Free the Birds: Orioles Fans Have Had It With Peter Angelos

The Orange and Black Are Swirling the Drain

Even through the leanest years losing baseball teams have always had the support of their fans because they never broke one sacred rule, they always fielded the best team possible.  Recently, in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, fans have been doubting that notion.  The Baltimore Orioles, who have just finished their ninth losing season in a row, are facing their continuous slide into baseball oblivion.  In an age where teams like the Red Sox, White Sox and the Detroit Tigers found their winning ways after years of misery the O's can't find a way to shake this curse they've been stuck with.  Poor play from the bullpen, their habit of picking up washed-up problem pchildren (Sidney Ponson, Albert Belle, Sammy Sosa) and the steroid scandal that just lands at their doorstep (Rafael Palmero's suspension, the recent situation with Jason Grimsley) have been recent marks of this franchise since their last trip to the A.L.C.S. in 1997.

During the last homestand of the season against the twins a local sports radio station staged an unprecidented protest against Orioles owner Peter Angelos called "Free the Birds."  It involved over 1000 people who wore shirts that said "For Pete's Sake, Free the Birds", a public cry for Angelos to either sell the team or hand it over to Major League Baseball.  After walking around the stadium at 5:08 pm (in homage of Brooks Robinson, 5 and Cal Ripken, 8) that group left the stadium in an act of fan outrage no one had seen in years.  Thanks to Peter however no one would see it since the game wasn't televised anywhere.