Basic facts

• American League East division
• One of the eight charter teams of the American League
• Name/city history:

• Milwaukee Brewers (1901)
• St. Louis Browns (1902-1953)
• Baltimore Orioles (1954-present)

• Home stadium: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
• Owner: Peter Angelos, Baltimore-based trial lawyer
• Suffered long stretch of losing seasons, 1998-2011
• 2018 was the worst season in the history of the franchise (47-115)

2019 season

• Set new MLB record for most home runs allowed by a team in a single season

History

• Notable 19th century players:

• Wee Willie Keeler
• Wilbert Robinson
• Hughie Jennings
• John McGraw
• Ned Hanlon

• Original Orioles team was moved to New York and became the Yankees
• The St. Louis Browns, the team that became the modern Orioles, performed generally poorly outside of a bout of success centered around hit-maker George Sisler

• Held record for most hits in one season, 257, until 2004
• .420 average in 1922 is the third highest single-season average on record since 1900

• Next success: 1944, when they won the pennant

• Key people: manager Luke Sewell and slugging shortstop Vern Stephens

• Owner Bill Veeck sold the team to a Baltimore conglomerate after they lost their 100th game of the 1953 season on September 27, 1953 (2-1 against Chicago White Sox)
• St. Louis Browns might be the worst major-league franchise in history (more info)
• Team built momentum throughout the fifties and sixties

• Focused on pitching and defense
• Managers (chronological): Paul Richards, Hank Bauer, and Earl Weaver
• Key player from 1966 onward: Frank Robinson (.316 average, 49 homers and 122 RBIs in 1966)

• First World Series: 1966
• Key players from late 1960s:

• Frank Robinson (outfielder)
• Paul Blair (outfielder)
• Boog Powell (first baseman)
• Brooks Robinson (third baseman)

• Considered the best defensive third baseman in major league history

• Mark Belanger (shortstop)
• Paul Blair (center fielder)

• In 1971, the team’s four starting pitchers all won 20 games
• Remained competitive throughout the 70s and early 80s

• Earl Weaver manager until 1983

• Key players from early 80s

• Sluggers: Eddie Murray, Ken Singleton and Cal Ripken, Jr.
• Pitchers: Mike Boddicker, Scott McGregor, Mike Flanagan and Tippy Martinez

• Relative decline after 1983, with several exceptions, such as:

• Wild-card berth, 1996
• AL East pennant, 1997

• 1992 saw the opening of a new stadium, Camden Yards, which revitalized the team and its fans.

Links

https://www.baseball-almanac.com/teams/balt.shtml