THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, May 2, 1995 TAG: 9505020398
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
DATELINE: BALTIMORE LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
As fans began crawling over Camden Yards on Monday afternoon, seeking out seats and the seductive May Day sunshine, at least one person was not happy with what he was seeing.
``Lemmings,'' groused a Baltimore newspaper veteran. ``They should have stayed away if they wanted to send a message.''
No chance. This isn't apathetic Anaheim, cranky Kansas City or ho-hum Houston, where the residue of bitterness from the strike allegedly has turned people off to the game.
Stay away? Anybody who thought the Orioles wouldn't have a sellout for the home opener must have mistaken this city for a place where there is some other team or cause to rally around.
The tickets went for top dollar, too. No discounts in baseball-mad Balmer. And this after owner Peter Angelos hiked some ticket prices 33 percent.
That Oriole Park, once again, was the place to be - that it remains, even in the present climate, a Cash Cow - was no great revelation, but a reminder that the Birdyard is a major league oasis.
``In baseball right now,'' said Orioles newcomer Andy Van Slyke, ``there are 27 other cities, and then there is Baltimore. It's the most positive situation in the game.''
Even so, nobody is taking anything for granted. There are, after all, those 15,000 unsold seats for the second and third home games of the season.
The Orioles may not be as desperate as other teams when it comes to kissing up to the disgruntled customer, but the Baltimore franchise is not above wheeling out a sign that reads, ``Hats Off to Baseball's Greatest Fans.'' Or plucking an 8-year-old boy from the opening day crowd to run onto the field in an oversized Orioles' jersey that identifies him as the ``10th Man'' fan.
In a league with the designated hitter, shouldn't that be ``11th Man'' fan?
It doesn't matter. Not when the purpose is to patronize the patron.
The hokiness continued when players from both the Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers walked to the edge of the field and tossed their caps into the stands.
Hats may have been in the air, but excitement wasn't after the hometown team fell behind the Brewers, as underworked starter Mike Mussina was worked over for nine hits and five runs in four innings.
The Camden Yards regulars sat languidly through the dismal 7-0 loss. Only after the final out was any booing heard, and that was inspired by the scoreboard, not memories of the players' strike.
But while Orioles fans may have the ability to jump into this weird season as if nothing is different, some of their favorite athletes do not.
``It's been a strange year,'' said Mussina. ``Less than a month ago, I was still home watching TV. Now I've already had two starts. And I should be only halfway through spring training.''
Mussina figured that it might take another two appearances before he approaches top form.
``But it will come around, and when it does, we'll be OK,'' he said. ``We'll figure it out and start winning.''
In the meantime, hats off to Orioles fans. Don't be deceived, either, by those unsold seats for the next two Brewers games; 85 percent of the 1995 tickets - 2.8 million - have already been purchased.
Disgruntled folks in other cities may continue to stay home. Who can tell? But Orioles patrons will keep sending their own message in their own way. by CNB