ORIOLE PARK at CAMDEN YARDS
Camden Yards has been referred to as the “Happiest
place on Earth” by friends of mine from Baltimore. I have attended about 25-30 games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in
Baltimore,
Maryland. I’ve
only watched more major league baseball games at Fenway Park.
I have found that taking in an afternoon or evening of baseball at Camden Yards is very different than taking in a
game at Fenway Park. The contrast of atmosphere, value of ticket prices relative
to the quality of seating, and the quality of players are just a small example of the differences between the two parks. Camden Yards, in my opinion, is more similar to PNC park in Pittsburgh or Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
I also want to preface this article by noting
that native Baltimore or greater Baltimore residents refer to this place as Oriole Park. I, as many others including broadcasters and players who have played there, refer to this place as Camden
Yards. Therefore, I will be referring to Oriole Park as Camden Yards in this
article.
Atmosphere:
There’s a sense of enthusiasm the Orioles
attempt to advocate, to create a fun and wholesome experience at the ballpark. This
enthusiasm is based on the team it places on the field and the ballpark the team plays in.
The two elements help create separate attitudes toward the team and toward the ballpark.
I have only attended games at Camden since 1999. I missed the competitive
Oriole teams of the early 80’s and mid 90’s. I strongly feel that
if it wasn’t for Cal Ripken (I did have the opportunity to see him play) or a new ball park the fans enthusiasm for
baseball in
Baltimore
would have never existed past 1996. Certainly after the 2001 season ended, the
apathy for the team was evident, except a few thousand die hard fans. The crowds
were low in number, the team was faltering, the Orioles’ ticket office was doing anything it could to give away tickets
to games.
As you approach the park from any direction, you’ll
see some people gathered around the 2 gates on Eutaw street. There are only 2 gates that open 2 hours before game time. Unless the Red Sox, Yankees or Phillies are in town, or unless there’s a popular giveaway the crowds
at the gates are generally low in number. In fact, the lines of fans waiting
to enter the park early are 200-300 people long for the popular opponents, and maybe 25-50 for other opponents. When I’ve attended games in which the Orioles are playing the Red Sox, there are easily 80% Red Sox
fans to 20% Oriole fans when the gates open.
There is little sense of urgency from the fans
to see their team win. The fan’s attitude toward the team is more like
the attitude of a Cub’s fan. They are content with having a beer and a good time.
There is hardly any sense of excitement about the team (that has changed slightly with some well known free agent signings
last winter). More people are excited about eating from Boog Powell’s BBQ
food stand than seeing a game. I can honestly say that when I talk to Orioles
fans before a game, they are more excited about seeing the opponent than seeing their own team. This has been especially evident the past couple of seasons.
That’s enough about the attitude toward
the team. The attitude the organization fosters to promote the ballpark is impeccable. The Orioles do a great job of promoting a clean, pleasant and family friendly place
to see a professional baseball game. They market this ballpark as a destination
point in Baltimore.
That is clearly evident by all the other fans who visit this place from around the county. Moreover, I personally think the Orioles do a great job creating a fa硤e using what the ballpark
has to offer, to cover up the quality of players they place on the field.
Food:
Camden Yards, in my mind, has the most diverse
and best quality food options in the major leagues. My favorite location is the
3rd Base Deli. They’ll make fresh sandwiches, hot or cold, and
or subs for you. The prices are reasonable considering all the food is fresh. In April of 2004 I bought a roast beef and provolone sandwich, chips and soda for
$7.50 from the deli. You won’t find a better deal in any other park.
The BBQ food tents and all the fresh lemonade
stands on Eutaw St. are well worth the wait and price. I have to admit that the chatter outside the park about Boog Powell’s tent lives
up to it’s reputation.
You will also find the normal ballpark food at
the stadium. Sausages, hot dogs, and burgers all fall into the norm of major
league ball park prices. Hot dogs are about $3.50, burgers $4.50-$5.00 and sausages
are slightly higher.
If you ever have a change to attend or host a
catered event in a room or suite at Camden Yards DO
IT!!! The quality of a catered event is worth the price. To host 50 guests in a private room costs about $50-55 a person depending on the section the group will
sit in. The price will include seats to the game, and a pregame buffet that could
include bbq pork or chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, cookies, soda and all the beer you can drink.
My favorite snack item are the hot cinnamon covered
pretzels that can be found at the Uncle Teddy’s pretzel stand behind the seating area along the 1st baseline. I would recommend arriving at this stand early in the game, because by the 3rd
inning the wait will be 20 minutes to a half an hour long.
One other secret about Camden is that you can bring in food from the outside. For instance, you can bring in non-alcoholic beverages from the outside.
You can even bring in small soft coolers from the outside. So you don’t
have to purchase food inside. It’s the best of both worlds at Camden Yards
when it comes to food selection.
Seating:
The seating bowl, the sight lines and prices are
among the best in major league baseball. Fenway Park needs to take a lesson
from Camden on what a seating bowl should look like
in 2004. There isn’t a bad seat in the stadium and the only places where
you cannot see the entire field are in the right field corner and any of the last rows of the odd numbered lower boxes or
odd numbered terrace boxes.
