History of the Baltimore Orioles facts for kids

The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland. They play in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the American League (AL) East Division. The team has a long history, starting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before moving to St. Louis, Missouri, and finally to Baltimore.

Milwaukee Brewers: The Beginning

A drawing of Lloyd Street Grounds in 1901

The team that would become the Orioles started as the Milwaukee Brewers. They were part of a minor league called the Western League in 1894. In 1900, this league changed its name to the American League.

In 1901, the American League decided to become a major league, competing with the older National League. The Brewers were one of the original teams in this new major league. They played their games at Lloyd Street Grounds in Milwaukee. However, their first season was tough, and they finished last among the eight teams.

St. Louis Browns: A New Home

St. Louis Browns Logo, circa 1936–1951

In 1902, the team moved to St. Louis and became known as the "Browns." This name was a nod to an older, famous St. Louis team from the 1880s. In their first year in St. Louis, the Browns did much better, finishing second. Even though they often had losing seasons, fans still loved to watch them play.

One famous moment for the Browns happened in 1910 during a race for the American League batting title. Ty Cobb, a star player for Detroit, was leading. Cleveland's Nap Lajoie was close behind. In the last game of the season, the Browns' manager, Jack O'Connor, tried to help Lajoie win by having his third baseman play very close to home plate. Lajoie bunted the ball five times, and it rolled past the third baseman, giving him easy hits. O'Connor even tried to bribe the official scorer to change a play to a hit. This caused a big scandal, and O'Connor was fired and banned from baseball.

In 1916, Phil Ball bought the Browns. He worked hard to make the team better. They had some good years in the early 1920s, even finishing second in 1922. Ball spent money to improve the team and their stadium, Sportsman's Park.

However, Ball made some mistakes. He fired Branch Rickey, a very smart person in the team's front office, who then went to work for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Browns' crosstown rivals. In 1920, the Cardinals started sharing Sportsman's Park with the Browns. Rickey used the money from selling the Cardinals' old stadium to build a strong system for finding and developing new players. This made the Cardinals much more popular than the Browns.

The 1922 Browns had some great players, like George Sisler and outfielders Ken Williams, Baby Doll Jacobson, and Jack Tobin. In 1922, Ken Williams became the first player in major league history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season.

Phil Ball hoped the Browns would play in the World Series by 1926. He even made Sportsman's Park bigger. But in 1926, it was the Cardinals, not the Browns, who played in and won the World Series at Sportsman's Park. After this, St. Louis became known as a "Cardinals' town." The Browns struggled for many years, often finishing last.

War Era: A Pennant Season

1944: World Series Appearance

During World War II, many baseball stars joined the military. In 1944, the Browns had their best season in St. Louis. They won the American League pennant, which meant they would play in the World Series. This was the first and only time the Browns won a pennant in St. Louis. They faced their rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, in the 1944 World Series. All games were played in Sportsman's Park. The Browns lost to the Cardinals, 4 games to 2.

1945–46: A One-Armed Player

In 1945, the Browns finished third. This season is remembered because they signed Pete Gray, the only one-armed position player in major league history. After 1946, the Browns never had a winning season again in St. Louis.

Bill Veeck's Browns: Fun and Games

In 1951, Bill Veeck, a very creative and showman-like owner, bought the Browns. He was famous for his wild promotions. His most famous stunt happened on August 19, 1951. He sent Eddie Gaedel, a 3-foot-7-inch tall person, to bat as a pinch hitter. Gaedel wore a uniform with the number 1/8. He walked on four pitches because it was almost impossible to throw a strike to him. The league president was very angry and canceled Gaedel's contract the next day.

Veeck also brought back legendary pitcher Satchel Paige to play for the Browns. Paige was 45 years old at the time. Veeck's promotions made Browns games fun and exciting.

Veeck wanted to make the Browns more popular than the Cardinals. He signed many former Cardinals players who were loved by local fans. He even moved his family into an apartment under the stadium stands!

However, the Cardinals were eventually bought by the Anheuser-Busch brewery, which had much more money than Veeck. Veeck realized he couldn't compete. He decided to move the Browns out of St. Louis. He tried to move them back to Milwaukee, but other team owners blocked the move. Then he tried to move them to Baltimore. The owners were still upset about his stunts, so they blocked that move too.

