Baltimore Orioles Announce 2008 MLB Opening Day Plans

03/26/2008 -- The Baltimore Orioles have announced plans for the first game of their 55th season. The team will face the Tampa Bay Rays next Monday, March 31, at 3:05 p.m.

PRE-GAME FUN AROUND THE YARD
To allow fans the opportunity to experience the excitement of Opening Day, the entire ballpark will open at noon. Each fan will receive a 2008 Orioles magnet schedule at the gates, and roving musical groups will entertain fans on Eutaw Street and the main concourses.

PRE-GAME CEREMONIES
Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 2:30 p.m., when pre-game ceremonies will begin. The new ballpark entertainment system will be unveiled as part of the festivities. The team will also pay tribute to members of the Orioles family who passed away during the last year.

PLAYER INTRODUCTIONS
MASN personality JIM HUNTER will serve as emcee for the pre-game festivities.

In a continuation of the Opening Day tradition, Orioles players and coaches will be introduced prior to the game. Orioles players and Manager DAVE TREMBLEY will run through the centerfield gate on an orange carpet and take their places between first base and second base. Coaches and staff will be introduced from the Orioles dugout. Members of the Rays will be announced and will run from their dugout to line up between second base and third base.

OriolesREACH has arranged for 80 members of local Boys and Girls Clubs to line the orange carpet holding Orioles flags during player introductions. Participating clubs include The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Franklin Square, Glen Burnie Boys & Girls Club and The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Middle River. The Boys & Girls Club is an official charity of Major League Baseball.

For the 15th straight season, one fan will be chosen to represent all Orioles fans as the team's "10th man." The fan will be introduced as a part of the Orioles starting lineup during the pre-game ceremonies.

FIRST PITCH
In honor of the 25th anniversary of the Orioles' 1983 World Series championship over the Philadelphia Phillies, former General Manager HANK PETERS will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Peters will be escorted to the pitcher's mound by current Orioles President of Baseball Operations ANDY MACPHAIL. 1983 World Series MVP and current MASN broadcaster RICK DEMPSEY will catch the pitch. This first pitch is one of a number of special events and promotions the Orioles have planned to celebrate the team's third World Championship during the 2008 season.

NATIONAL ANTHEM
For the sixth consecutive year, the National Anthem will be sung by American tenor RICHARD TROXELL. A native of Thurmont, Maryland, Troxell has an extensive resume of film and theater performance experience both in the United States and abroad. His most recent engagement was in the title role of Zampa at the Opéra Comique in Paris, France, and he will next appear in the role of Christian in Cyrano de Bergerac in Monte Carlo.

During the anthem, a 30'x 42' American flag from Fort McHenry will be unfurled over the batter's eye wall in center field. The flag is a replica of the one that flew over Fort McHenry when Francis Scott Key wrote the National Anthem.

Color guards from all five branches of the United States military - Army (Baltimore Recruiting Battalion), Marine Corps (4th Combat Engineer Battalion), Navy (Ceremonial Guard), Air Force (Bolling AFB) and Coast Guard (Ceremonial Honor Guard) - will present colors before the game.

The anthem will culminate with a flyover by four A-10 jets from the United States Air Force.

NEW IN 2008:

BALLPARK ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM
The fan experience will be dramatically enhanced by a brand-new ballpark entertainment system, including new video boards in center field, an out-of-town scoreboard in right field and auxiliary boards on the club level and upper level.

In center field, the upper board will serve as the main video board for the ballpark, reversing the placement of the system used since the ballpark opened in 1992. The change was made to allow the main board to be substantially taller and wider than its predecessor and capable of providing HD technology. Both the upper and lower center field boards were upgraded from outdated matrix and light bulb technology to state-of-the-art LED boards capable of, and used for, video.

The larger and state-of-the-art LED scoreboard in right field and new LED ribbon boards on the club level and upper level fascia will provide more information, animation and statistics for fans. All of the new video and scoreboards are centrally controlled to provide maximum information and entertainment to Orioles fans.

