Camden Yards opened on April 6, 1992, with President George H.W. Bush throwing out the first ceremonial pitch.
Camden Yards is known as one of the most beautiful ballparks in the country. Home to the Baltimore Orioles, the park was built on the former site of the Camden Yards station of the B&O Railroad. It was a first-of-a-generation ballpark; while other stadiums were built for multiple sports, this one was just for baseball.
And in honor of baseball season returning, we wanted to share some interesting facts about Camden Yards. Starting with ...
Best Seats in the House
The seating at Camden Yards is among the best you can get in a baseball stadium. The shape and design make it almost impossible to get a bad view. All of the seats in the stadium are beautiful forest green, except for two orange ones. One seat in section 86 marks the landing of Cal Ripken Jr.’s 278th home run (moved in 2022) and the other one near Eutaw street represents Eddie Murray’s 500th home run.
Starring Roles
Camden Yards has played a cameo in several films and tv shows. It served as the home stadium for the Cleveland Indians in Major League 2 and made appearances in several popular shows, including Veep, The West Wing, House of Cards, and The Wire.
Full of Local Flavors
Baseball stadiums all have the classics, hotdogs, peanuts, and popcorn. But Camden Yards has some notable items on the menu. Fans can enjoy a number of Maryland specialties like crab cakes, boardwalk fries with vinegar, and gravy fries. But the fan-favorite has to be a pulled pork barbecue sandwich from Boog’s BBQ. The Eutaw street stand is run by Boog Powell, a four-time, All-Star former first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles. It’s also one of the few parks that allow visitors to bring in their own food.
Courtesy of Christa Emmer
A Street Runs Through the Park
Eutaw Street is located between the warehouse and stadium and is open to the public on off days. The street is home to several concession stands, including Boog’s BBQ and the team store. Visitors can get an up-close look at right field and see plaques representing home runs that have landed on Eutaw Street.
Left Field Was Revamped in 2022
Ahead of the 2022 season, left field was redesigned to reduce the number of home runs. The project included removing ten rows of seats, raising the outfield wall from seven feet to 13 feet, and pushing it back about 25 feet. Before the change, Camden Yards had the shortest left-center field wall of any Major League ballpark. The 10 rows of seats removed included the orange seat denoting Cal Ripken Jr.’s record-breaking home run. It will be moved to a special Oriole Park exhibit.
A Railroad Warehouse Is Part of the Stadium
Behind right field is the original B&O warehouse that was built in the early 1900s. Today, it houses business offices, a restaurant, and a retail space. A ball has never hit the warehouse during a game, but Ken Griffey Jr. propelled a ball to the building during the 1993 Home Run Derby. Several players have hit the warehouse during practice and the windows have been fitted with shatter-proof glass, just in case.
Any other fun facts about Camden Yards we missed on our list? Comment below.
