I have to change the topic from the Mets right now. I just have to. It has gotten to the point where I cannot even watch ESPN because I am afraid about being depressed about Baseball. Anyway, this topic, if you are an Orioles fan (which living outside of Baltimore I have a soft spot for the Birds) will make you sick.
One of the more “comical” aspects of the box-scores for the Orioles this season is that the attendance is terrible. The first week of the season, the Orioles kept breaking their own records for lowest attendance as a baseball game. Needless to say, they need baseball fans to stay at the park. During one of the Oriole, Red Sox games last week, the Orioles kicked out a group of 20 Oriole fans for “apparently cheering too loudly” (Baltimore Examiner May 23). Here's the kicker: They were kicked out just after being recognized as being the fans of the game (They spelled out of their shirts Luke Scott with many U's in Luke). The surrounding Red Sox fans complained and got them kicked out. One of the fans that got the boot, Zach Thompson, phrased it the best way:
“It's bad enough we've had to watch bad baseball for 10 years, then they do things like this on top of it…Some of us still support and love them, but the same ushers who reprimand Orioles fans let Sox and Yankees fans chant, stand and do whatever they want. They take over our stadium, and we're the ones who are asked to leave. Go ahead and kick out the true fans they stil have and see where it gets them.” (Baltimore Examiner May 23)
This really is incredible. The Orioles denied comment on this situation. I have no idea how this can happen. I've been to Yankee and Red Sox games at Camden Yards and the away fans shout horrible, horrible things in family sections in the ballpark, and the only way fans get removed is if they get into a physical fight.
I really hope these fans get free tickets to games and public apology by the Oriole Organization. A struggling franchise with as much history as the Orioles do should not add this to their list of reasons why fans should drop their loyalty to the team.