Finally, a group of Baltimore investors bought out Veeck's share of the team. With Veeck no longer the owner, the other American League owners approved the move to Baltimore for the 1954 season.

Legacy: A New Identity

When the team moved, they changed their name. This was different from other teams that moved but kept their old names. The Browns became the Baltimore Orioles, starting fresh and leaving their St. Louis history behind. Even today, the team rarely talks about its past as the St. Louis Browns. However, some groups in St. Louis still work to keep the memory of the Browns alive.

Baltimore Orioles: A New Era

The new owners quickly renamed the team the Baltimore Orioles. This name had a long history in Baltimore baseball.

History of the Orioles Name

In the 1890s, a strong Baltimore Orioles team played in the National League. They won three championships in a row from 1894 to 1896. This team eventually folded in 1899.

In 1901, a new Baltimore Orioles team was formed in the American League. But after only two seasons, this team moved to New York City in 1903. It later became the famous New York Yankees, thanks in part to a young player from Baltimore named Babe Ruth.

From 1903 to 1953, the Orioles name was used by a very successful minor league team in Baltimore. This team, which played in the International League, won nine championships. One of their most famous players was Babe Ruth, who pitched for them briefly in 1914 before being sold to the Boston Red Sox. In 1944, their home stadium burned down, and they moved to Municipal Stadium, which later became Memorial Stadium.

For the 2014 season, the Orioles wore a special patch to celebrate 60 years since the team moved to Baltimore.

First Years in Baltimore (1954–1965)

The new Orioles team took a few years to become competitive. But they were very popular with fans right away. In their first season, over 1 million fans came to watch them, which was five times more than they ever had in Milwaukee or St. Louis.

By the early 1960s, the Orioles started developing great young players like Brooks Robinson, Boog Powell, and Dave McNally. In 1960, they finished second in the American League, showing they were becoming a strong team.

In 1965, Jerold Hoffberger became the main owner. He made a very important trade on December 9, 1965. He traded pitcher Milt Pappas to the Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Frank Robinson. In 1966, Frank Robinson had an amazing season. He won the Triple Crown (leading the league in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in) and was named the American League's Most Valuable Player.

The Orioles won their first American League championship in 1966. Then, in a big surprise, they swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, winning 4 games to 0. This was the first World Series title for the Baltimore Orioles. The trade for Frank Robinson is still considered one of the best trades in baseball history.

Glory Years (1966–1983)

From 1966 to 1983, the Orioles were one of the best teams in baseball. They won three World Series titles (1966, 1970, and 1983) and six American League pennants. This success was due to something called the "Oriole Way." This was a belief that hard work, being professional, and understanding the basics of baseball were the keys to winning. Coaches at every level taught the same way, so new players could easily join the main team.

During these years, many Orioles players won major awards. Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, and Cal Ripken Jr. were named Most Valuable Players. Pitchers like Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar, Mike Flanagan, and Steve Stone won Cy Young Awards for being the best pitchers. Al Bumbry, Eddie Murray, and Cal Ripken Jr. were named Rookies of the Year.

The team's manager, Earl Weaver, was famous for his style of play, known as "Weaver Ball." It focused on "pitching, defense, and the three-run home run." As the team continued to win, they gained a huge and loyal fan base in Baltimore.

Decline and Comeback (1984–1991)

After winning the World Series in 1983, the Orioles started to struggle. In 1986, they had their first losing season in a long time. The 1988 season was especially tough. The Orioles lost their first 21 games, which was a terrible start. They finished the year with a record of 54 wins and 107 losses, their worst season since 1939.

However, the team made a surprising comeback in 1989. They finished second in their division and were called the "Why Not?" Orioles. Manager Frank Robinson won the American League Manager of the Year award for this turnaround. Two years later, in 1991, Cal Ripken Jr. won the American League Most Valuable Player award in the team's final season at Memorial Stadium.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards and Ripken's Record (1992–1995)

In 1992, the Orioles moved into a beautiful new stadium called Oriole Park at Camden Yards. This new park was a big deal in baseball because it looked like an old-fashioned ballpark but had modern features.

