Oriole Park at Camden Yards, commonly known as Camden Yards, is a

ballpark A ballpark, or baseball park, is a type of sports venue where baseball is played. The playing field is divided into two field sections called the infield and the outfield. The infield is an area whose dimensions are rigidly defined in part ba ...

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

, Maryland. It is the home of

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB)'s

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

, and the first of the "retro" major league ballparks constructed during the 1990s and early 2000s. It was completed in 1992 to replace Memorial Stadium. The stadium is in downtown Baltimore, a few blocks west of the Inner Harbor in the Camden Yards Sports Complex. Since its opening, Oriole Park has been widely hailed as one of the best stadiums in baseball and is credited with starting a wave of neotraditional ballparks after the cookie-cutter stadiums of the mid to late 20th century. Since construction on Oriole Park began in 1989, taxpayers have shouldered at least $1.3 billion of the stadium's costs. In 2023, the Orioles asked taxpayers to pay an additional $600 million for stadium renovations.

History

Construction

Prior to Camden Yards, the predominant design trend of big league ballparks was the symmetrical

multi-purpose stadium A multi-purpose stadium is a type of stadium designed to be easily used for multiple types of events. While any stadium could potentially host more than one type of sport or event, this concept usually refers to a design philosophy that stres ...

. Memorial Stadium, the Orioles' home since they moved from St. Louis in 1954, was an early example of such a design. In 1984, the Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis, in part because Baltimore and Maryland officials refused to commit money for a replacement for Memorial Stadium. Not wanting to risk losing the Orioles and Baltimore's status as a

city, city and state leaders immediately began planning a new park in order to keep them in town. The master plan was designed by international design firm RTKL. The stadium design was completed by the architectural firm HOK Sport, which had pioneered retro ballparks at the

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...

level four years earlier with Pilot Field in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

. HOK Sport's original design was very similar to the new Comiskey Park. However, President and CEO Larry Lucchino, turned it down preferring an old fashion ballpark with modern amenities. Lucchino hired Janet Marie Smith, an architect and city planner, to represent the team as Orioles senior vice president to execute his vision. Baltimore-based Ashton Design developed the signs, graphics, and logos for the stadium, as well as the 19th-century style clock above the scoreboard. Ashton's vintage designs, which echo the team's turn-of-the-century origins, proved influential, and the firm was called upon to complete similar retro redesigns of Fenway Park and

Dodger Stadium Dodger Stadium is a ballpark in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a ...

. Construction began in 1989 and lasted 33 months. Former Orioles owner Eli Jacobs favored naming the new field ''Oriole Park'', while then- Maryland governor William Donald Schaefer favored ''Camden Yards''. After considerable debate, a compromise was reached, and it was decided that both names were to be used, resulting in the stadium’s long name.

1992–2008

The first contest at Oriole Park at Camden Yards was a 5–3 preseason exhibition Orioles win over the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...

before 31,286 on April 3, 1992. The ballpark officially opened three days later on April 6 with Rick Sutcliffe pitching a

complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...

shutout In team sports, a shutout (North American English, US) or clean sheet (Commonwealth English, UK) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketba ...

in a season-opening 2–0 victory over the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

before a sellout crowd of 44,568. Chris Hoiles drove in the first run at Camden Yards with a ground-rule double that scored Sam Horn in the fifth inning. Camden Yards hosted the 1993 MLB All-Star Game. On June 18, 1994, an escalator accident injured 43 people when one of the stadium's multiple-story escalators, overcrowded with fans heading to the upper deck, jerked backward, throwing passengers to the bottom landing. On September 6, 1995, Camden Yards witnessed Cal Ripken Jr.'s record-setting 2,131st consecutive game. Exactly one year later,

Eddie Murray Eddie Clarence Murray (born February 24, 1956), nicknamed "Steady Eddie", is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman, designated hitter, and coach. Spending most of his MLB career with the Baltimore Orioles, he ranks fourth ...

blasted his 500th home run there. One orange seat stands out from the park's dark green plastic chairs. Located at Section 96, Row 7, Seat 23 in the right-center field bleachers (officially known as the Eutaw Street Reserve sections), the seat commemorates the spot where Murray's 500th home run landed. A second orange seat, Section 86, Row FF, Seat 10 in the left field bleachers, was removed as part of renovations moving the outfield wall. That seat was the landing spot for Ripken's 278th home run as a

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball positions, baseball or softball fielding position between second base, second and third base, which is considered to be among the Defensive spectrum, most demanding defensive positions. Historically, the ...

