Sports in Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland has a long and storied sporting history encompassing many teams from many different eras. Area fans, such as the late Wild Bill Hagy, are known for their passion and reverence for historical sports figures who played in the city or were born there.
Among other sports, Baltimore is also known for horse racing. The Preakness Stakes is a 1-3/16 mile (1.91 km) American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The Preakness Stakes has been termed "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" because a blanket of Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta, the state flower of Maryland) is traditionally placed around the winner's neck. The Preakness is the second leg in American thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown series and almost always attracts the Kentucky Derby winner, and some of the other horses that ran in the Derby.
Major league professional teams
- Baltimore Orioles – Major League Baseball (since 1954)
- Baltimore Ravens – National Football League (since 1996)
Other professional teams
- Baltimore Blast – Major Arena Soccer League (since 1992)
- Baltimore Burn – United States Women's Football League (inactive)
- Baltimore Nighthawks – Independent Women's Football League (since 2008)
- Baltimore Ride – United Women's Lacrosse League (since 2016)
In 2018,
Baltimore has two
Defunct or relocated teams
Baseball
- Baltimore Black Sox – Eastern Colored League (1923–1928)
- Negro National League (the second)(1938–1948)
- Baltimore Monumentals – Union Association (1884)
- American Association/National League(1882–1899)
- Baltimore Orioles – American League (1901–1902); moved to New York and became the Highlanders and eventually the New York Yankees
- Baltimore Orioles – Eastern/International League (1903–1914, 1916–1953)
- Baltimore Terrapins – Federal League (1914–1915)
Football
- Baltimore Stallions – Canadian Football League (1994–95)
- Baltimore Stars – United States Football League(1985)
- Baltimore Colts – National Football League (1953–83)
- Baltimore Colts – All-America Football Conference/NFL(1947–50)
- American Indoor Football Association(2007)
- American Indoor Football Association(2008–10)
- Baltimore Brigade – Arena Football League (2017–19)
The Baltimore Stallions was an expansion professional football team that joined the Canadian Football League in 1994. It remained in Baltimore for two seasons before relocating to Montreal after the 1995 season to become the Montreal Alouettes. While playing for Baltimore, the team posted the best two season starts of any CFL expansion team ever, advancing to the Grey Cup in both seasons. In its final season in Baltimore, the Stallions became the only U.S.-based CFL team to win the Grey Cup, upsetting the heavily favored Calgary Stampeders.
The
Basketball
- Baltimore Bullets (1944–1954) – American Basketball League (1944–47) and National Basketball Association (1947–1954)
- Baltimore Shuckers – American Professional Basketball League (2011–2016), Central Basketball Association (2017–2020)[12]
- American Basketball Association(1975)
- Baltimore Lightning – Continental Basketball Association (1985–86); played games at Towson Center at Towson University
- Baltimore Bayrunners – International Basketball League (1999–2000)
- Baltimore Pearls – American Basketball Association (2005–07)
Soccer
- Baltimore Bays – North American Soccer League (1967–69)
- Baltimore Blast – Major Indoor Soccer League (1980–1992)
- Baltimore Blast – National Professional Soccer League (1992–2001), named Baltimore Spirit until 1998; Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008) and Major Indoor Soccer League (2008–14)
- Baltimore Comets – North American Soccer League (1974–76)
- Crystal Palace Baltimore – USL Second Division (2006–10)
Ice hockey
- Baltimore Hockey League (1896–1898)
- Baltimore Blades – World Hockey Association (1975)
- Baltimore Bandits – American Hockey League (1995–1997)
- Baltimore Clippers – American/Eastern/Southern Hockey League (1962–1977)
- Atlantic Coast Hockey League (1981–1993) moved to Portland, Maineas the Pirates
Softball
- American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL)(1977)
Lacrosse
- Baltimore Tribe – American Lacrosse League (1988) played at University of Maryland, Baltimore County in Catonsvillefor the 4 weeks the league existed
- Baltimore Thunder – Eagle Pro Box/National Lacrosse League (1987–1999) moved to Pittsburgh, then Washington, D.C.; now Colorado
- 2009 at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. In that season, the team was still known as the Washington Bayhawks; in 2010, it adopted its current name of Chesapeake Bayhawks.
