Baltimore's Memorial Stadium - Last Days

A word of warning NOW: if you grew up going to ball games in Baltimore in the 1950s through the 80s, you might want to keep a few tissues close by...because you're about to see a tearjerker.

Here it is-the one and only Memorial Stadium; close to the hearts of many in my age bracket. This video was shot on March 4 2001, just after demolition began. After driving around it a couple times I get close-ups of the stands and ball field. Can you picture Brooks Robinson at bat, or Johnny Unitas about to throw a pass? Does anyone remember the BALTIMORE Colts...at all? Maybe even Wild Bill Hagy? Miracles on 33rd Street!

Still...the sight of the demolition is very sad.

I uploaded this vid almost in its entirety again as my tribute to where major league baseball began in Baltimore. True, there were minor league Orioles once upon a time, playing at a stadium on Greenmount Ave (long gone), but my memories begin at Memorial (pronounced Mem-ORIOLE) Stadium.

Sorry about the background music if it's distracting. There are tidbits from The Cream, Steppenwolf, Procol Harum and others-all from the stadium's heyday.

Railfan note: Memorial Stadium once had streetcar service. A spur ran north from the Gorsuch Ave line up Loch Raven Road as far as 35th St to serve it. The streetcars then laid over in the MIDDLE of Loch Raven till the end of the game! Can you imagine the traffic jam that would result today if that happened??

Shot in Sony hi-8. Opening/closing photos (1954) courtesy of Baltimore County Public Library.