Monument Park at Camden Yards

Once you get into Camden Yards, the first place you should head is the Monument Park located in center field.

These statues were constructed throughout the 2012 season and helped bring back the love of Baltimore baseball. People wanted to come to the games to see their favorite Oriole legends, as well as their statues.

Alex Arditti poses with the statue of Cal Ripken Jr. in Monument Park at Camden Yards. (Photo by TU student Eric Arditti)

Once you step into the park, you will notice the six Oriole greats immortalized forever.  The statues are bigger than life size and look amazingly real.

Click here to look through pictures, see video and read about all the players who have been made into statues.

The six Oriole legends are Frank Robinson, the late Earl Weaver, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken Jr., and Brooks Robinson.

There were six games during the 2012 season where fans were treated to pregame ceremonies.

The order of the players unveiling their statues was based on the order of when they got their jerseys retired.

For each statue reveal, the fans that arrived early were lucky enough to see all 6 legends unveil their own statue, listen to a speech about that player, and watch a video about their career. It was amazing to see these living legends right in front of our eyes.

The first 10,000 people who entered the stadium on each day when the legend was unveiling their statue were lucky enough to receive a replica miniature statue. These six games were all sold out and were awesome experiences for everyone at the stadium. The fans packed the yard!

If you didn’t get a chance to attend one of the games, or visit the park during a game, don’t worry. You can enter that part of Camden Yards anytime for free and visit the monuments.

So go ahead, eat lunch at one of the picnic tables surrounded by Cal Ripken Jr. fielding a grounder, or Earl Weaver yelling at the umpire. For Oriole fans, these statues must be seen. It’s a no brainer.

Babe Ruth Museum

Babe Ruth Museum

Another place to check out before you attend an Orioles game is the Babe Ruth Museum.

Located in the same building as the Sports Legends Museum, The Babe Ruth Museum is home to some great information and artifacts from the Babe.

Here is a list of the exhibits you can check out once you enter the museum. Be sure to look at all the exhibits and take an extra hard look at the bats, gloves, clothes, and other items Ruth used to use. The museum even has a Hymnbook, and all his old equipment that he used to use when he was in high school in Baltimore.

The Babe Ruth Museum also includes directions of how to get to Babe Ruth’s actual birth house, located not too far from Camden Yards. You can walk inside the house, see the Babe’s birth certificate and even take a peek into the bedroom where he was born. Talk about a historic house.

 

In February of 2013, the museum added a new high tech film projection system.  Click here to read an article from The Examiner about this new video system and what it adds to the Babe Ruth Museum experience.  This projection system will show different movies about the Babe, as well as the Star Spangled Banner.  It is definitely a must see attraction at the museum.

Even though he’s been dead for almost 65 years, Ruth is still a huge attraction, you can read about it here

Babe Ruth Museum/Sports Legend Museum. (Photo taken by TU student Eric Arditti)

in this blog from last year  stating that one of Ruth’s uniforms was sold in an auction for over $4 million.

This is a great place to visit if you have time to kill. If you are in the Sports Legends Museum, there’s a good chance you are already planning on visiting this great place.

Located just feet from Camden Yards, there is no reason not to visit if you have some time before the game starts. Just like with the Sports Legends museum, you can get a discount to visit the museum if you bring in a ticket from a recent game. The museum is already cheap, but why not make it a little cheaper?

The museum is a great place to bring kids, or a date if you’re looking for something to do in the city.

So stop in to the Babe Ruth Museum, check out some of the exhibits, and maybe take a stroll to his birth house.

Memorial Stadium War Memorial

One of the most overlooked Baltimore baseball attractions in Baltimore is the Memorial Stadium Memorial behind Camden Yards.  This plaza was constructed in honor of the old home of the Orioles and Colts. 

Located behind Camden Yards, it is well hidden, but should be seen by everyone. You can often mistake it for something else when you walk by it. 

This replica part of the wall that used to be the backdrop for Memorial Stadium reads “Time will not dim the glory of their deeds.”

An urn, containing dirt and grass from United States Military cemeteries, that was displayed in the wall at Memorial Stadium has been on display next to the Memorial Stadium memorial.

Camden Yards also placed a plaque, which the urn sits on that serves as a memorial to Memorial Stadium. 