- Maryland Whipsnakes – Premier Lacrosse League
Major league professional championships
Baltimore Orioles (MLB)3 World Series titles Baltimore Orioles: 19th century (MLB)2 pre–World Series titles Baltimore Bullets (NBA)1 NBA Finals title Baltimore Colts (NFL)2 NFL championships (pre-Super Bowl) 1 Super Bowl title |
Baltimore Ravens (NFL)2 Super Bowl titles Baltimore Stallions (CFL)1 Grey Cup title
Baltimore Mariners (AIFA)1 AIFA Championship Bowl title
|
College teams
Division I
In Baltimore City:
- Coppin State Eagles
- Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, competes in Division I for men's and women's lacrosse only
- Loyola Greyhounds
- Morgan State Bears
In Baltimore County:
Division III
In Baltimore City:
- Johns Hopkins Blue Jays
- Notre Dame Gators
In Baltimore County:
- Goucher Gophers, located in Towson
- Stevenson Mustangs, located in Owings Mills
Events
- Army–Navy Game: 1924, 1944, 2000, 2007, 2014, 2016
- City-Poly football game: 1889–present
- Crab Bowl Classic (Maryland–Navy football game): 1932, 1951, 1958, 1959, 2005, 2010
- Day of Rivals, college lacrosse double-header: 2009–present
- Face-Off Classic, college lacrosse double-header: 2007–present
- NBA All-Star Game: 1969
- NCAA Division I men's lacrosse championship: 1975, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014
- NCAA Division II men's lacrosse championship: 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014
- NCAA Division III men's lacrosse championship: 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014
Lore and traditions
It is customary before a
When the national anthem is played at an Orioles or Ravens game, the word "oh" is emphasized in the line "oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave" by the crowd to show allegiance to the Orioles, using their nickname, the O's. Some national onlookers regard this custom as disrespectful to the nation's anthem.[16]
Nicknames are widely used in Baltimore to refer to certain sports figures or moments. Several Orioles players of the modern era have earned themselves nicknames which have quickly become traditional, such as Chris Davis receiving the nickname "Crush Davis" following his record-setting 2013 season and Nelson Cruz, whose last named is chanted in an elongated fashion whenever he makes a big play at home. The 2012 postseason game between the Ravens and the Broncos has picked up several nicknames, such as the "Mile High Miracle", the "F-bomb", and the "Rocky Mountain Rainbow", each referring particularly to Joe Flacco's pass to Jacoby Jones for a Baltimore touchdown which led to a victory, eventually leading the Ravens to win Super Bowl XLVII.[17][18]
When the
Eating
The term "Birdland" is commonly used to refer to the Baltimore area's fanbase for both the
The song Seven Nation Army was popularized in Baltimore as the Ravens' official pump-up song. Seven Nation Army was first played at the Ravens opening game of 2011 against the Steelers, and has been played at every home game since. It can often be heard at Orioles games as well.[23]
See also
References
- ^ "Bohs Advance To PDL Playoffs". United Soccer Leagues. July 21, 2013. Archived from the original on July 23, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
- ^ "Club statement regarding the future". Baltimore Bohemians. January 12, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
- ^ Graham, Glenn. "Baltimore has new semipro soccer team with FC Baltimore joining NPSL". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
- ^ "FC Baltimore Claims Mid-Atlantic Conference Regular Season Title – National Premier Soccer League". www.npsl.com. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
- ^ "FC Baltimore Defeats Legacy 76 13-0 – National Premier Soccer League". www.npsl.com. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
- ^ "National Premier Soccer League". npsl.bonzidev.com. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- ^ "National Premier Soccer League". npsl.bonzidev.com. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- ^ "Blast win MASL Championship". Baltimoreblast.com. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ Graham, Glenn (June 30, 2021). "Blast welcome the Baltimore Kings, who will serve as farm team in Major Arena Soccer League's third division". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
- ^ "MASL 3 Announces Regular Season Schedule for Eastern Conference". www.masl3.com. November 29, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
- ^ Sarah Beth Hensley (January 3, 2011). "Potomac Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Embezzling $1.7 million". Potomac Patch. Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
- ^ Fominykh, Katherine (December 30, 2020). "'We thought we'd always be here': Anne Arundel-based Baltimore Shuckers cease operations due to pandemic". Capital Gazette. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- ^ The last time the Washington Bullets played in Baltimore United Press International
- ^ "Bullets leave Baltimore with win Mavericks fall, 94-87" The Baltimore Sun
- ^ DiLutis, Peter (November 11, 2010). "Downtown Baltimore Sports Landmarks". Maryland Sports Landmarks. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ^ Brown, David (May 21, 2012). "Baltimore's tradition of fans shouting 'O!' during national anthem sparks interleague feud". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ^ "Chris Davis Becomes Crush Davis". Baltimore Magazine. Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ^ "Orioles' Nelson Cruz earns T-shirt night with monster April". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on April 27, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ^ "Thirty-four years ago tonight, Orioles Magic was born". MASN. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ^ "How to Be a Baltimore Orioles Fan". WikiHow. Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ^ "NATTY BOH RANKS AMONG WORST CHEAP AMERICAN BEERS". Baltimore City Paper. Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ^ "Baltimore Orioles: This Is Birdland, Damn It". Bleacher Report. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ^ "How "Seven Nation Army" Became The Pump-Up Song At M&T Bank…And The 4 Songs They Almost Played Instead". Mix 106.5. Archived from the original on January 5, 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2014.