, breaking Ernie Banks' record for the position. That home run was hit on July 15, 1993. Ripken finished his career with 345 home runs as a shortstop and 431 overall. The success of Camden Yards sparked a trend in the construction of more traditional, fan-friendly ballparks in downtown locations across the U.S.

Renovations

After the 2008 season, a new HD video display and scoreboard were installed below the right field flag court, a standing-room area between the warehouse and the right field wall. A new, high fidelity sound reinforcement system was added around the ballpark in

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

. The Orioles made numerous improvements to their home ballpark and to their spring training facility, Ed Smith Stadium, before the start of the 2011 season. All seats in the lower seating bowl were replaced and drink rails were added in the club level. Several skyboxes were also eliminated and refurbished to make room for more casual party suites, including the Miller Light Flight Deck. The renovation reduced Oriole Park's capacity from 48,876 to 45,971, making it more comparable with newer ballparks. Coors Light Roof Deck and T

During the 2011–12 off-season, the Orioles announced further upgrades to Camden Yards in preparation for the 20th anniversary of the park's opening. These improvements included the expansion of concession food choices, widening of the concourses in the upper deck, the installation of a replica of the B&O Railway Warehouse's original canopy, and the addition of a lounge atop the batter's eye in center field, which had previously been inaccessible to fans. All fans are permitted to access the standing area of the lounge and fans can purchase tickets for drink rail seats. The Orioles also opened Dempsey’s Bar and Grill, named for beloved longtime Orioles catcher and TV broadcaster

Rick Dempsey John Rikard Dempsey (born September 13, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player.Baseball Hall of Famers in the picnic area beyond the bullpens in left-center field. Furthermore, the right field wall was lowered from to to improve the view of the field from Eutaw Street. In March 2024, The Orioles announced a multiyear partnership with Coors Light to rename the lounge on top of batter’s eye/bullpen wall in center field. The lounge would be renamed, the “Coors Light Roof Deck.” In July 2024, an LED T. Rowe Price Sign was added above the videoboard replacing where “The Sun” was formerly located.

Blocked skyline views

In 2007–08, construction started on two large buildings beyond the stadium's outfield walls—a 757-room Hilton Baltimore hotel north of the stadium occupying a two-city-block area and a high-rise apartment building, both completed in 2009. The new buildings blocked views of the city's skyline from most sections of the grandstand. '' The Baltimore Sun'' said on April 21, 2008, "There's just a glimpse of the Bromo Seltzer Tower's crenellated top just to the right of the new Hilton Baltimore Convention Center hotel ... something's drastically different at Oriole Park this year ... the sweeping view of downtown Baltimore that fans have enjoyed for the past 16 seasons has changed considerably." Sportswriter Peter Schmuck complained, "the big, antiseptic convention hotel ... looms over Camden Yards ... ndhas blocked out the best part of the Baltimore skyline." A ''

Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' columnist called it a "cruel cubist joke on a previously perfect ballpark," although others said they were pleased with new construction downtown as indicative of urban revitalization. Some hotel rooms have a clear view of the playing field.

Changes in field dimensions

In January 2022, Orioles general manager Mike Elias announced adjustments to Camden Yards' left field dimensions in an attempt to reduce the stadium's propensity for home runs. The changes, the first to the size of the iconic ballpark’s playing area in two decades, raised the wall's height from to about and moved it back as much as , according to the Orioles. The new configuration removed about 1,100 seats in the first 10 rows of outfield bleacher seats in sections 72–86. MLB approved the adjustments, which span from the left-field corner to the bullpens in left-center field. As of 2020, Camden Yards' distance from home plate to the left-field corner was about average for the 30 major league stadiums, though its distance to left-center was the sixth-shortest in the league. In addition, Oriole Park was one of only eight ballparks with a wall shorter than 8 feet in left and had the shortest wall in left-center field of any venue. The new left-field wall is tied for the sixth-tallest in the majors. The new dimensions to straight away left () and left-center () make Oriole Park's left field the most spacious in the American League. However, the protrusion created by the bullpens results in an unusual sight on a modern baseball field: a reduction in dimensions as one moves from left field toward center field. The left-center field dimension marked to the immediate left of the bullpens is 398 feet, while the left-center field dimension marked on the bullpens' wall is 376 feet. This creates a hypothetical scenario in which a batter could hit a longer non-home run to left field than home run to left-center field, if the latter is hit into the bullpens. The orange seat commemorating Cal Ripken Jr.'s record 278th home run by a major league shortstop would be moved to an exhibit for the ballpark's 30th anniversary.