The prices are more than reasonable. You can sit in the 1st rows in right and left field for no more than $40. You can sit at many field level seats for no more than $45. When
I say field level I’m describing no more than 25 rows from the field. You
can also find seats for as low as $9 in the upper deck.
Personally, my favorite seats are in the left
field corner. The price is only $27 and you are very close to the field. Many homeruns and foul balls are hit down there as well. The sight lines are perfect as the seats are facing the area between the pitchers mound and home
plate.
Overall, you are paying the appropriate price
for the location of your ticket. If you’re 500 feet away you’re only
paying $9 and if you’re next to the dugout you’re paying $45. Moreover,
no matter where the seats, you’ll have plenty of leg space. You’ll
have plenty of space to sit and the aisles are wide enough for 2-3 people to walk up and down.
Parking:
There is generally plenty of parking around the
park. You can usually find garages for night games that cost on average $5-$10
per game. There are at least 3 garages located on N. Eutaw street within 3 blocks of the stadium.
In addition there are some $10-$15 dollar outside
lots near and around the convention center. Another option within ? mile of the
stadium are the parking lots located between the football stadium and Oriole Park. Most of those lots are well lit, safe, and only cost $6-$8 a game.
My final recommendation is not to park near the
inner harbor. You will pay a minimum of $7 an hour to park in a garage or outside
lot near the harbor. Traffic is tough to deal with in that area. I would even recommend that if you were to visit the harbor to park near the ballpark all the time. The price is much cheaper and it’s generally a nice, short walk to the harbor
from the stadium.
Amenities:
The
restrooms are spacious, there are many in quantity, they are conveniently located, and most are generally clean (at least
the men’s rooms are).
The
main concourse on both levels is large and spacious. There are plenty of concession
and souvenir stands.
The
concourse located on the suite level is absolutely beautiful. It’s heated
on cold nights and air conditioned for those hot days in the summer. They also
have relaxing seating areas inside this area. There’s nothing like eating
hot dogs in a leather chair at the ball park. All the concessions you find on
the outside concourses are also located in here.
There is a ticket box office located behind the
left field seats and is generally open during the first 4 innings of a game. You
can actually buy tickets to future games at this box office.
There is a children’s play area near the
right field corner. The Oriole Mascot, “The Bird” can be seen walking
around the park and mingling with fans, especially the kids.
Eutaw Street
is a unique and fun pedestrian concourse. Behind the flag court you will discover
the bronze baseballs on the street. These markings represent home run balls hit
during games that landed out there. There are plenty of food and beverage options
on Eutaw Street.
You should also visit the Oriole store behind the center field bleachers.
There are plenty of vendors who navigate the seating
areas, including the beer vendors. The 1st time I saw a beer vendor
selling to people in the seats, my jaw dropped. That is definitely something
I have never seen in Boston.
Security/Staff/Gates/Tickets:
The gates generally open 2 hours before game time. At this point only the Eutaw Street gates are opened. Only season ticket holders are allowed
to be admitted to their seats. All other fans must stay on Eutaw Street, in the flag court or in the center field bleachers until 1 ? hours
before game time.
Security is pretty tight, but not as bad as Fenway. Using the MLB security guidelines, bags are allowed in the stadium as long as they
are not larger than 16x16x8. The security will generally tag the bag, showing
that it was screened and allowed into the stadium.
All the security staff, police officers, ticket
takers and ushers have always been extremely helpful and friendly to me and any people I’ve attended games with. There is never a shortage of them and they do make sure all fans are acting appropriately. They staff always fosters a family friendly atmosphere.
Game tickets are usually very easy to come by. Obviously, if you are planning a trip, buy your tickets early. You’ll have a much better chance at getting the best available seats.
However, if you arrive the day of the game you can almost always walk up to the ticket window and find most sections
available for sale.
A unique and responsible service the Orioles offer
is a place called the scalp free zone. This area is located about 50 yards down
the street from the Babe Ruth statue. With Orioles representatives overlooking
the area, fans have the opportunity to sell their tickets at face value to fans wanting seats to a game. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
One last point about tickets is knowing about
the opportunity to upgrade. You can always go to the box office windows and ask
for a seating upgrade. If the Orioles can accommodate your request, you’ll
just have to pay the difference between the tickets you paid for and the tickets you’ll receive. I would recommend going early in the day or up to ? before game time to ask for an upgrade. I’ve done this many times, and have sat as close as 10 rows behind the Orioles dugout by requesting
an upgrade.
Miscellaneous:
The north side of Eutaw Street or the warehouse is unique.
This is where the Babe Ruth statue, the box office windows and the retired number court can be found. The court is
an area where the Orioles have honored their players whose jersey numbers are retired by building what looks like a stainless
steel statue of each number. I only enter in from this gate if I’m meeting
other people. The Babe Ruth statue is a perfect meeting spot for separated
parties.
Out behind the centerfield wall, the grounds crew
grows the playing field grass in large patches.
