Brooks Robinson and the Baltimore Orioles

[Chstrite]

Day 32 – 1 February 2024
My next sign is similar to yesterday’s. It is made of cardboard and measures 24 inches by 18 inches. This sign celebrates the “City of Champions.” The city had a lot of success in the late 1960s and early 1970s with its professional sports teams including the Colts (NFL), Bullets (NBA), Clippers (Hockey 1962-1977) and of course the Orioles. These teams and their logos are included on the sign with the Oriole bird smack in the middle. The blue letters and orange background really look nice. I am not exactly sure what year this sign was produced celebrating the Champions of Baltimore but suspect the late 1960s or early 1970s. I am sure we’ll get some feedback.

[Mark70Z]

Originally Posted by Chstrite

Day 32 – 1 February 2024
My next sign is similar to yesterday’s. It is made of cardboard and measures 24 inches by 18 inches. This sign celebrates the “City of Champions.” The city had a lot of success in the late 1960s and early 1970s with its professional sports teams including the Colts (NFL), Bullets (NBA), Clippers (Hockey 1962-1977) and of course the Orioles. These teams and their logos are included on the sign with the Oriole bird smack in the middle. The blue letters and orange background really look nice. I am not exactly sure what year this sign was produced celebrating the Champions of Baltimore but suspect the late 1960s or early 1970s. I am sure we’ll get some feedback.

Charlie… that particular sign is from 1971.

[Chstrite]

Day 33 – 2 February 2024
The next sign is from News American in 1979 celebrating 25 years of the Orioles. The sign is black with white and orange letters saying “It’s the…Orioles 25th Year.” It then says “Celebrate with News American” at the bottom. I imagine this was the face of their vending machine around the city dispensing their newspaper. The sign is made of cardboard and measures 16 inches by 9 inches. By the way, the Baltimore News-American newspaper was published in downtown Baltimore until May 27, 1986. It had a continuous lineage (in various forms) of more than 200 years. For much of the mid-20th century, it had the largest circulation in the city.

[Chstrite]

Day 34 – 3 February 2024
Today’s sign celebrates the success of the 1983 Orioles. The sign measures 24 inches by 18 inches with a bright orange background and blue letters. The sign has the Oriole bird in the middle of the infield with a top message of “The Bird Flies” with “Memorial Stadium” at the bottom. The sign was used as a direction sign in Baltimore to get to the stadium. In small print at the bottom it has the Mayor’s name (William Donald Schaefer) and Citizens of Baltimore.

[Chstrite]

Day 35 – 4 February 2024
My next sign is from Memorial Stadium and hung on the scoreboard while Brooks was playing 3rd base back in the 1970s. It would be displayed on the scoreboard. The sign is black with orange letters (BAL.) I have seen a “VIS.” Sign that would accompany it but could not get to it soon enough, sadly. The sign measures 17 inches by 9.5 inches and his made of heavy metal. It has a substance on it that I am allergic too, coincidentally. It is an amazing piece of “art” from the stadium.

[Mark70Z]

Originally Posted by Chstrite

Day 35 – 4 February 2024
My next sign is from Memorial Stadium and hung on the scoreboard while Brooks was playing 3rd base back in the 1970s. It would be displayed on the scoreboard. The sign is black with orange letters (BAL.) I have seen a “VIS.” Sign that would accompany it but could not get to it soon enough, sadly. The sign measures 17 inches by 9.5 inches and his made of heavy metal. It has a substance on it that I am allergic too, coincidentally. It is an amazing piece of “art” from the stadium.

Next to collecting Brooks signs are probably my next favorite item. Really like both the '83 cardboard directional and this BAL. sign from the stadium. You really need to depart with the BAL. sign; you don't need anything in that room that you're allergic to (you know where to send...)

[roarfrom34]

After a disastrous 1988 season there were a lot of new faces in Orioles camp the following spring & among those faces were two african american right handed pitchers by the identical name of Mike Smith. One hailed from Jackson, MS and the other from San Antonio, TX.

For identification purposes in Spring Training one was referred to as simply Mississippi Mike and the other as Texas Mike. To help aid the ID process, the Orioles placed a silhouette of their home state on the back of their jerseys.

Neither pitcher made the club out of ST and were both sent to AAA Rochester. Mississippi Mike was eventually dealt to Pittsburgh in June and Texas Mike did get recalled from the Orioles the same month and pitched in 13 games.

At Fan Fest in January 1990, Texas Mike was in attendance and while he was by that the time the only player in their system by that name, I did ask him if he would add the "Texas" moniker & while he didn't appear to be too thrilled about it, he did oblige.

I was able to obtain Texas Mike Smith's '89 ST jersey recently and I thought most people here would like to see how unique it was (now I need to find Mississippi Mike's lol):

[Mark70Z]

Originally Posted by Chstrite

Day 33 – 2 February 2024
The next sign is from News American in 1979 celebrating 25 years of the Orioles. The sign is black with white and orange letters saying “It’s the…Orioles 25th Year.” It then says “Celebrate with News American” at the bottom. I imagine this was the face of their vending machine around the city dispensing their newspaper. The sign is made of cardboard and measures 16 inches by 9 inches. By the way, the Baltimore News-American newspaper was published in downtown Baltimore until May 27, 1986. It had a continuous lineage (in various forms) of more than 200 years. For much of the mid-20th century, it had the largest circulation in the city.

What is the small "Thanks Brooks Day" piece below '79 newspaper insert?