B&O Warehouse

The stadium planners incorporated the warehouse into the architecture of the ballpark experience rather than demolish or truncate it. The floors of the warehouse contain offices, service spaces, and a private club. The warehouse has never been hit by a legal home run during regulation play. However, several players have reportedly struck the wall during batting practice, and it was hit by Ken Griffey Jr. during the Home Run Derby before the 1993 MLB All-Star Game.

Eutaw Street

Eutaw Street, between the stadium and the warehouse, is closed to vehicular traffic. Along this street, spectators can get a view of the game or visit the many shops and restaurants that line the thoroughfare, including former Oriole star Boog Powell's outdoor barbecue stand. On game days, pedestrians must have a ticket in order to walk on the part of Eutaw Street adjacent to the stadium; however, on non-game days the street is open to all, while access to the stadium is gated. Sections 90–98, called Eutaw Street palace, are located not in the stadium, but adjacent to Eutaw Street, with the seats descending toward the outfield below. If a game sells out, fans may purchase reduced-price " standing-room only" tickets, which entitle them to enter Eutaw Street and watch the game from two designated standing areas (in the left field bullpen area or above the scoreboard in right field). Many home run balls have landed on Eutaw Street, and the Orioles have marked the spots with small baseball-shaped bronze plaques embedded in the street, though it sometimes takes up to a year for each homer to get a plaque. , 130 homers have landed on Eutaw Street. The first home run to reach Eutaw Street was hit by Mickey Tettleton of the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

on April 20, 1992. The longest in-game home run to land on Eutaw Street was Gunnar Henderson's 462-foot shot on June 11, 2023. However, the only player to ever hit the Baltimore & Ohio Warehouse at Camden Yards on the fly is Ken Griffey Jr of the

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...

, who accomplished the 465-foot hit as part of the 1993 Home Run Derby. There have been two games with two Eutaw street home runs: April 11, 1997, when Rafael Palmeiro hit both home runs and June 29, 2012. The single season record for home runs landing on Eutaw Street is 11, set in 2014. MLB.com publishes an updated list of Eutaw Street landings on the Orioles website.

Notable events

The Orioles celebrated the ballpark's 20th anniversary during the 2012 season and launched the website CamdenYards20.com as part of the celebration. Historically, Oriole Park at Camden Yards is one of several venues that have carried the "Oriole Park" name for various Baltimore franchises over the years.

Notable games

*September 6, 1995: Cal Ripken Jr. broke

Lou Gehrig Henry Louis Gehrig ( ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941), also known as Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig, was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was ...

's record of 2,130 consecutive games played, and hit a home run during that game. Attendees included President

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...

, Vice President

Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American former politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He previously served as ...

Joe DiMaggio Joseph Paul DiMaggio (; born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio, ; November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe", "the Yankee Clipper" and "Joe D.", was an American professional baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career ...

, and Cal Ripken Sr. *May 17, 1996: Chris Hoiles hit a rare ultimate grand slam (walk off grand slam down by three runs), doing so in even more dramatic fashion with a full-count in the ninth inning to carry the Orioles to a 14–13 victory over Seattle. In advance of Oriole Park's 25th anniversary, MLB honored the game as the third most memorable in Oriole Park history. *September 6, 1996:

hit his 500th career home run exactly one year after Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive game streak. *October 15, 1997: The

win Game 6 of the 1997 ALCS 1–0 in 11 innings to win the series 4–2 and advance to the

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...

. , this is the closest the Orioles have been to hosting a World Series in Camden Yards, with the last one occurring 14 years before, when they were still playing at Memorial Stadium. *May 3, 1999: The Cuban national team defeat the Orioles 12–6 in the second game of a two-game exhibition series *April 4, 2001:

Hideo Nomo is a Japanese former baseball pitcher who played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB). He achieved early success in his native country, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to . He then exploited a ...

pitched the first

no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter or no-hit game is a game in which a team does not record a hit (baseball), hit through conventional methods. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in ...

