At the ballpark: beating the Yankees and honoring Paul Blair
An upbeat note amid scandals involving Orioles’ Davis and Ravens’ Rice
Above: Fans at Friday’s Orioles double-header against NY remembered centerfielder Paul Blair.
On a big news day at Camden Yards, with some of the news rather dispiriting, the crowd had something to cheer about yesterday along with two victories over the Yankees – a fan-driven tribute to a great former Oriole, centerfielder Paul Blair.
Fans wore orange number “6” shirts and brought home-made signs and giant versions of the baseball card for Blair – an eight-time gold glove winner who died last year but whose passing did not, for whatever reason, get much attention from the Orioles’ front office.
It would have been an apt opportunity to make up for the lapse.
But the media’s attention yesterday was distracted by the news that Oriole first baseman Chris Davis had tested positive for an amphetamine and was being suspended for 25 games. Coming on top of the domestic abuse scandal involving the Baltimore Ravens’ running-back Ray Rice, the Davis revelation made for a narrative of fallen heroes and civic shame.
Those who participated in the Paul Blair Day celebration had only affection and pride to display for their sports hero, widely regarded to be the best center-fielder in franchise history.
Organized by Baltimore baseball writer Charlie Vascellaro, along with writer (and sometime Brew contributor) Rafael Alvarez, the celebration of Blair’s life began Monday at the Baltimore City Council meeting, where Chairman Bernard C. “Jack” Young introduced a resolution honoring him and declaring yesterday “Paul Blair Day” in Baltimore.
Good Omen for Post-Season
At the ballpark yesterday, fans got to watch the Orioles beat the rival Yankees not once, but twice – besting the pin-stripers with a score of 2-1 in the day game and then 5-0 in the nightcap.
With the O’s spectacular performance this year igniting dreams of post-season glory, it was perhaps a good day for so many in the stands to be invoke Blair’s memory.
Remembering Paul Blair brought people together at Camden Yards on Friday. (Photo by Raymond Bahr)
As sportswriter Dean Bartoli Smith wrote in The Brew, Blair was a key member of the team during its golden era in the 1970s, playing in four World Series.
Paul Blair personified The Oriole Way, winning eight gold gloves and playing in four World Series as a Bird. He won two world championships in Baltimore and covered a lot of ground in the outfield. He played a shallow centerfield, daring batters to hit the ball over his head.
Against the Dodgers in the 1966 World Series, Blair hit a homerun in Game 3 to account for the only run and leapt high above the fence in Game 4 to rob Jim Lefebvre of a home run in the eighth inning that would have tied the game.