The old stadium not only helped support the troops during both world wars, it also helped shaped the city of Baltimore.  Without this stadium, baseball in Baltimore would not be the same.

Pictures of Memorial stadium, the ballpark as it used to be, pictures of it being torn down, the memorials at Camden Yards, and what the park looks like now can be seen at this fantastic website. 

The recreation of the wall, as well as the urn, is in remembrance of the exterior wall behind home plate, which faced 33^rd street in Baltimore.  The wall is a memorial to the soldiers lost during the two world wars. 

One of my earlier blogs focused on the Sports Legends Museum, you can find more artifacts from Memorial Stadium inside the museum. Some of the artifacts include the first brick laid for the stadium, original plaques and seating from the stadium as well. 

The war memorial is a very touching site that falls under the radar for most people. If you haven’t checked it out in the past, I highly recommend it before you head into the game. It’s the least you can do to pay respects for the fallen soldiers. 

Sports Legends Museum

The next part of my adventures takes us to the Sports Legends Museum. Located just a few feet from the Camden Yards, the Sports Legends Museum is a great attraction.
The building itself has a ton of history as well. It used to be a terminal for the B&O railroad before it was the Sports Legends Museum. So the history starts before you even step through the doors.

This 22,000 square foot building has been named one of the best Sports Museums in the country.

Inside, you will find many exhibits and tributes to Maryland’s greatest athletes. The exhibits change throughout the year so you should head back every few months to see any new and exciting exhibits.

Each exhibit focuses on something different that has something to do with the state of Maryland. Exhibits range The Negro Leagues, to the Baltimore Blast soccer team. Here you will find all sorts of neat tidbits and information. You also will be able to see game used equipment, artifacts, plaques, and personal mementos from Maryland’s greatest athletes.

It is a very cheap getaway too, costing you $8 for adults, seniors $6, and $4 for children ages 3-12 and is open everyday of the year except Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Years Day.

The Examiner posted a great blog about the Sports Legends Museum; you must check it out if you plan on visiting.

This is a great place to take your family or friends if you have some time to kill before an Orioles game. It being located so close to the park (literally 50 feet) you can visit the museum, leave before the national anthem and make it to your seats before first pitch. In some cases, the Orioles offer discounted tickets if you present your ticket from the museum.

The Sports Legends Museum shares the building with another museum, the Babe Ruth Museum. Here they have a whole wing of the building dedicated to one of the most famous ball players in history. Here they have different memorabilia, game used equirpment, and more exhibits about the sultan of swat.

If you find yourself in downtown Baltimore and need to kill some time, The Maryland Sports Legends museum is a great place for you to do that. Stop by and see some of Maryland’s greatest athletes. You can also check out their website here to find out more information.

Pickles Pub

Pickles Pub in Baltimore, MD. (Photo Courtesy of Eric Arditti)

If you ever find yourself with some time to kill before an Orioles game, look for the gold glove  on the Brooks Robinson statue. 

Pickles Pub is a great time killer and also, a very entertaining bar.  It’s also “Just A Homerun Away”, as the sign reads on the front of the building.

A man who is much larger than you, most likely with arms full of tattoos and a big goatee and is holding a sign that reads, “BIG ASS BEERS $2”, first greets you. How could you not venture in to find out more about these “Big Ass Beers”?

As you walk in, it’s almost like a frat party. Beer cups smashed on the ground, crowded bathrooms, and loud music playing. But you do not feel overwhelmed.  Pickles welcomes you in and you feel like home.  You may even run into a few opposing teams fans. They normally don’t mind hanging with the enemy.

Pickles gives you everything you’d ever want out of a bar.

But that’s what gives Pickles its charm.  It’s not the cleanest bar in the world, or the quietest. But I bet you will run into a long lost friend and will talk for a while.

The atmosphere around pickles is amazing.  Upon the game starting, you will see some people file out and made the 500 ft. trek to the stadium. But it seems like most people at pickles end up staying there for a majority of the game. You will almost always see the mascot for National Bohemian Beer (Natty Boh) walking around taking pictures with fans at Pickles.

They have TV’s, which of course are showing the Orioles game, music blasting, and a full menu. Pickles serves some of the best food you can find in Baltimore.  Hotdogs, hamburgers, sausages, and foods that are perfect for a place like this.

Even with the insane amount of people that pack the space in Pickles, the waiters and barstaff and friendly and quick.  You are hardly left without a cold drink in your hand.