in the history of Camden Yards, walking three and striking out eleven. *October 4, 2001: Tim Raines Sr. played left field and Tim Raines Jr. played center field, in the 5–4 loss to the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

becoming only the second father-son duo to play in the same game. Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. were the only other father-son duo to do so (with the Mariners on August 31, 1990). *October 6, 2001: Cal Ripken, Jr.'s final MLB game. Former President

and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig were in attendance. *August 22, 2007: The Texas Rangers beat the Orioles 30–3 in game one of a doubleheader, the highest scoring game in 110 years. *May 31, 2008: Manny Ramirez of the Red Sox hits his 500th home run in a game against the Orioles. *June 30, 2009: The Orioles rallied to score 10 runs against the Red Sox after facing a 10–1 deficit in the 7th inning, breaking the franchise record for the largest comeback, and the MLB record for the largest comeback by a last place team over a first place team. *September 28, 2011: The Orioles defeated the

in the final day of the season with a 4-3 walk-off win. The loss, coupled with the Tampa Bay Rays' 8–7 victory over the New York Yankees at

Tropicana Field Tropicana Field (nicknamed "The Trop") is a domed multipurpose stadium located in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. "The Trop" was the home of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1998 Tampa Bay Devil Rays season, 1998 to ...

minutes later, eliminated the Red Sox from postseason contention. The Red Sox became the first team in baseball history to miss the postseason after leading by as many as nine games for a playoff spot entering the month of September. *May 8, 2012: Josh Hamilton tied the MLB record for home runs in a game with 4. He went 5 for 5 with four home runs and one double. *October 3, 2014: The Orioles rallied with four runs in the 8th inning to top the Tigers 7–6 in Game 2 of the American League Division Series. *April 29, 2015: As a result of the 2015 Baltimore riots, the game against the White Sox was closed to the public, the first time that has happened in MLB history.

Ballpark firsts

Design and features

Camden Yards was built on land that once served as the rail yard for the

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the oldest railroads in North America, oldest railroad in the United States and the first steam engine, steam-operated common carrier. Construction of the line began in 1828, and it operated as B&O from 1830 ...

's Camden Station. The view from much of the park is dominated by the former Baltimore & Ohio Warehouse at Camden Yards behind the right-field wall. Some seats in the stadium have a good view of the downtown

skyline A skyline is the wikt:outline, outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city's overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural area, rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the ...

. The bullpen area was designed after many write-in designs were submitted by the public. Its unique two-tiered design was a first in major league parks. A picnic area is located above and behind the bullpens. Rows of picnic tables covered by orange umbrellas are available for fans to sit and eat. Many trees are located there, too. Many fans at home games view the game from behind the railing behind the bullpens. Until the 2012 season, the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network's pre- and post-game shows before Orioles home games were televised in an outdoor studio behind the bullpens.

Bronze sculpture Bronze is the most popular metal for Casting (metalworking), cast metal sculptures; a cast bronze sculpture is often called simply "a bronze". It can be used for statues, singly or in groups, reliefs, and small statuettes and figurines, as w ...

s of the six Orioles greats whose uniform numbers were retired by the ballclub were unveiled individually in the walking zone of the area behind the bullpens throughout the 2012 season. The statues were created by Antonio Tobias Mendez and cast at the locally based New Arts Foundry. On the street there is a statue of Babe Ruth entitled, '' Babe's Dream'', created in 1996 by sculptor Susan Luery. In the same courtyard, one will find sculptures indicating the retired jersey numbers of the Baltimore Orioles. The stadium is the first major league park to have an outfield wall made up entirely of straight wall segments since

Ebbets Field Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball stadium in the Flatbush, Brooklyn, Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York City, New York. It is mainly known for having been the home of the History of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Brooklyn Dodgers baseball tea ...

. The playing field is below street level. The stadium contains 4,631 club seats and 72 luxury suites. Every seat in the ballpark is green, except for an orange seat in right field, which marks the spot of Eddie Murray's 500th career home run. A second orange seat, marking the spot of Cal Ripken's 278th career home run, was removed. Camden Yards lights spell out "GO ORIOLES" all throughout the month of September.

Seating capacity

Ballparks influenced by Camden Yards

Oriole Park at Camden Yards with Baltimore skyline in the background in 2023

Since opening 1992, Camden Yards was a success and fan favorite. Attendance jumped from an average of 25,722 over the final 10 years of Memorial Stadium's tenure to an average of 43,490 over the first 10 years of Camden Yards' existence. Due to its success, many other cities built traditional-feeling asymmetrical ballparks with modern amenities, such as skyboxes, in a downtown setting. Many of these stadiums, like Camden Yards, incorporate "retro" features in the stadium exteriors and interiors. These parks have been dubbed "retro-classic" parks. Other parks, known as "retro-modern" parks, have combined "retro" exteriors with more modern interior elements. The park also ended a quarter-century trend of multi-purpose stadiums shared by baseball and football teams. Intended to cut costs, the fundamentally different sizes and shapes of baseball and football fields made this concept fundamentally inadequate for either sport. By the 2012 season, all but two teams played in baseball-only parks. With the Athletics move from Oakland after the 2024 season, no teams play in stadiums that have recently been home to top-level football teams. Retro-classic parks include: * Coors Field in

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

(1995) * Oracle Park in

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

(2000) *

Comerica Park Comerica Park is a baseball stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It has been the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers since 2000, when the team left Tiger Stadium (Detroit), Tiger Stadium. History Construction Founded in 1894, t ...