On September 6, 1995, a historic moment happened at Camden Yards. Cal Ripken Jr. played in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking Lou Gehrig's record for most consecutive games played. This amazing achievement was voted the all-time baseball moment of the 20th century by fans. Ripken's streak eventually ended at 2,632 games in 1998.

Return to the Playoffs (1996–97)

In 1996, the Orioles returned to the playoffs. They set a major league record by hitting 257 home runs in a single season. They beat the Cleveland Indians in the first round but lost to the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series. This series included a controversial play where a fan interfered with a ball, which was ruled a home run for the Yankees.

In 1997, the Orioles won their division, leading from the very first day of the season. They beat the Seattle Mariners in the first round of the playoffs. But they lost again in the American League Championship Series, this time to the Cleveland Indians.

Struggles (1998–2004)

After their playoff runs, the Orioles began to struggle again. They had several losing seasons. Many star players left the team. The Yankees and Boston Red Sox became very strong, and they had more money to spend on players.

Another challenge came in 2004 when the Montreal Expos team moved to nearby Washington, D.C., and became the Washington Nationals. This new team might take away some of the Orioles' fans and TV money.

To try and turn things around, the Orioles made some big changes. They hired new general managers and managers. They also signed some powerful hitters like Miguel Tejada and Rafael Palmeiro.

2005 Season: A Rollercoaster Ride

The 2005 season started great for the Orioles. They were in first place in their division for 62 days! But then injuries hit many key players. The team started to lose games and fell behind the Yankees and Red Sox.

Rafael Palmeiro got his 3,000th hit in July, but later he was suspended. The Orioles continued to struggle and finished the season with a losing record.

Rebuilding Years (2007–2011)

In 2007, Andy MacPhail became the new President of Baseball Operations. He made some big trades, sending away star players like Miguel Tejada and Érik Bédard for younger players and prospects. One of these trades brought Adam Jones and Chris Tillman to the Orioles, which turned out to be very important for the team's future success.

Even with these changes, the Orioles continued to have losing seasons. They struggled to find good pitchers. In 2010, Buck Showalter was hired as manager. The team played much better after he took over, giving fans hope for the future.

In 2011, the Orioles tried to improve by bringing in experienced players like Mark Reynolds and J. J. Hardy. They scored more runs, but their pitching staff struggled, and the team finished last in the league.

Return to Winning (2012–2014)

In 2012, Dan Duquette became the new general manager. He made many changes, especially to the pitching staff. He brought in new pitchers like Wei-Yin Chen and Miguel González. Young star Manny Machado also made his debut.

The Orioles had an amazing season in 2012, winning 93 games after only winning 69 the year before. They were especially good in close games and extra innings. Their bullpen (relief pitchers) was excellent, led by Jim Johnson, who had 51 saves. Many experts were surprised by their success. The Orioles battled the New York Yankees for first place and earned their first playoff spot in 15 years.

In the playoffs, they beat the Texas Rangers in a one-game playoff. Then they faced the Yankees in the divisional round. The Orioles pushed the series to five games but were eventually eliminated.

Back to the Playoffs (2015–2016)

The Orioles continued to have strong seasons. In 2015, they had some big offensive games, scoring 18 runs against the Boston Red Sox and 19 runs against the Philadelphia Phillies. They also hit 8 home runs in one game, a team record. On June 28, they earned their 5,000th win as the Baltimore Orioles.

In 2016, the Orioles had another winning season and earned a wild card spot in the playoffs. However, they lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in the wild card game.

Rebuilding (2017–2022)

After 2016, the Orioles entered a rebuilding phase. They had several losing seasons.

• In 2017, they finished last in their division.
• In 2018, they had their most losses in franchise history, winning fewer than 50 games.
• In 2019, they continued to struggle, setting a record for most home runs allowed in a season.
• The 2020 season was shortened due to the pandemic, but the Orioles showed some improvement.
• In 2021, Trey Mancini returned from cancer and won the Comeback Player of the Year award. Cedric Mullins became only the second player in team history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. However, the team still had one of the worst records in MLB.
• In 2022, the Orioles had their first winning season since 2016, finishing with 83 wins and 79 losses. This was a big improvement and showed that the team was heading in the right direction.