitors from all over the world to tour it and watch live games in the park. Here’s more information about this park:
Where the Team Played Before Camden Yards
The Baltimore Orioles moved to Maryland in 1954. Previously, the team played in St. Louis, Missouri. For decades, the players shared a stadium with the Baltimore Colts, a professional football team. The two sports franchises conducted home games at Memorial Stadium in Northeast Baltimore; this aging facility received heavy use during the 1960s and 1970s.
After Maryland officials declined to replace Memorial Stadium, the Colts relocated to Indianapolis in 1984. This development alarmed civic leaders in Baltimore. Team and city officials drew up plans to create a new baseball park for the Orioles just a short distance from the historic Inner Harbor. The land selected for this project stood at Camden Yards. It has served as a railroad center, and had at one time housed a tavern owned by Babe Ruth’s father. Architects at HOK Sport developed an innovative plan for Oriole Park at Camden Yards for team owner, Eli Jacobs.
What to Know About Camden Yards
Since it opened on April 6, 1992, the stadium at Camden Yards has served as a model for many other ballparks. Built at a cost of $110 million and owned by the Maryland Stadium Authority, it currently provides 45,971 seats. The facility features a comparatively low profile and a sunken, yet well-drained, natural turf field situated below street level. The main gates open onto busy Downtown Baltimore. Magnificent steel and brick arches help harmonize Camden Yards with its urban surroundings. The Orioles maintain an adjoining office complex and banquet hall.
Yet despite its old-fashioned décor, Camden Yards offers some impressive modern conveniences. Escalators and elevators carry fans into the upper-levels. In 2011, the stadium underwent renovations to implement more comfortable seating. Patrons enjoy numerous food and beverage options here. Audiovisual technology allows them to watch games overhead from behind the right field scoreboard, as well as from the stands.
Interesting Baseball Moments at Camden Yards
The ballpark has hosted some triumphant record-setting baseball feats. During his final season playing professional baseball, Eddie Murray hit his 500th home run at Camden Yards on September 6, 1996. He would later coach for the Orioles. Cal Ripken, Jr. played here when he exceeded the consecutive game record once set by Lou Gehrig. Between 1982 and 1998 he played 2,632 consecutive games. (His 278th home run occurred at Camden Yards.)
Today, two orange seats in the stadium honor these famous players. In 2012, the stadium erected statues nearby recognizing six Orioles admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The honorees include Cal Ripken, Jr. and Eddie Murray.
Today, Camden Yards still hosts enthusiastic baseball fans. It has also become a Baltimore tourist attraction. This unique ballpark remains forever associated with the Baltimore Orioles!
