Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD

Sunday, September 30, 2012

the final home game of the season

 

The crowd at Camden Yards goes crazy cheering after the last out of the 2012 regular season home game
The crowd at Camden Yards goes crazy cheering after the last out of the 2012 regular season home game

 

JJ Hardy Hits a Home Run in the Fourth Inning of the final Orioles game of the regular season at Camden Yards
JJ Hardy Hits a Home Run in the Fourth Inning of the final Orioles game of the regular season at Camden Yards

Camden Yards – a Historical Baseball Stadium

Located in the heart of downtown Baltimore, Camden Yards’ groundbreaking architecture and layout has influenced every new Major League Baseball stadium built in the last 20 years.

When it opened in 1992, Camden Yards was the first throw-back “retro” stadium that paid homage to its historical forefathers. The outer walls are a beautiful red brick, which is flanked by an old warehouse building that towers over right field and the bleachers.

It was on that brick warehouse facade that Cal Ripken Jr.’s legendary chase of the all-time consecutive games played record was tracked during the 1995 season. I still remember going to Camden during that season with my father and cheering on the Birds.

 

The exterior of Camden Yards - the home stadium of the Baltimore Orioles
The exterior of Camden Yards – the home stadium of the Baltimore Orioles

 

The old Eutaw Street B&O Railroad Warehouse Building is now the wall behind right field
The old Eutaw Street B&O Railroad Warehouse Building is now the wall behind right field

From Worst to (almost) First — the 2012 Baltimore Orioles

When I moved to Washington, DC, for college in 1998, the Baltimore Orioles were the closest Major League Baseball team. Although the O’s were never particularly good, I loved wandering around Camden Yards and taking in the beautiful architecture.

In fact, if I had to choose an AL baseball team to compliment my beloved New York Mets, it would be the Orioles. For this reason, I’m especially excited about the renaissance the O’s experienced in 2012.

After more than a decade of mediocrity, I was at Camden Yards on Sunday to watch them clinch their first postseason berth in 15 years.

 

My absolute favorite place to photograph a baseball game is from the very last corner seats in both right and left field
My absolute favorite place to photograph a baseball game is from the very last corner seats in both right and left field

The Orioles Clinch a Playoff Spot!

After spending the final weeks of the regular season going back and forth between first place and the wild card, the Orioles were playing for keeps during their final home game of the year.

It was Sunday afternoon and Camden Yards was packed with cheering fans decked out in orange and black as the O’s mashed three home runs to beat the Boston Red Sox 6-3.

It seemed that pretty much every time I found a good place to take a photograph, something happened in the game that caused the home crowd to thrust their hands up in celebration.

 

Nate McLouth hits a first inning home run in the Baltimore Orioles final home game of the 2012 season
Nate McLouth hits a first inning home run in the Baltimore Orioles final home game of the 2012 season

Statues & Other Architecture at Camden Yards

Even today, 20 years after opening, Camden Yards remains one of the most beautiful stadiums in baseball. With it’s brick facade, statues, and other architectural flairs, the Baltimore Orioles do a wonderful job of paying homage to baseball’s history.

The stadium itself is built on the old rail yard for the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad’s Camden Station. The massive brick building that towers above right field is the original B&O Warehouse, which runs parallel to the Eutaw Street promenade inside Camden.

Most recently, the Orioles added a statue garden in the picnic area behind center field. Paying homage to six of the Baltimore’s most famous players, they are a classy compliment to the statue of Babe Ruth, which has been outside Camden Yards since 1996.

 

Eutaw Street at Camden Yards with the old B&O Railroad Warehouse
Eutaw Street at Camden Yards with the old B&O Railroad Warehouse

 

The Jim Palmer Statue in Camden Yards
The Jim Palmer Statue in Camden Yards

 

The Babe Ruth statue at Camden Yards
The Babe Ruth statue at Camden Yards

Fun Facts about Orioles Park at Camden Yards

  • The stadium is the first major league ballpark to have an outfield wall made up entirely of straight wall segments since Ebbets Field.
  • The playing field is 16 feet below street level.
  • The stadium contains 4,631 club seats and 72 luxury suites.
  • Every seat in the ballpark is green, except for two – these commemorate historic home runs by Cal Ripken Jr and Eddie Murray.
  • You can watch the entire game from the bleachers behind the right field wall… like these Orioles fans below are doing.
Orioles fans enjoy the view from standing room in far right field
Orioles fans enjoy the view from standing room in far right field

 

The centerfield scoreboard at Camden Yards - home of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team
The centerfield scoreboard at Camden Yards – home of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team

 

Me at Camden Yards during the last home game of the 2012 baseball season
Me at Camden Yards during the last home game of the 2012 baseball season

 

These escalators and walkways take fans from the field level to the upper decks of Camden Yards
These escalators and walkways take fans from the field level to the upper decks of Camden Yards

 

This Orioles fan was very excited to show me his anti-Yankees shirt
This Orioles fan was very excited to show me his anti-Yankees shirt

 

A view of the Camden Yards parking lot with M&T Bank Ravens Stadium beyond
A view of the Camden Yards parking lot with M&T Bank Ravens Stadium beyond

Congrats to the 2012 AL Wild Card Champion Baltimore Orioles!!!

 

Leftfield, as seen from field level of Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland
Leftfield, as seen from field level of Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland

Final update: after an amazing run, the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Texas Rangers in a one game playoff; but eventually lost to the New York Yankees in a dramatic five game ALDS.