Why (and When) did You Become an Oriole Fan ???

[EddieEddie]

Conception.

Inception

[crowmst3k!]

I was 3, it was 1988, my Dad took me and my brother to Memorial (I thought he said "The Oriole") stadium. We watched Cal (thought he said "Cow") Ripken and company play. I really liked watching the games at Memorial, although we would sit in the upper deck, and the players would look like ants.

Guess it started from there. I was really into it in elementary and middle school. Was an adolescent during high school, and was uninterested in much else aside from the normal adolescent crap, so my interest waned for a few years.

Got back into it during College. 2005 I was elated during the fast start, and so disappointed by the long fall. Followed in 2006, started attending games regularly in 2007...been a fixture at Camden Yards ever since.

[The Wedge]

Inception

When I was just a twinkle in my ol' pappy's eyes.

[Denny]

O's fan since 1966....why: O's vs Dodgers in the world series and my brother was/is a Dodger fan

[carolinaoriole]

I grew up in America (we moved around a lot) We lived in 32 states by the time I was 15 years old. The Orioles were one of the best team in baseball and were always on the NBC game of the week. I had my heart broken the year the Mets and Jets beat the Colts and Orioles for world championships. I remember feeling sorry for the New York Yankees because the were a horrible team. I was 7 years old when the Orioles beat the Dodgers and I was on top of the world.

[Nite]

Grew up in central md. Mom was from hanover pa so her dad taught her all about the Os. Dad wasn't much for sports so I didn't even start little league until I was 11. Mom pointed out that my number, 5 was worn by the greatest 3b ever seen. I remember a school field trip to the baltimore zoo and driving by camden yards when it was half way up. My dad supporing my new interest in sports took my brother and I to the yard the first year of the yard. Saw rick suctliff (sp?) Pitch against the indians if I recall. After that first game I was hooked along with my dad as we went to at least 20 games a year.

Sorry about the wall of text, on my phone

[btownoriole]

I grew up in College Park the son of a die-hard Yankees fan. In 1978, at age 7, my dad took me to my first baseball game to the watch the team closest to home, the Orioles. I'll never forget the first time I saw the field at Memorial Stadium - it took my breath away. I became an Oriole fan immediately.

I remember a couple of years later my dad was still trying to get me to become a Yankees fan. I think he truly was upset but there was no way I was ever going back. My brother followed me and became an O's fan too. My dad still says it is his greatest failure as a father. :boogie:

The ironic thing, and the saving grace for my dad, is that both my brother and I married Yankees fans. In fact, at both our weddings Dad had the DJ play "New York, New York" so he could dance with the bride while he wore a Yankee cap. That's OK, he can be disappointed again when his grandchildren become O's fans!

[Bahama O's Fan]

I am from the Bahamas-grew up and still live here. The first baseball game I ever watched (on TV) was the O's when I was a kid. Starting watching for Ripken after that and have been ever since.

[JTrea81]

It was the summer of 1993. I had taken a class trip down to DC that spring, and I remember passing by Baltimore on I-95 and seeing the lights of OPACY. Our leader pointed it out to us that it was the Baltimore Orioles stadium. Later I was just browsing through a sports store in the Potomac Mills mall and spotted an Orioles hat and liked it right away. Another kid told me that was the hat of the Orioles so I decided to pick it up as a souvenir.

I hadn't followed baseball at all before this, but I decided to start looking at the box scores in the paper that summer to see how the Orioles were doing. Before long I was checking everyday and especially on the weekend when they printed all the stats for the players. I grew to become a fan of the team that summer and will continue to be one for life.

[JohnnyO'sFan]

Born in Maryland in 1965 to parents who weren't into sports. Saw Brooks, Boog, Frank and the boys and was hooked. Lived through the glory years. Lived through the bad ones. Never faltered; never considered any other team.

My team, always.

[Big Al]

1973. Living in Northern VA. I was 9, too young to ever have been a Senators fan. DC's channel 20 would carry O's games and the ones they didn't, I could pick up on Baltimore channel 2. How could you watch Chuck Thompson do an Oriole game and not become a fan? Ain't the beer cold! :beerchug1:

[Who's On 1st]

O's fan since 1966....why: O's vs Dodgers in the world series and my brother was/is a Dodger fan

Me as well! Except, it was my best friend that was a Dodger fan!

I grew up in Williamsport, Md. Have always bleed black and orange. :thumbsup1:

[Big Al]

This isn't my story, but it's pretty cool.

In 1991 I got tranferred to Kansas City. Naturally I would attend all Orioles games at Kauffman (then it was Royals) Stadium. I would try and get there as early as I could to watch BP and congregate with other O's fan. I was talking to one guy who said he came from St. Louis and was a life long Oriole fan. He was about my age so I asked him why he wasn't a Cards fan and he said his dad had been a Browns fan and when they moved to B'more he continued to root for them and then raised his son properly.

[blwalt17]

8/8/1990

[orayole]

'96

I kept hearing about the team on TV so I started watching.