The ivy wall in centerfield is there to imitate
the ivy walls at Wrigley.
The foul poles have come from Memorial Stadium.
The team flags in the right field flag court are
hung up in the order of the current
American league standings. The team in 1st place of each division will have their flag on the pole at the far left if you’re
looking at from the infield.
After the song “Take me out to the Ballgame”
is played during the 7th inning stretch, John
Denver’s
“Thank God I’m a Country Boy” will be played. That’s
a tradition in Baltimore that goes back at least 10
years.
The left field seating area, the center field
bleachers and the right field flag court are all awesome places to watch batting practice from. In 5 seasons I’ve caught at least 6-8 baseballs in the flag court.
I’ve witnessed fans catch up to 4 balls in left field in one practice session.
There’s no shortage of batting practice balls clearing all the walls for fans to catch.
If you’re on the 3rd base line
about 20-25 minutes before the game starts, watch out for “The Bird”. The
Oriole mascot will usually pull young children out of the crowd to play a game of baseball on the field. The bird’s assistants will set up a miniature diamond and pitch a plastic ball to the children. Once the child makes contact with the pitch they are instructed to run the bases. This doesn’t always happen. My
wife and I have seen kids run into short left field and use players such as Nomar Garciaparra as a shield to protect them
from the bird. It is very amusing and thrill for the kids.
The backdrop for Oriole Park
is known as the warehouse. This is an integral part of the area known as Camden
Yards. The warehouse is the longest building on the east coast and I’ve
been told on tours that if you were to stand the building straight up, it would be taller than the Empire State
Building in New
York City. The building houses the Oriole
store, the box office, the Oriole front office and various function rooms and restaurants.
The glass windows facing the park are mostly “ball proof”. When
it was built there was a fear that home runs balls would reach these windows and cause massive damage. It turns out this has never been an issue. Ken Griffey Jr.
is the only player to hit a ball that reached the building and that was during the Home Run Derby in 1991. The warehouse has very historical significance to Baltimore and the import, export, and railroad trade there.
There is a connection with Babe Ruth and Baltimore. Babe Ruth was born and raised in Baltimore. There is a Babe Ruth museum located 2-3 blocks from
the ball park. If you follow the baseballs painted on the sidewalk, they will
lead you to the museum. You can pick up the baseball trail at the Babe Ruth statue.
Collecting Autographs:
Here are some tips on how to acquire autographs
in the ballpark and outside the ball park. In regards to inside the park here
a some tips:
1.
Get to the seating area an 1 ? hour before game time. You can get into the seating area 2 hours early if you’re a season ticket holder.
2.
If you go to the Orioles side (1st base line) you have a couple
of options. (Please note that if you enter the park that early you will catch
the end of the Orioles batting practice.) One option would be to head near the
home plate side of the dugout. I have personally seen and acquired many autographs
at this spot. The other option would be to stake out a space near the tarp along
the 1st base line. I’ve seen players such as Jay Gibbons, Tony
Batista and Rodrigo Lopez sign autographs during BP here. Ten to fifteen minutes
before the game starts you might also acquire autographs here. I’ve seen
Rafael Palmeiro, Melvin Mora and Cal Ripken sign here after they completed their stretching exercises.
3.
If you choose to acquire visiting players I’ve had the most success
along the 3rd base line by the Mobil sign. I’ve acquired Nomar
Garciaparra, Darin Erstad, Eric Karros and many others at this location. This
is also a great picture spot. I know of people who have had success by the home
plate side of the dugout, but I’ve had little success here. I’ve
seen Derek Jeter, Ramon Ortiz and Joe Torre sign here, but it was a limited quantity in a limited time.
After the game I recommend 3 locations
to acquire player autographs. The 1st spot is right at the Oriole
parking lot, or the road leading into the parking lot. I’ve seen Sidney
Ponson, Melvin Mora and Jay Gibbons among many, many others sign here. I usually
get on average 3-6 autographs here after each game.
The 2nd spot is right under
the green awning under the suite entrance of the ballpark. Regularly, I have
met many visiting team players, media, or former Oriole players, leaving the park at this door. Players such as Jim Palmer, Jim Kaat, Trot Nixon, Kasuhisa Ishii and many others have signed for me here. I would say in 4 years that I have acquired at least 45-50 autographs at this door. This spot has been very successful for me.
The only problem is that this door has become popular and it does get crowded out there after a game. I’ve witnessed as many as 75 autograph seekers at this spot after a game.
The 3rd spot is on the other
side of the warehouse near the parking attendant booth. Players such as Shawn
Green, Derek Lowe and Bronson Arroyo have been seen leaving out this door.
You can also use the same spots for autographs
before the game. I’ve met Paul LoDuca, Bill Mueller, Scott Williamson and
scores of others before the game outside the green awning. This time is typically
not as crowded, but it is harder to acquire signatures, because players are anxious to get into their clubhouse. They typically don’t stop as much before the game.
Finally, you will almost always have an
opportunity to meet Boog Powell at his concession stand on Eutaw Street. This is a great autograph to acquire.
Boog Powell was the A.L. MVP in 1970.