And its not just a party there before the games, after the games are the same way.  Pickles is the #1 pre and post game destination for Oriole fans.

So whether you stop in before an Orioles game for a “Big Ass Beer”, or are making your way to a Baltimore bar crawl, make sure you stop by Pickles Pub and check out the great atmosphere and enjoy yourself!

Stop by and check it out, and maybe even grab a “Big Ass Beer!”

Camden Yards

Camden Yards, in Baltimore, Md,  home to the Baltimore Orioles and is one of the most gorgeous ballparks out there. Whether it is the great food choices, to the sites of the city you can see from the upper deck, there is no doubt in my mind that Camden Yards is the best ballpark out there.  

The first thing you can do when you get to Camden is check out Eutaw Street. The stretch of street that runs outside center field and right field, Eutaw Street runs parallel to the B&O Warehouse.  The warehouse, originally built in the 1900s, now houses offices for the Baltimore Orioles.  The lower levels of the warehouse are home to a team store, and a restaurant owned by former Oriole Great Rick Dempsey.  As long as the Empire State building is tall, the Warehouse is definitely a site that should be seen while visiting Camden Yards.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards as seen from Eutaw Street (Photo taken by Eric Arditti)

 

While you are strolling along Eutaw Street, take a look down and be on the look out for home run plaques.  The Orioles place a ball onto Eutaw Street every time a ball is hit out there. It is a neat way of marking where the balls are hit.  Check out this Baltimore Sun Website where they show you all the balls that have been hit onto Eutaw Street.

Another new neat feature about Camden Yards is Statue Park.  The Orioles placed statues of six of their greatest players.  The statues are life like and are awesome to look at.  Definitely check them out if you get a chance. 

The food choices at Camden Yards are what make the park so awesome. You have your choice of typical baseball foods (hotdogs, hamburgers, fries, soda, beer), and then you have the new wave of ballpark food.  Crab dip fries (waffle fries with crab dip poured over top), bacon on a stick, chicken grilled overtop of a beer can (to soak up all the beer), and even a crab mac and cheese hot dog. No matter what food you chose, you couldn’t go wrong.  Each one has its own great taste and you will never forget the time you had it.   

One last thing to check out at Camden Yards is….The Game! Stay and watch your Baltimore Orioles as they look to make it to the playoffs two years in a row. Enjoy watching the crab shuffle on the big screen, and get ready to yell “O” during the star spangled banner!

 

Bio Page

Hi everyone, thanks for coming to my WordPress. My name is Eric Arditti. I am 24 years old and a senior here at Towson. I will be graduating in December with a degree in Mass Communication.  I am excited for this class and to learn how to write code.  When I’m not working or in school, you can find me writing sports blogs for EutawStreetReport.com, watching sports, or attending sporting events. I also have 2 snakes so I look after and take care of them.

 

Twitter- @EricArditti

http://eutawstreetreport.com/author/ericarditti/

 

Towson Baseball

Towson Baseball Beat Writing

 

Heading into their season, Towson baseball may be facing a much bigger challenge than winning the CAA.  They are facing elimination.  They are on the verge of their program being taking away from them.  Even with success in the last few years, the school has picked them as an option to be eliminated.  The players are hoping for a great season, but also are hoping that they will get a chance to play next year.  Remember to check in every week to follow up on Towson Baseball. 

Drexel Outlasts Towson

When the Drexel Dragons arrived to play Towson, it wasn’t just a key CAA matchup; it was a match up between the two top scorers in the CAA.  Drexel and leading scorer Hollie Mershon edged out Towson and their top player, Tanisha McTiller by a score of 62-48.

 

Towson and their leading scorer, McTiller, struggled mightily in the first half only shooting 22.7% from the field. McTiller only connected on 1 of 5 shots from the field to bring her first half point total to 5, 13 points under her season average of 18.4.

 

Mershon, the leading scorer in the CAA at 18.9 PPG, clearly outplayed McTiller on both sides of the ball.  Mershon, and Drexel were getting any shot they wanted. Executing their plays were no problem against a slower, lazy Towson defense. 

 

The tigers on the other hand, couldn’t do anything on offense in the first half. McTiller was forcing shots, and no one else on the court was getting involved in the offense, which led to more sloppy play, as well as more turnovers. 

