What is your favorite O's Memory?

I figured it is going to be a long season, but one that needs to happen.  So, why not start it out with some memories, good or bad, of the past to cheer us up and help us look at what we have for the future!

My first game was in 1976 (I believe that is the year. Maybe off a few I was really young) that I remember and I have no idea who the birds where playing.  I do remember Eddie Murry comming up to bat and hitting a grand slam.  The crowd was going nuts when he stepped up to the plate chanting his name.

My best memory however, was in 1982 at the last game of the season when the GREAT EARL WEAVER retired.  The crowds were full and stayed for at least two hours after the game chearing for Earl and what he did for the team. 

For me there are actually 2. The 1969 World Series watching all the Mets outfielders (LF Cleon Jones, CF Tommie Agee and RF Ron Swoboda) make sensational sliding catches everywhere. Brooks Robinson and Mark Belanger made some great plays too. Also in the 1970 World Series against the Reds. The Orioles had just beaten "The Big Red Machine," and Boog Powell had just been quoted by someone from SI magazine as saying "I guess the Big Red Machine Just Got A Little Bird S**T Caught In It."

I was fortunate enough to have been at every Orioles World Series and attended every game played at Memorial Stadium in 1969 against the Mets, 1970 against the Reds, 1971 against the Pirates where we blew a 3-1 series lead, and the 1983 Phillies series. The World Series win over the Phillies (it was supposed to be the more dominant Dodgers that year out of the NL) was special too. As was Cal Ripken and Eddie Murray later in the O's history. But besides a few of them here and there, the Orioles haven't been very magical in nearly 40 years. back then with every new season you knew that the team would be competitive. Free agency destroyed the parity and the ability of home team talent staying home. It was the 80's, I believe, that the purity of the game was taken away (mostly by big market franchises).

I go back like OTM.  I remember watching the '69 Series against the Mets.  I was 7 yo.  All I remember was asking myself about the Mets OF's "Who are these guys?"  I remember frantically searching my baseball card collection to see if I could identify them.

Winning the '70 WS was my biggest thrill.  Again all I could do was watch it on TV, but I remember my parents letting me stay up late to watch some of the games.  After that series I wanted to be like Brooks Robinson.  I played some 3B in Little League, but that's as far as that went.  1970 was also my first Orioles game at Memorial Stadium. 

Another great memory - Listening to the great Hall or Famer Chuck Thompson on the radio.  I also remember his broadcasting partner for both O's and Colts games - Bill O'Donnell.  Back then, I would rather listen to the two of them on the radio than watch the games on TV. 

BTW.  For those of you who don't remember or were too young to know the O's of the '60's and '70's there is a great DVD that recaps all of the O's WS victories of 1966, 1970, and 1983.  You can also rent the Ken Burns BB documentary if you want to see the highlights (lowlights for this fan), of the 1969, 1971, and 1979 WS losses.