Let’s Go O’s: Celebrating the Spirit of Baltimore Fans

No matter the flight path, fans of the Baltimore Orioles have navigated the soaring heights and dramatic dips alongside the Charm City squad for well over a century. Although the O’s have more recently found themselves either at the front of the MLB flock or back of the pack, the team’s two extremes often deliver rewarding and well-deserved returns. Meanwhile, the retro-classic design of Oriole Park at Camden Yards makes for the perfect home field pair for a baseball club as classically competitive as the O’s.

Learn more about the history and highlights of Baltimore Orioles fandom below.

What it Means to be a Baltimore Orioles Super Fan

The Orioles’ local fanbase stretches beyond the city limits to the entire DMV — Washington, D.C, Maryland and Virginia — region. Over the years, Baltimore proved to be the more consistent anchor of professional baseball in the D.C. metro area while several Capital City-based clubs came and went, until the Washington Nationals were established in 2005. That consistency is one of the many draws for O’s fans, who have witnessed the sustained success that led to the team’s three World Series between 1966 and 1983 and the MLB-record 2,632 consecutive games played by Maryland native and Hall of Fame shortstop, the “Iron Man” Cal Ripken Jr.

Fans have been forced to face their fair share of headwinds with The Birds, but the team has always managed to weather the worst for brighter days ahead. Look no further than the Orioles’ ascendency in the 2023 season, which found the club winning 100-plus games for the sixth time ever and topping the AL East after logging three of the club’s worst regular season records in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

The Baltimore Orioles organization stays connected with the community through fan appreciation events like Upper Deck Golf at Oriole Park and philanthropic efforts including the Baltimore Orioles Charitable Foundation, Birdland Community Heroes and the City Connect Changemakers. Check the team’s website for an up-to-date list of offerings for local fans.

Baltimore Orioles Fans on Gameday

To visit Oriole Park at Camden Yards is to experience Baltimore in all of its charm. With Oriole Park at Camden Yards’ Inner Harbor setting, outfield backdrop framed by the historic Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Warehouse and inviting views of the field from outside the ballpark, Baltimore Orioles home games become a city-wide celebration.

Fans in the nest of Birdland will kick off games shouting “O!” during the National Anthem and spend the seventh inning stretch singing “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” by John Denver. In between, guests will catch sights of The Oriole Bird mascot, hear “Go O’s” everywhere as well as the traditional “O-R-I-O-L-E-S” cheer, originated by late legendary fan in the stands “Wild Bill” Hagy, and feel the “Orioles Magic,” a long-running slogan, endearing team song and entirely enchanting vibe in itself. Finally, celebrate the Chesapeake Bay cuisine with crab cakes, or for something simpler, opt for the jumbo O-shaped pretzels.

Expect packed crowds at Camden Yards when the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals fans cover the short distance between the rival cities for the yearly Beltway Series. Tickets also tend to fly fast on theme nights and giveaway games across the Orioles’ promotional schedule. Just make sure you know whether or not your seat is in the stadium’s Bird Bath Splash Zone.

Memorable Moments in Baltimore Orioles Fandom

O’s fans would likely point to the club’s three World Series titles as the franchise peaks, but Baltimore has many more high points outside of their trophy case. Ahead of the team’s first title win in 1966, Orioles slugger Frank Robinson won that season’s AL MVP while also logging the franchise’s first Triple Crown regular season by leading both leagues in batting average, home runs and RBIs.

The Orioles may have lost the 1979 World Series, but the city celebrated like champions after taking the Pittsburgh Pirates to a brutal seven-game series. Four years later, the team gave Baltimore something to really celebrate with their third title in 1983.

In the ’90s, Orioles fans watched in awe as Cal Ripken Jr. approached Lou Gehrig’s record for most consecutive games played, then rejoiced on September 6, 1995 when he finally passed the mark. He retired with the final record set at 2,632 consecutive games.

Famous Baltimore Orioles Fans

Over the years, the Orioles have gained celebrity fans such as musicians Joan Jett as well as Benji Madden and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte. Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak and actor Robert Pattinson have been spotted at O’s games, along with former local residents Edward Norton, Josh Charles and Grant Gustin.

Carmelo Anthony, who was born in Brooklyn and became the face of New York basketball on teams for Syracuse University and the NBA’s New York Knicks, was raised in Baltimore and even sports a tattoo of the O’s logo on his arm. Michael Phelps is also a vocal Baltimore sports fan, as is ESPN sportscaster Scott Van Pelt.

Perhaps the most famous O’s fan in fiction is Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ character Elaine Benes on Seinfeld. In one episode, Elaine refuses to remove her Orioles cap while facing the wrath of fans in Yankee Stadium. Now that’s dedication.