Twinkies: Twinkie Burrito

Orioles Opening Week - Opening Day 1992

I was quite happy to be going to the all new Camden Yards on April 6, 1992.

I had had season tickets at the old Memorial Stadium with my good friend Steve Weinstein and we splurged (despite the medieval ticket hike) for more season tickets and opening day. I have gone to many, many, many games to Camden Yards but I must say that by far, those seats on that opening day were the worst I ever had: center field, underneath the overhang.

There had been a game a day or two before, the last exhibition game of the season against the New York Mets that I had also gone to so I felt lucky in that this was actually my second game at the new place. Steve and I rode the Light Rail down because we were sufficiently terrified of the projected gridlock downtown and had a good time riding the rails.

I usually don't have the best memory for games but this one I remember a lot:

Orioles defeated the Indians 2-0, in 2 hours 2 minutes. Complete game winning pitcher Rick Sutcliffe, 5 hits, 1 walk.

In the line-up that day for the Orioles: Brady Anderson, Joe Orsulak, Cal & Billy Ripken, Mike Devereaux, Chris Hoiles and one of the few games ever played by Glenn Davis.

For the Indians, Kenny Lofton, Carols Baerga, Abert Belle, Sandy Alomar Jr.

Johnny Oates was the manager and Cal Sr. was once again in the third base box.

One Minute Show - Ep. 3 - Webstar

Always entertaining, always informative, always... brief. The ONE MINUTE SHOW starring Al Be Back, this week featuring Webstar.

Orioles Opening Week - I Hated Junior Orioles

I'm sure you are anticipating some poetic waxing about my Junior Orioles experience but I must admit, I hated it.

For those of you who don't know, Junior Orioles was a season ticket package that was super cheap so Dad's could take their kids to the Orioles. This was back in their not-so-hey day of the mid-70's when they pretty much stunk those years after '71 and before the '79 - '83 dynasty. Not many people were going to the games. Solution: Junior Orioles.

Like any good business, you take the worst parts of the worst things and you slap a cool label on it. First off, the seats were in the outfield bleachers. In the old Memorial Stadium, the outfield bleacher seats for the most part stunk. There are approximately twenty bleacher seats which are acceptable. The rest are much, much, much too far away. Most are 900 feet from home plate.

They are also in the blazing sun. They were also a fairly flat grade. You couldn't see over the person in front of you. The games were always on Saturday or Sunday afternoon 124 degrees.

And my Dad was always miserable. We never, I mean NEVER, stayed the whole game. I'll never forget listening to one of the greatest comebacks in Orioles history from the comfort of our car as my Dad tore up Perring Parkway away from the stadium.

Orioles Opening Week - My O's Junk

Like any other goober who's been to his fair share of games over the years, combined with my notorious pack-rat tendencies, means I have plenty of Orioles junk.

My first memorable souvenir was an Orioles pennant my Dad picked up while he was at work for the '71 World Series between the O's and the Pirates. Talk about a different time, I remember the teachers rolling in television sets into the classrooms so we could watch. World Series games during the day? Teachers having the whole class watch sports instead of school work?

I've collected tons of programs, balls, knick-knacks and crud and have every ticket stub.

Uncool April Fool's

I generally don't start it, but when someone plays a prank, I usually come back over the top. Just ask the poor soul whom I convinced that our office building was built on the site of an old insane asylum. When the 'ghost' appeared, she screamed for eight full minutes.

Or the old co-worker I convinced that a colony of rats had burrowed under the building and had 'reportedly eaten a homeless man'.

Now that my children are getting a little older, they have dared to "fool" me. Hey Dad, is that some food on your shirt? April Fools. Hey Dad, I forgot to do my homework? April Fools. Hey Dad, there's a snake on your head. April Fools.

Well... call out the child psychologists, I'm about to put a hurtin' on the ol' boys. Details to come...

One Minute Show - Ep. 2 - Al Be Back interviews Stalley

I'm digging young Al Be Back...