History of the Baltimore Orioles
The Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum worked with the Baltimore Orioles to create a display for Oriole Park’s newly refurbished Club Level. This display is an expansion on the museum’s “70 Years of Orioles Baseball” exhibit with an added look at Baltimore’s Baseball roots.
THE HISTORY OF THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES
The modern era of Baltimore baseball began in April 1954, when players from
Baltimore’s new American League Orioles stepped off the train at Camden
Station. But we’d have to go back 72 years before then to find the first
Baltimore Orioles franchise. Starting in1882, there has been an Orioles
franchise in Baltimore every year but 1900. We are pleased to present the
History of the Baltimore Orioles exhibition, which features some of the most
profoundly historic artifacts from the past 14+ decades of Orioles baseball.
In the Beginning
In 1882 the Orioles, whose name derived from a popular Mardi Gras festival
put on by the Order of the Oriole, joined baseball’s American Association,
where they finished in the second division eight times in 10 years. In 1892 the
franchise shifted to the National League, and for the balance of that decade
would become baseball’s first great dynasty, finishing first three times and
second twice from 1894-98. After a two-year stint in the new American League
(1901-’02) the team shifted to New York in ‘03 to become the Highlanders,
who 12 years later changed their name to NY Yankees. Subsequently, in that
same year a new, minor league Orioles team formed. Their heyday came
under team owner/manager Jack Dunn (1907-28). In 1914 the Orioles signed
Baltimore native, George Herman “Babe” Ruth to his rookie contract, and
from 1919-1925 they captured seven consecutive pennants, still a
professional record. The Orioles would stay in the minors for 51 seasons.
The Modern Era
In 1954 the Orioles rejoined the American league, where they have played
ever since. Starting in 1955, manager Paul Richards developed the “Oriole
Way,” a system in which every coach and player focused on pitching, defense
and learning the fundamentals. Developing a corps of young stars like Brooks
Robinson, the team began challenging the Yankees as early as 1960. In
December,1965, they traded pitcher Milt Pappas to Cincinnati for an ‘old’
Frank Robinson. The superstar put them over the top in 1966 as the Orioles
defeated the favored Dodgers, 4-0, to capture their first World Series.
The Golden era of O’s baseball stretched from ‘66-’74, with Brooks and Frank,
and Boog Powell and Jim Palmer, all under the legendary guidance of
manager Earl Weaver. Today, as one of the pillars of the American League,
Baltimore’s Orioles have enjoyed 10 first-place finishes, six pennants and
three World Series championships. And, in 1992, they opened Oriole Park at
Camden Yards, the ballpark that forever changed baseball, and which hosted
one of baseball’s all-time moments in 1995, 2-1-3-1, when Cal Ripken Jr.
broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive game streak.
