“Is there anything that can evoke spring -the first fine days of April-  better than the sound of the ball smacking into the pocket of the big mitt, the sound of the bat as it hits the horsehide?”

– Thomas Wolfe

Baseball is America’s pastime. It’s more than a game; it sums up the very character of America, the fabric that defines our lives, an expression of our cultural values: hard work, social mobility and teamwork.

I grew up in a baseball-loving family. It has always been a part of life, and I couldn’t wait to share the experience of a day at the park with my sports-crazy English husband!

He’s already a fan!

So we headed to the beautiful Inner Harbor to catch a game at one of the country’s most iconic stadiums, Camden Yards – home of our treasured Baltimore Orioles.

The park was buzzing with the excitement of Opening Weekend. We were attending the third game in the home opening series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

And we couldn’t have picked a more gorgeous spring day.

As the Orioles took the field, the sun shone down and blessed us with a perfect day for baseball.

The only thing you really need now is to flag down “Beer Man” – a roaming seat vendor who humps up and down the aisles calling out “Heeeyyyy, ice cold beeeeer here!” 

Another one of the beauties of the game: you don’t have to leave your seat and miss a minute of excitement waiting in line for a beer.

National Bohemian (or as it’s called locally, Natty Boh) is a Baltimore brewery with a cult following. They were the first brewery to introduce the six-pack of cans, back in the 1940s. They are now owned by Pabst Brewing Company, and ninety percent of Natty Boh sales are in the Baltimore area.

There are a couple staples of the ballpark diet – Esskay hot dogs, and of course, a good old-fashioned box of pop corn.

Loaded up with traditional snacks, we sat back with our feet propped up –  patiently explaining all the subtleties of the game to our newbie. Although, to his credit, he caught on to it pretty quickly!

The game was not short on action. A few innings in, and the Orioles hit a homerun, sending the fans into a frenzy.

Including yours truly!

Nothing beats a day out at the yard! Although the O’s lost the game in the end, it didn’t diminish the fun and excitement of being at the game, spending a day in the sun in the stands. We already can’t wait for our next trip to the ballpark.