An Empty Stadium in Baltimore (no fans for Orioles game)

the atlantic ^ | 4-28-15

[doug from upland]

RUSSELL BERMAN APR 28, 2015 When the Baltimore Orioles host the Chicago White Sox at Camden Yards on Wednesday, it won't really feel like a baseball game. There will be no cheering, and no booing. Nor will there be heckling, hot dogs, or beer. There will be no fans in the stadium at all, in fact. After riots in the city forced the postponement of games for two straight days, Major League Baseball announced that the Orioles will play on Wednesday, but the game will be closed to the public.

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Two States of Emergency in Baltimore

For a sport that takes significant pride in its history, this may be a particularly sad first: An MLB official told me that after conferring with a historian and several longtime veterans of the game, the league was unaware of any prior examples in which fans have been deliberately barred from attending a game. Those with tickets to the game (or either of the ones postponed) can exchange them for a game later in the season, and they'll still be able to watch Wednesday's contest on TV. The league is also moving the Orioles' next three games to Tampa, where they'll be the "home team" against the Rays at Tropicana Field—a move typically made during emergencies caused by natural disasters, not civil unrest. When rioting erupted in Los Angeles following the Rodney King verdict in 1992, the Dodgers postponed four games until later in the season. More recently, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, forced Major League Baseball to cancel games for a week across the country.

[Reno89519]

That is a big loss of $$$ and prestige from the team and city. Will give new meaning to fan appreciation nights or games.

[Ciexyz]

They’re welcome to come to Pittsburgh to play. We’re sunny mid-60’s on Wed.

[Viking2002]

So, who won?

[IncPen]

I remember looking in the skies on 9-11, and for days afterward; it was probably the only time in my life when I would look in the skies and not see a plane.

The was an omen and a sign of the hell that was about to be unleashed on the Islamists, and in the end on us with the backlash and election of Obama.

Let us hope that Baltimore is not a harbinger of a long, bad summer

_{I think it is exactly what they have in store for us}

[onedoug]

About the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.

[GeronL]

I am reading a book called “Harbinger of Doom” (hey it was free on Google Play)

[Paleo Conservative]

I really don’t give a damn! The owner of the Baltimore Orioles is a leftist trial lawyer. What’s happening in Baltimore is the culmination of the political policies he has supported for years.

[jobim]

A professional sport, by definition, is meaningless without spectators. Another illustration of a world turning on its head, from one where the United States, by every measure, became the greatest nation the world has yet seen, reaching its zenith along about 1963, and then tumbling since then, faster with each ensuing decade, moving at unstoppable speed now.

[max americana]

They have a legacy of winning. The city is just crap. I thought St Louis was the worst.

[SaveFerris]

Any hints on what it is about?

[doorgunner69]

I dunno. “If they gave a baseball game and nobody watched...”, just invites all sorts of snark...........

[Nowhere Man]

I remember looking in the skies on 9-11, and for days afterward; it was probably the only time in my life when I would look in the skies and not see a plane.

The was an omen and a sign of the hell that was about to be unleashed on the Islamists, and in the end on us with the backlash and election of Obama.

Let us hope that Baltimore is not a harbinger of a long, bad summer

I remember that too, it was so quiet. I remember tuning in the airport contact and weather frequency on my scanner and heard the announcement that Pittsburgh airport was closed "until further notice" as well as listening into F-16's chase phantoms and news helicopters around until they landed. I remember at 2:30 AM one morning, Mom and I heard 7 or 8 jets fly over the house during this time. Mom and I were spooked until I turned my scanner on and found out they were KC-135 tankers from the 171st Penna Air Nat'l Guard taking off.

[Nowhere Man]

Bet that game was something like out of the Twilight Zone. Well, hopefully they carried it on TV. B-P

[GeronL]

I haven’t got too far yet. Apparently demons or something have opened a portal. It’s one of those swords and castle kind of stories. I am reading it to help me with a story I am writing - which is nothing like it BTW)

[Nowhere Man]

I do agree we are a nation in decline although I’d put the Zenith at 1969, the year of the first Moon Landing.

[PieterCasparzen]

Planned, engineered move.

Taking away the circuses (bread and circuses) from the sheeple temporarily.

Impress upon the sheeple how “bad” things are.

Totalitiarian state is needed to quell “terrorism”.

You know, white Christian men.

[jjotto]

The game is Wednesday at 2:00pm. I’ve seen notes that say it will be nationwide on ESPN. Reporters, scouts and other club employees will be allowed.

[Nowhere Man]

Let me add, your post reminds me of my mother’s last Christmas on the face of the Earth in 2012. We were watching an old Andy Williams rerun on PBS and when it was over, she burst into tears. I asked “why” even though I was sure I knew why. She replied to me how we have sunk so low and wishes “we were back in the world of Andy Williams.” Ever since Barky was selected, she cried on every 4th of July when the Boston Pops played God Bless America.

[SaveFerris]

Interesting. Sounds like “This Present Darkness” from what I’ve heard. Haven’t read it yet. I believe 9/11 was a tipping point. We’ll never go back to where we once were.

Unfortunately.