 

Drexel switched to a zone defense later in the first half, which seemed to really stifle McTiller. After cutting to the basket and getting hammered by two Drexel defenders and not getting a foul call, she sat on the floor with her hands in the air.   Coach Joe Matthews could sense early in the day that McTiller may have been off in the game. 

 

“She wasn’t right at shoot around today,” Matthews said.  “You’re going to have a tough time winning time anytime she (McTiller) plays like that.”

 

While McTiller was struggling, the only player in the CAA who was scoring more than her was lighting it up.  Mershon was having her way with the Towson defenders, getting to the basket anytime she wanted and even lighting it up from the three-point land.  Mershon ended the first half with 7 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists as Drexel led 29-14 going into intermission. 

 

After building a comfortable 15-point lead at halftime, Drexel seemed to take their foot off the gas, with Towson actually outscoring Drexel in the 2^nd half, 34 to 33. McTiller ending her night with 14 points, and going 1-14 from the field for the game, all 9 of her points in the second half came from the charity stripe.  Towson had two other players in double figures with Michelle Peebles having a very efficient 13 points on 5-8 shooting and 3-4 from the line. She also chipped in 7 boards.  Dominique Johnson added 14 points, and like McTiller, struggled shooting and ended her night 4-12 from the field and 2-9 from three. 

 

Mershon ended her night with 19 points on 7-15 shooting.  Drexel’s scoring was more spread out with no other player scoring more than 9.  Towson, which played much better in the second half, maybe would have been able to stage a comeback if it would have gotten any production from its bench. Drexel outscored them 23-0 in that faze of the game.  After cutting the Drexel deficit to 8 with 8 minutes left, the dragons pulled away to a 62-48 victory. 

 

“1^st half was the difference in the game,” Matthews stated after the game.  But he thought there were a few good things that came from the game. “Teams getting better, I can say that.”

The Dark Super Bowl

Super Bowl 47 was one of the most interesting sporting events in history.  Was it too much for me to ask for a 49ers win that would quiet all of Baltimore? I guess it was. I guess it was also too much to ask for the Super Dome to keep the lights on as well. The Ravens overcame a power outage lasting 34 minutes, as well as a 49ers rally to win their second Super Bowl in the teams young history.  This game drew attention by being the first Super Bowl in history featuring brothers as the opposing coaches. 

 

The Ravens came out the games firing on all cylinders with the 49ers going three and out on their first offensive series.  Joe Flacco then led the Ravens down the field and hit Anquan Boldin for a 13-yard touchdown. The 49ers answered with a field goal from kicker David Akers to get them on the board.   Baltimore scored two more touchdowns to go ahead 21-3 on the 49ers before Akers added on another field goal before halftime making the score 21-6. That’s when things got weird.

 

It seemed as if the 49ers special teams were still in awe from Beyoncé’s jaw dropping, illuminati sign showing, Destiny’s Child reunion, performance at halftime, leading to Jacoby Jones marching 108 yards for the longest touchdown in Super Bowl History. Moments later, half of the lights in the Super Dome went out, causing half of the stadium to go dark.  Players, as well as viewers, had to sit and endure a 34-minute delay before play began again.

San Francisco seemed to gain the most from this delay as they came out on fire.  Colin Kaepernick went on to lead the 49ers to 17 unanswered points to make the score 28-23 before Baltimore added on another field goal. Kaepernick called his own number as he sprinted around the left side and went untouched into the end zone for the score. After the failed two-point conversion that would have tied the game at 31, it seemed as if the 49ers were in control.

 

4 out of the last 5 Super Bowls have been decided on the last drive of the game, this game wasn’t any different.  The 49ers got the ball down close to the end zone, but after three horribly called plays, they failed to score. With a controversial no call in the end zone (ask Jim Harbaugh if Crabtree was held) the Ravens, who after the power outage had been outgained and outscored by the 49ers and Ray Lewis, who had been getting abused by 49ers tight end Vernon Davis all game, captured the Lombardi Trophy with the final score reading Baltimore-34, San Francisco-31.

 

I would have loved to see Ray Lewis and the Ravens lose this game just so I could rub it in the faces of Ravens fans, but Lewis and the Ravens now get to rub it in my face for the next year. Now I don’t think the Ravens were the best team, but they were most certainly the hottest team. Congrats to The Ravens and the city of Baltimore.