Camden Yards

Address:Baltimore, Maryland

If you are a baseball fan, your trip to Baltimore, Maryland, will not be complete without a visit to Camden Yards, also known as Oriole Park, where you can watch the Baltimore Orioles play ball and learn about the team's history.

Camden Yards became the official home of the Orioles on April 6, 1992, when they hosted the Cleveland Indians in the new stadium, instead of in the old Memorial Stadium. The park was constructed in 33 months, costing $110 million. Camden Yards is built at the former location of a major rail station, and is in fact named after the rail yards that were formerly on the site. While being built, Camden Yards was the largest temporary worker employer in Baltimore. The ballpark seats 48,262; however, on October 7, 2005, 49,828 people were crammed inside to watch the game against the Boston Red Sox.

The traditional architecture of Camden Yards blends with the urban atmosphere of downtown Baltimore. It reflects baseball parks built in the early 20th century, using steel, rather than concrete trusses, an arched brick facade, a sun roof over the gentle slope of the upper deck, an asymmetrical playing field, and natural grass turf. The stadium is the first major league park to have an outfield wall made up entirely of straight wall segments since Ebbets Field, and the playing field is actually 16 feet below street level. Each aisle seat in the park features an 1890s era Orioles logo, and there are unique double-decked bullpens in left-center field.

Oriole Park is the site of many memorable moments, such as the famous 1993 All Star Game, the historic game on September 5, 1995, when Cal Ripken, Jr. tied Lou Gehrig's streak of 2130 consecutive games played and "homered," and the unforgettable game on September 6, 1996, when Eddie Murray hit his 500th career homerun. Along the Eutaw Street walkway outside the park, visitors will relive baseball history when they see bronze baseballs imprinted in the cement, each one commemorating homeruns hit in the ballpark. On game days, pedestrians must have a ticket in order to walk on this part of Eutaw Street; however, on non-game days the street is open to all.

In addition to Oriole Park, the area of Camden Yards also is home to the Baltimore & Ohio Warehouse, the longest building on the East Coast, which contains the Orioles' offices as well as a cafeteria, sports bar, gift shop, and the exclusive Camden Club. There's also Camden Station where visitors can check out the Sports Legends Museum and the Geppi's Entertainment Museum. Camden Yards is located only two blocks from famous baseball player Babe Ruth's birthplace. In fact, Ruth's father once operated Ruth's Cafe at 406 Conway Street, the site of which is now located in center field. Babe Ruth's house is now open to the public as a museum.

Oriole Park is located between Camden Street, Russell Street, Martin Luther King Boulevard, and Howard Street in downtown Baltimore. It is easy to find, but if you get lost, just ask anyone with an Orioles cap for directions. You can also follow the sounds of the "O" yelled by fans at the Orioles games, during the singing of the "Star Spangled Banner." Go Orioles!