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

(2000) * PNC Park in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

(2001) *

Citizens Bank Park Citizens Bank Park is a baseball stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the city's South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Home to Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies, the stadium opened April 3, 2004. It is named after Citizens Financi ...

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

(2004) * Busch Stadium in St. Louis (2006) * Citi Field in Queens, New York City (2009) * New Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York City (2009) * Rate Field in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

(1991/2011) **This park opened in 1991 as the last of the so-called "modern" ballparks. It was heavily renovated from 2001 to 2011 into a retro-classic park. Retro-modern parks include: * Progressive Field in

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

(1994) * Angel Stadium in Anaheim (1966/1998) **Angel Stadium opened in 1966 as a modern park. From 1979 to 1980, it was converted into a multi-purpose park shared with the NFL's

Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...

. After the Rams moved to St. Louis after the 1994 NFL season, the stadium was extensively renovated a second time from 1996 to 1998, with the most significant change being the removal of almost all of the seats added for football. The final result was a retro-modern park. *

Chase Field Chase Field, formerly Bank One Ballpark, is a retractable roof, retractable-roof stadium in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It is the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks. It opened in 1998 Arizona Diamondbacks season, 1998, the ...

in Phoenix (1998) * T-Mobile Park in

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

(1999) *

Daikin Park Daikin Park (originally Enron Field and formerly Astros Field and Minute Maid Park) is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 and is the home ballpark of the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). ...

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

(2000) * American Family Field in

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(2001) * Great American Ball Park in

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

(2003) * Petco Park in

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

(2004) * Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. (2008) * Target Field in

Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

(2010) * Truist Park in Cumberland, Georgia (2017) * Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas (2020)

LoanDepot Park LoanDepot Park (officially stylized as loanDepot park, and named Marlins Park until 2021) is a retractable roof stadium located in Miami, Florida, United States. It is the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Miami Marlins. It is located on on ...

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

(opened in 2012), was the first since Camden Yards not classified as a "retro" park, whether of the classic or modern variety. Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria specifically rejected the retro model for the new park, desiring a facility that reflected the 21st-century culture of Miami. Populous, which designed both Camden Yards and LoanDepot Park, later said it was "waiting for a client willing to break the etromold." Stadium planners labeled LoanDepot Park the first example of contemporary architecture in MLB.

Non-baseball events

Concerts

Papal Mass

On October 8, 1995,

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

celebrated

Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...

at Camden Yards as part of his visit to

, one of the most prominent non-baseball events at Camden Yards.

Awards and recognitions

On May 6, 1992, Oriole Park received the Urban Design Award Of Excellence from the

American Institute Of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach progr ...

. In March 2013, Oriole Park was named the third most popular American ballpark by

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Attendance

Between 1992–2000, the Orioles averaged more than 40,000 spectators per game, with a total attendance of 3.71 million persons in the 1997 season. Attendance gradually declined to 1.73 million in the 2010 season. Since then, attendance has improved as the team is more competitive, peaking at 2.46 million in 2014 and 2.28 million in 2024. The current single game highest attendance record at Camden Yards is 49,828, set on July 9, 2005, against the

. On April 29, 2015, Camden Yards was practically empty after the riots in Baltimore over Freddie Gray. Only two scouts, one scoreboard display operator, the play-by-play commentators for the teams' radio and television networks, and the players showed up to watch, and official attendance was 0. This marked the first time in MLB history that the public was not permitted to attend a baseball game. Aside from that, a low-attendance mark was set on April 8, 2019, when just 6,585 fans watched the Orioles host the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...

. On August 19, 2008, the stadium hosted its 50 millionth fan, a milestone reached in just 17 seasons, the fastest park in baseball history to reach such a figure. From 1992 to 2008, Oriole Park has hosted the third-most number of fans in MLB, exceeded only by

and

Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx in New York City. It is the home field of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees and New York City FC of Major League Soccer. The stadium opened in April 2009, replacing the Yankee S ...

Access and transportation

On the far side of the Baltimore & Ohio Warehouse at Camden Yards is the present Camden Station, served by both the Baltimore Light RailLink and MARC's Camden Line commuter rail service. The latter rail line provides direct service to Washington, D.C., and the former to BWI Airport. The Light RailLink service began around the time the stadium opened. Nearby Convention Center station also sees heavy traffic during Orioles games; the station is located near the stadium's main entrance. The stadium is located in downtown Baltimore, near the Inner Harbor. The ballpark, along with the adjacent M&T Bank Stadium, home of the

Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...

of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

, make up the Camden Yards Sports Complex, though Camden Yards generally refers to only the baseball stadium. The football stadium was built in 1998, the Ravens' third season in existence. Camden Yards is just a short walk from Babe Ruth's birthplace, which is now a museum. According to some sources, Ruth's father once owned a pub located in what is now center field of the stadium. In May 2005, Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards, opened in Camden Station. It lasted 10 years, closing on October 12, 2015.

In popular culture

*The movie '' Dave'' (1993) features a scene with the U.S. president, played by Kevin Kline, throwing out the first pitch at Camden Yards. That scene was filmed in front of an actual capacity crowd at the ballpark, prior to a regular-season game in early August 1992. Similar scenes were filmed for the Chris Rock movie ''

Head of State A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...

'', for the Geena Davis TV series '' Commander in Chief'', and for the 2004 season finale of ''

The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where t ...

.'' *The movie '' Major League II'' (1994) used Camden Yards as the home of the Indians. *Part of the sixth-season premiere of the NBC police drama series '' Homicide: Life on the Street'' was filmed at Camden Yards. In these scenes, the detectives must hurry to solve a murder at Camden Yards before a game between the Orioles and the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

ends. *A short clip in the 2005 film '' Wedding Crashers'' shows Oriole Park at Camden Yards. *A portion of an episode of the HBO series ''

The Wire ''The Wire'' is an American Crime fiction, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series created and primarily written by the American author and former police reporter David Simon for the cable network HBO. The series premiered o ...

'', set in Baltimore, was filmed during an Orioles game in which characters Jimmy McNulty and Bunk Moreland, played by Dominic West and Wendell Pierce, take their sons to a game while discussing a case. The pilot of the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

2009 comedy series '' Eastbound & Down'' begins with an aerial shot of Camden Yards; however, when actor Danny McBride takes the mound, the field level shot is at a different ballpark. *The HBO series '' Veep'' filmed episode 6 of its first season at Camden Yards. Orioles Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer and then-Orioles players Jake Arrieta and Tommy Hunter made cameo appearances on the field with ''Veep'' star

Julia Louis-Dreyfus Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus ( ; born January 13, 1961) is an American actress and comedian. She has gained acclaim for starring in a string of successful comedy series as well as several comedy films. She has received List of awards ...

. This was perhaps a subtle homage to Louis-Dreyfus's previous role as Towson-native

Elaine Benes Elaine Marie Benes () is a fictional character on the American television sitcom ''Seinfeld'', played by former SNL cast member Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend in the sitcom is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld, and she is also good fri ...

on ''

Seinfeld ''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, with a total of nine seasons consisting of List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It ...

'' and that character's Orioles fandom. *'' House of Cards'' features the U.S. vice president, played by

Kevin Spacey Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. Known for Kevin Spacey on screen and stage, his work on stage and screen, he List of awards and nominations received by Kevin Spacey, has received numerous accolades, including two ...

, throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Camden Yards. Spacey, a noted Orioles fan who actually threw a real ceremonial first pitch against the Blue Jays in 2013, is first seen wearing a jacket featuring the cartoon bird in the tunnel to the team dugout as he is being introduced to the crowd. Former closer Jim Johnson and outfielder Nate McLouth meet Spacey's character on the field, with Johnson expecting to receive the pitch as the stadium lights suddenly go out. For added realism, the crowd even yells "O" during the national anthem.

References

External links

Stadium site on MLB.comSummary of Camden YardsWhy Is It Named Oriole Park at Camden Yards?
- Ghosts of Baltimore blog
"Top 10 Ballparks"
by '' Men's Fitness'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Oriole Park At Camden Yards 1992 establishments in Maryland Baltimore Orioles stadiums Baseball in Baltimore Baseball venues in Maryland Downtown Baltimore Major League Baseball venues Populous (company) buildings Sports venues completed in 1992 Sports venues in Baltimore