Baltimore, MD—
I must admit, I wasn’t thinking back too much about the last time the Orioles won the Division Title in 1997, but after a last minute invite from my buddy Michael LaGroux after a fun filled day of planning a Super Bowl party in Phoenix, Camden Yards was calling my name.
As I made the trip up I95, listening away to both the Nationals and the O’s game to see if it really was going to be the first time that two teams from the area have clinched on the same night. I thought about where I was in 1997, yep right here same place. Well not exactly the same place on the road, but definitely Baltimore. Just a few months removed from walking the stage as graduating student from Georgetown, the Orioles were definitely my team. Countless games with my grandfather, an All Star Game, Cal Ripken breaking the consecutive games streak, much was on my Orioles radar. Actually this was the same year and the same team that inspired me to keep with my dreams of playing pro baseball. I hoped they would call my name on draft day, not so much, but I did have a chance with another team that same year. A few years later, I would call it quits and start Pointed Magazine one the first online magazines in the area with my partner Benjamin Rogers, at least tonight, I didn’t have to miss out on another magical day with some other true Orioles fans. It will be hard to not want to cheer for what is now the “other” team in the area, but since one is a NL team and the other is a AL Team, let’s hope World Series for both.
Even though this was the Orioles ninth division title in franchise history, it was a first for the city as it occurred during the 60th anniversary season of Orioles baseball. It also marked the first time in club history that they celebrated a division title at home while needing a win to clinch. Back in 1969, the Orioles won the AL East on a day in which they won, but had already sealed the division before their game ended.
So with the victory setting in with players tonight, we decided to list a few things that occurred that year and offer hats off to all of the fans that endured a long period of 17 years of waiting for their day, it has arrived and Orioles magic is finally back in the building.
In 1997, here are just a few things that happened that year.
– Bill Clinton was elected to his second term in the White House
– The Green Bay Packers won their first Super Bowl Championship since 1967
– The Detroit Red Wings win their first Stanley Cup in 42 years defeating the Philadelphia Flyers
-The Florida Marlins defeat the Cleveland Indians in the World Series
-The biggest in the boxing world, Mike Tyson bites Evander Holyfield’s ear in a match in Las Vegas
– Gianni Versace is killed by spree killer Andrew Cunanan outside of his Miami Mansion
– Notorious Big aka Biggie Smalls the Illist was shot on March 9th 1997 in a drive by shooting in Los Angeles
– Timothy McVeigh is convicted on 15 counts of murder and conspiracy in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombings
-Microsoft buys $150 stake in Troubled Apple Computer
-Prince Michael Jackson is born- Son of late Michael Jackson
