Orioles and Yankees cross paths again: 16 years later

       I don't really remember much about the 1996 ALCS between the Yankees and Orioles, other than the fact that it was on NBC. The other memory of this series was what happened in Game 1 when a fan caught a "home run ball" above the fence over Tony Tarrasco. As this video conveniently implies:



      In addition, a series between two teams where one would ascend to become a perennial World Series dynasty with 3 World Series Championships from 1996 to 2000 as well as five appearances in the Final Dance. They have become a perennial contender up to now with an obscene amount of riches (Derek Jeter, A-Rod, Curtis Granderson, CC Sabathia, Robinson Cano and Mark Texiera) and excesses (largest payroll in Baseball). 

      Meanwhile, the other team (Baltimore Orioles) would make it to the 1997 ALCS only to lose yet again. would wander the abyss trying to find the right mixture to make it back from the wilderness. They tried to spend their way to get their way back (Miguel Tejada) but it was not meant to be as the Los Angeles Angels and Dodgers can tell you.

     As the years progressed, their crown jewel of a ballpark slowly emptied as their fans faced frustrating season after frustrating season. As evidenced, by every fast start that would slowly fizzle in the blistering July and August summer just as Football season would start to reconvene. An owner, who is as reviled, well not quite as reviled as Jim Irsay who drove the Colts to Indy in the middle of a cold, March 1984 night.

   Tonight, this plucky team from the Charm City with a right mix of vets and youngsters along with the Hereculean effort of Manager Buck Showalter take on the New York Yankees. This team that most thought of as a cute story has fulfilled their end of the bargain rewarding the die hard of die hards for their saintly patience. They stood toe to toe with the Yankees threatening to gasp... win the AL East, before settling for the Wild Card and beating the high powered Texas Rangers in the one game, sudden death AL Wild Card game. 

 It's a time for the Orioles to finally bring to life one of the most beautiful ballparks for the first time in 15 years. Let the games begin!