Unforgettable

My dad is from Baltimore and my grandparents still live just blocks from old Memorial Stadium. I've lived in Michigan my whole life but am a diehard O's fan. Every summer I'd visit my grandparents in Baltimore and my grandfather would take me down to see the Orioles. My earliest baseball memory is of 25 years ago seeing Oriole Magic firsthand as Tippy picked off three and Lenny was King for a day. What a great year for all of my baseball memories to begin with. Never would have thought that would be my only World Series smiles still to this point. I guess it could be worse...I could be a Cubs fan!

i was 8 yrs old at the time. this game remains as one of my first and favorite orioles memories.

Michigan Oriole wrote:

My dad is from Baltimore and my grandparents still live just blocks from old Memorial Stadium. I've lived in Michigan my whole life but am a diehard O's fan. Every summer I'd visit my grandparents in Baltimore and my grandfather would take me down to see the Orioles. My earliest baseball memory is of 25 years ago seeing Oriole Magic firsthand as Tippy picked off three and Lenny was King for a day. What a great year for all of my baseball memories to begin with. Never would have thought that would be my only World Series smiles still to this point. I guess it could be worse...I could be a Cubs fan!

you're lucky to have a great grandfather and wonderful childhood memories.

Joe Altobelli never got the credit he deserves for his x's and o's skills. He used the bench as well as Weaver, maybe even better. Beside the game above, game four of the '83 WS is another excellent example.
In the 6th inning, yes the 6th not the 8th or 9th, he sent up five pinch hitters in a row subbing in all the lefties before Philly could get any one else ready in the bullpen. By the time the frame was over the O's had a two or three run lead and the Phills were done. That game has to be the most materful managing perfomance I've ever witnessed.

Best game I ever attended. The O's were truly a team back then, more role players and scrappy "nobodies" than any other team ever. And the 25k made Memorial Stadium rock louder than any sell-out crowd can. Thanks for remembering.

Heh heh, I remember that night so vividly off the radio. This was back when baseball was fun. Great piece. <sigh>

Great recap of an unforgettable part of an unforgettable year. A situation like that would be virtually impossible in today's baseball, as the unnecessary and ludicrous 12- and 13-man pitching staffs leave baseball teams with virtually no bench.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that those were the only 3 pickoffs of Tippy's career -- seems unlikely, but if anyone knows for sure...

Tired Customer wrote:

I seem to remember reading somewhere that those were the only 3 pickoffs of Tippy's career -- seems unlikely, but if anyone knows for sure...

Seems unlikely what?

I was 15 and listened to the game on my clock radio trying to get some sleep because I had to get up early to fish my crab pots in the morning. What stays in my mind is the radio call of Tom Marr on Tippy's final pick off. "Throw to first and theyyyy GOTHIM." Later, Marr said he was about to say "they got him in a run down," but then realized Murray had tagged him out.

I wasn't there but, like many others on here, I heard it on the radio. We didn't know it then, but we were in the final death throes of Oriole Magic.

In other words, after the Sakata-Tippy inning, there was no way we were going to lose that game.

It's been 25 years now and - other than a brief flirtation with it in the 1989 "Why Not?" season - we haven't seen it since.

My seats that year were five rows back in the upper deck over 1st base. A lot closer than the same spot today in the Yard. Great views of three pickoffs and homers by Cal and Lenny. Easily the most fun game I've ever attended. Two things to point out:

- Rick in Glen Burnie- wrong about Altobelli- at least for this game. He managed himself into that late inning situation, mostly by using Joe Nolan too soon.

- I was 30 then- and couldn't see then that the years of O's excellence I'd enjoyed for my whole life weren't guaranteed to last forever.

Thanks today for Andy and Dave T for providing some glimpses of hope - O's fans will drive Yanks and Sox fans out of the park if they trust that this franchise is serious about the future.

I was at that game with my older brother. We were sitting about 15 rows back on the 1st base side. I remember that last inning like it was yesterday. Several things I will never forget. First was how bright and shiny Sakata's catching gear was. My brother bet me that Sakata's warmup throw to second would bounce, he was correct. What I can never get over was that Willie Upshaw actually stepped off of first base after the first two baserunners were caught. We were standing up screaming for him to run, along with everyone else in the stadium. He should have sat on that base until the ball left the infield. The look of relief on Sakata's face after hitting the 3 run homer was truly priceless. That was a team that would do anything to win.

rick wrote:

Joe Altobelli never got the credit he deserves for his x's and o's skills. He used the bench as well as Weaver, maybe even better. Beside the game above, game four of the '83 WS is another excellent example.
In the 6th inning, yes the 6th not the 8th or 9th, he sent up five pinch hitters in a row subbing in all the lefties before Philly could get any one else ready in the bullpen. By the time the frame was over the O's had a two or three run lead and the Phills were done. That game has to be the most materful managing perfomance I've ever witnessed.

I have always felt that the firing of Joe Altobelli was the beginning of the end of the "Oriole Way". Sure, it was great to see Earl Weaver managing again. However, I will never forget the way Joe was treated by Edward Bennett Williams after all the years he put in for the organization. Up until then, the team didn't handle situations like that. The change showed lack of direction and was followed by questionable free agents who weren't "Oriole types". Then, Cal Sr. was canned in a similiar manner, followed by the mistreatment of Eddie. I was disappointed that Joe wasn't present in the 1983 reunion. He was a better manager that people gave him credit for.

One thing forgotten in the bizzare games was Cliff Johnson swung so hard at a pitch that he threw his bat into the stands. I was 19 and went with my dad. We really though about leaving in the latter innings but stayed and boy were we glad we did.
I am in Saint Louis now and my dad told me about this article. He has done work with the Baltinmore County Police FOundation and meets alot of people and they all insist they were at the game. By how many people who say they were there, I quess the attendance would have been about 150,000. Did 33rd hold any more than 35,000.
It is tough to find references to this game and I have looked. If anyone has a link to video, please comment here. Go O's.( I think the thing I miss most is when your go to a Cardinals game and they play the National Anthem, the part that we all know so well...The - Ohhhhhhhhh! say does that........it is silent.

I really Was There wrote:

One thing forgotten in the bizzare games was Cliff Johnson swung so hard at a pitch that he threw his bat into the stands. I was 19 and went with my dad. We really though about leaving in the latter innings but stayed and boy were we glad we did.
I am in Saint Louis now and my dad told me about this article. He has done work with the Baltinmore County Police FOundation and meets alot of people and they all insist they were at the game. By how many people who say they were there, I quess the attendance would have been about 150,000. Did 33rd hold any more than 35,000.
It is tough to find references to this game and I have looked. If anyone has a link to video, please comment here. Go O's.( I think the thing I miss most is when your go to a Cardinals game and they play the National Anthem, the part that we all know so well...The - Ohhhhhhhhh! say does that........it is silent.

How about this link:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/B...

I remember this game vividly. The only inaccuracy in Childs Walker's account was the claim that there were 25,882 fans creating bedlam in the stands in the 10th inning. I'd guess that no more than a third of that paid attendance was present during this most improbable 10th inning, but my guess is that probably 50,000 fans will claim they were present for this phenomenal comback by the Orioles.