Category: Baltimore

Good thread on the Oriole Park at Camden Yards redesign

Moving the wall back turned out to be an excellent idea.

The price of moving back left field wall worth it for Orioles to eliminate cheap homers

My favorite Orioles nicknames

Don Stanhouse – “Full Pack”

Earl Weaver called him “Full Pack” because of how many cigarettes Weaver would smoke when Stanhouse pitched. He was a relief pitcher for the Orioles in 1978 and 1979. He took a long time between pitches and threw a lot of pitches that were not strikes. He counted on hitters being impatient and eager to swing at anything. It was very frustrating to watch as a fan but he got the job done most of the time as a closer. I saw him at an autograph show a few years ago and the long curly hair is gone. I can’t recall if he just had short hair or was bald.

https://x.com/super70ssports/status/1695208078323404949?s=43&t=rIYxMSgaBTiASp7yrXMpjA

Joe Altobelli – “Cement Head”

Altobelli was the manager who led the Orioles to the last World Series win. He did not come across as a great baseball mind like Earl Weaver, his predecessor. The Orioles owner, Edward Bennett Williams called him “Cement Head”. I guess a famous successful lawyer like Williams didn’t like having his huge investment managed by a guy who only went to high school.

Curt Blefary – “Clank”

Blefary was primarily an outfielder for the Orioles from 1965-1968. He could hit and was Rookie of the Year in 1965. He was not a good fielder and was nicknamed “Clank” by teammate Frank Robinson.

Fire at a vacant former brewery

https://baltimoreheritage.org/issue/eigenbrot-brewery/

Support Independent Bookstores

Baltimore Magazine had a fine article on local independent bookstores. The Barnes and Noble store at the Inner Harbor closed but I think there are more independent bookstores here than ever.

I especially recommend Charm City Books which is only a few blocks from my house. It’s a great store with a knowledgeable and helpful staff. They are a real asset to the neighborhood and the city. For example, they hold book drives for schools and other worthy causes, for example. I don’t see Amazon doing that. Charm City Books posts often on Instagram and I recommend following them.

Here’s a recent post about a Charm City Books book drive where they are collaborating with several other local independent bookstores: