A continuation of yesterpost...
Our tour continued to the press area and the main operations room for the ball park. A massive trail of wires on the ceiling shows the way!
The main computer room controls all the lights and screen in the park, along with what's shown on the big scoreboard.
The press gets a good view of the game from behind home plate, though that does mean they are prone to foul balls flying in (the windows have no glass in them). Usually the press is more defensive of their lap tops than their persons, according to our tour guide.
The press room also has the line ups and stats from the previous game on a whiteboard.
We took an elevator down to the lowest floor, where all the players arrive and hang out.
The Jamie Parker Room is where the mascot gets dressed before going out onto the field.
Next, we had the most exciting part of the tour--going out onto the field! The taller of us had to duck under the nets protecting pedestrians from stray balls. My youngest ducked too, though he didn't have to.
We sat in the Orioles dugout while the guide told us not to go on the grass. A lot of hard work goes into maintaining the grass and he claimed he had to confiscate shoes in the past.
The dugout includes the typical phones to other parts of the stadium when the manager or a player needs to get in touch with someone else.
I was surprised by how plain the bat rack was.
The big scoreboard has two orioles as wind vanes. The only problem with the design is the warehouse building, which is slightly taller than the scoreboard so wind from the west won't turn the birds. The tour guide said that the blocking of west wind makes all those home runs reach Eutaw Street.
One part of the park has all the retired numbers for the team in orange. The final blue number, 42, is for Jackie Robinson, the great player who broke the color barrier of the major leagues in 1947.
We noticed a black ribbon on number 20, which was Frank Robinson's number. He died on February 7, 2019, so the ribbon commemorates his recent death.
We took three last pictures before heading up into the stands.
Many of the chairs have an old design from the previous stadium on the end.
We went back up to Eutaw Street for the end of our tour, looking back into the stadium and seeing the flag poles for all the baseball teams.
The tour guide asked the younger tour members which year was the first World Series victory for the Orioles. Another boy guessed wrong then my son piped up with "1966." The guide gave him a ball that was found in the stadium, probably a foul ball that no one picked up.
We got home and looked at it closer--it was an opening day ball!
The tour was excellent and we highly recommend going for it. My youngest now wants to see a game so I am sure there will be a family excursion this summer.
Our tour continued to the press area and the main operations room for the ball park. A massive trail of wires on the ceiling shows the way!
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| The ball park was clearly built before the wifi craze |
The main computer room controls all the lights and screen in the park, along with what's shown on the big scoreboard.
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| The "brains" of Oriole Park |
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| Even the technicians get a view of the game |
The press gets a good view of the game from behind home plate, though that does mean they are prone to foul balls flying in (the windows have no glass in them). Usually the press is more defensive of their lap tops than their persons, according to our tour guide.
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| Press desks |
The press room also has the line ups and stats from the previous game on a whiteboard.
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| A close game! |
We took an elevator down to the lowest floor, where all the players arrive and hang out.
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| The underbelly of the park |
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| Do you have proper identification? |
The Jamie Parker Room is where the mascot gets dressed before going out onto the field.
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| Mascot dressing room |
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| More of the hallway |
Next, we had the most exciting part of the tour--going out onto the field! The taller of us had to duck under the nets protecting pedestrians from stray balls. My youngest ducked too, though he didn't have to.
 |
| Going out onto the field |
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| View of the stands |
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| View of the field |
We sat in the Orioles dugout while the guide told us not to go on the grass. A lot of hard work goes into maintaining the grass and he claimed he had to confiscate shoes in the past.
 |
| In the dugout |
The dugout includes the typical phones to other parts of the stadium when the manager or a player needs to get in touch with someone else.
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| Press Box, Video Replay, and Bullpen phones |
I was surprised by how plain the bat rack was.
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| For the bats |
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| Our tour guide |
The big scoreboard has two orioles as wind vanes. The only problem with the design is the warehouse building, which is slightly taller than the scoreboard so wind from the west won't turn the birds. The tour guide said that the blocking of west wind makes all those home runs reach Eutaw Street.
 |
| Scoreboard |
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| Mostly helpful windvane |
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| View of the park from the dugout |
One part of the park has all the retired numbers for the team in orange. The final blue number, 42, is for Jackie Robinson, the great player who broke the color barrier of the major leagues in 1947.
 |
| Retired numbers |
We noticed a black ribbon on number 20, which was Frank Robinson's number. He died on February 7, 2019, so the ribbon commemorates his recent death.
 |
| Baseball's loss |
We took three last pictures before heading up into the stands.
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| My sons on the field |
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| Home plate |
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| One last shot |
Many of the chairs have an old design from the previous stadium on the end.
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| Inspired by the first field |
We went back up to Eutaw Street for the end of our tour, looking back into the stadium and seeing the flag poles for all the baseball teams.
 |
| Another view |
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| Flagpoles |
The tour guide asked the younger tour members which year was the first World Series victory for the Orioles. Another boy guessed wrong then my son piped up with "1966." The guide gave him a ball that was found in the stadium, probably a foul ball that no one picked up.
 |
| Checking out the game ball |
We got home and looked at it closer--it was an opening day ball!
 |
| Proof |
The tour was excellent and we highly recommend going for it. My youngest now wants to see a game so I am sure there will be a family excursion this summer.
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