Baltimore Orioles

About the Orioles

With the decline and eventual departure of two local teams - the NFL's Baltimore Colts and baseball's Washington Senators - the Orioles' excellence paid off at the gate, as the team cultivated a large and rabid fan base at old Memorial Stadium. The Baltimore faithful were rewarded by the Orioles winning the World Series in 1983. Cal Ripken, Jr. was named Most Valuable Player that same year, joining legendary greats Frank Robinson (1966) and Boog Powell (1970).

Cal Ripken again won MVP honors in 1991, during the team's final season at Memorial Stadium.

You are there with the Rob Arra Collection stadium crew, sitting along the first base line, for that spectacular day game in Baltimore. Carl Ripkin Jr. delivers a shot up the third base line. Rob Arra captures the moment in his panoramic stadium photograph "Who's at Bat". You can even see the in-motion ball as a streak above the third base coach.

In 1992, with grand ceremony, the Orioles began their season in a brand new ballpark, Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Situated on 85 acres, construction of the new ballpark had begun in June 1989, took 33 months to finish, and cost $110 million. Heralding an new era of purpose-built Baseball Parks and incorporating the best features of early 20th Century venues, the success of Oriole Park at Camden Yards inspired other cities to build their own versions of this new Retro-style ballpark.

1995: Cal Ripken Breaks the Record

In 1995, Cal Ripken, Jr. finally broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive games streak of 2,130 games, an event that in 1999 fans from around the country voted the all-time baseball moment of the 20th century. Rob Arra was there and preserved that moment in "Last at Bat", a panoramic stadium view from your vantage point along the first base line. Ripken ended his streak on September 20, 1998, after 2,632 straight games.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards Trivia:

• - Oriole Park at Camden Yards is located only two blocks from Babe Ruth's birthplace.
• - Ruth's father operated Ruth's Cafe at 406 Conway Street, the site of which is now located in center field.
• - A red seat in left field (Section 86, Row FF, Seat 10) marks the spot where Cal Ripken hit home run number 278 in 1993, breaking Ernie Banks' record for most home runs hit by a shortstop. Ripken hit the seat again in 1995 while playing in consecutive game number 2130, which tied Lou Gherig's record.