it's wasn't the heat, it was the humidity

some extended family members thought it would be a good idea to head to baltimore in early july back in 1999. i went along knowing that i could at least get a baseball game out of the deal, and so i went to my eighth stadium - oriole park at camden yards. i have this 2002 fleer orioles checklist card

in my stadiums i've seen games in mini-collection to represent the event.

here's my ticket stub:

as you can see, the blue jays were in town.  this was the trip during which i saw roy halladay out on the street walking around which was kind of cool i guess. i didn't say anything to him, and there was a group of other players and wives who called out to him anyway.

as for the game itself, david wells was pitching against scott erickson. for me, the best thing was that shawn green (my favorite non-dodger at the time) hit a home run and cal ripken jr played (this was after his streak had ended so it wasn't a given that he would be in the lineup).

what i remember most was how humid it was. it really was almost unbearable. we walked around the stadium and i enjoyed seeing the statue of babe ruth outside of an american league east rival's stadium as well as eutaw street and the warehouse beyond right field. by the time the game started, some in my group decided to head in to one of the stadium's restaurants to try to cool off. others followed suit as the game progressed, and i will admit that i remained in my seat only until about the sixth inning and then joined them.

i didn't take many photos, and most of the ones that were taken that night didn't turn out very well. here's (part of) one that was taken inside the stadium somewhere,

with me standing next to a franchise world championship banner. the 1966 title bothered me since it came at the expense of my favorite team, but i have no issues with the other two. the orioles were the world champs when i was born shortly after the 1970 title was won, and i was rooting for eddie murray and company in 1983.

camden yards was so different from the seven stadiums i had been to previously, and it is still a standout in my memory. if only it hadn't been so humid!