By Erica Scripa
The rain didn’t stop Oriole’s fans from swarming the streets of Baltimore for opening day against the Toronto Blue Jays last Friday.
By 11 a.m. the 500 block of Washington Street was filled with people. Fans were dressed in orange and black, and some held Miller Lite bottles wrapped in festive orange cozies’ of the O’s logo donning a baseball cap.
Beer tubs were stationed under tents while police officers, security guards and bouncers monitored the crowds.
Photo by Erica Scripa.
One group of friends celebrated their third annual opening day trip. Twenty-eight-year-old Ryan Farrell was excited to have the day off from work and watch some baseball. As a former collegiate baseball player, Farrell said he loves the game.
“Ten of us took a limo bus down from Bel Air,” Farrell said. “We got standing room only tickets for $105 per person, but I also have partial season tickets.”
The partial season tickets were a gift from Farrell’s fiancé, Lauren Battaglia, 24. For $1,250 they have tickets to 13 games on the lower level of the stadium, and they have early access to post season pre-sale tickets.
“He’s a huge Orioles fan so I thought it would be a great idea,” Battaglia said. “And I guess there was a little in it for me too.”
Farrell said they left Bel Air at 9:30 a.m. and had the driver drop them off at Pickles Pub, per Dave Edwards’ request. Edwards, 30, is the owner of the limo bus and says he prefers the tailgating aspect of opening day.
“Simple, I drink and hangout with them,” Edwards said.
Bryce Adelhardt also loves baseball. Adelhardt started going to Orioles games when he was 10 years old and cherishes the tradition.
“I started out going to games with my parents and friends as a kid,” Adelhardt said. “I also like the pork barbeque.”
Adelhardt said he spends anywhere from $100 to $200 a ticket for opening day, and he said he has not seen any change in pricing over the last few years he’s been going to games.
Mark Skidmore experienced his first opening day and second ever Orioles game.
“It’s not as sunny as I wanted it to be but I’m here with good friends and ready to have a good time, enjoy the day and hopefully we win,” Skidmore said. “If we don’t win, at least I’m having a good time with good people.”
Young Kim, a bartender at Sliders Bar and Grille, said the restaurant was packed by 9 a.m. Sliders has two levels, each with a bar, and both were wall to wall with fans.
“It’s been non-stop all day,” Kim said. “But that’s why I love working here.”
Bartenders at Sliders rake in an average $1,000, just on opening day, Kim said.
From the looks of it, that money was well earned.