ALL YOU CAN EAT LEFT FIELD CLUB SECTION
Based on its popularity during the second half of last season, the All-You-Can-Eat section returns to Camden Yards in 2008 with more seats and more concessions stands. Fans who enjoy the convenience of an all-inclusive ticket package will want to take advantage of the Orioles' newest offer, the All-You-Can-Eat Left Field Club ticket. For $40 in advance or $45 on the day of the game (or $55 and $60 for Prime Games), fans receive a seat in sections 272-288 of the Left Field Club Level and an All-You-Can-Eat pass for the concession stands located directly behind the sections. Menu items include hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn, ice cream, soda and lemonade. Concession stands are open from the time gates open through the 7th inning, or three hours after the scheduled first pitch. This offer is valid for all home games and is a great option for families and fans who want a great value and the convenience of an all-inclusive offer.

BUD LIGHT WAREHOUSE BAR
The Bud Light Warehouse Bar is located on Eutaw Street next to Pastimes Café and is the place to be before, during and after every Orioles home game. The Bud Light Warehouse Bar opens when Eutaw Street opens, two hours before the scheduled first pitch, and remains open until one hour after the final out. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to Orioles games and enjoy the FM Talk 105.7 Orioles All-Access Pre-Game Show hosted by Tom Davis and Dave Johnson, broadcast live from the Bar for one hour leading up to the first pitch.

NEW ON THE MENU:

ARAMARK has added the following items to its concession stands for 2008:
• Charm City Seafood stand behind home plate featuring crab cake sandwiches, steamed shrimp, crab soup and crab pretzels
• Corn dog bites
• Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
• Garlic and Herb tossed Fries
• Gourmet Frankfurter
• Ballpark Sliders (mini hamburgers)
• Steak-umm Burgers

New Club Level concessions include:
• Tossed to order wings (BBQ, Lemon-Garlic and Spicy)
• Mandarin Chipotle Chicken Salad
• Grilled Steak Ciabatta
• Pretzel Dog
• Garlic Fries
• Club Level Burger (Half-pound Burger topped with pulled pork and fried onion rings)

Kid-friendly items at concession stands throughout the park include:
• Kid-sized hot dogs, potato chips and sodas at reduced prices

For a complete list of new and favorite concessions items at Oriole Park, visit ballparkfoods.com.

ARAMARK continues its ARAMARK SERVES YOU RIGHT! Alcohol awareness program at Orioles games throughout the season. Launched in 1989, the program provides stadium and television messages encouraging responsible drinking and offers free sodas to fans that volunteer to be designated drivers.

HUNGRY FOR BASEBALL
On Opening Day, ARAMARK will staff approximately 60 permanent and portable food stands, 75 private suites and the Camden Club restaurant to satisfy the appetites of fans. On March 31, ARAMARK expects to serve the following:

• 9,200 hot dogs
• 4,530 souvenir sodas
• 4,500 pounds of French Fries
• 3,700 soft pretzels
• 2,570 orders of chicken tenders
• 1,800 bags of peanuts
• 375 bags of Cracker Jacks

NEW AT THE SOUVENIR STAND:

New items at the Orioles store this season include:
• Nick Markakis bobblehead doll
• Nick Markakis foam finger
• Orioles cufflinks

The most popular items at the Orioles store include:
• Foam fingers
• Logo baseballs
• Nick Markakis t-shirts

The Orioles Official Team Store is located on Eutaw Street in the first floor of the warehouse. Fans may also purchase Orioles tickets, memorabilia and collectibles at the Official Team Store in the York Galleria Mall in York, PA.

SECURITY MEASURES
The Orioles have one of the most liberal food policies in professional sports. Outside food and beverages may be brought into Camden Yards, subject to the following guidelines:

Soft-sided and paper bags are permitted at Oriole Park, as long as they fit into a 16" x 16" x 8" container. Hard-sided coolers, thermoses, glass bottles, cans or alcoholic beverages are not permitted into the ballpark. Non-alcoholic beverages in plastic bottles are permitted into the park. All items will be checked at the gates and any beverage which has been opened or partially consumed prior to entry is subject to confiscation if it is thought to contain alcohol. In addition, no plastic or paper cups of beverages are permitted into the park at the entry gates. All items permitted into the ballpark will be inspected. No bags or items exceeding the maximum size of 16" x 16" x 8" are allowed into the ballpark.

No containers or unauthorized items can be left at any park entrance. No re-entry will be permitted once a fan has entered the ballpark gates. Only vehicles dropping off or picking up guests with disabilities are permitted to stop curbside at the ballpark. No other vehicles are permitted curbside, nor are people able to stand and wait with vehicles.

Opening Day timing
Noon Gates open
12:25-1:25 Orioles batting practice
1:25-2:05 Rays batting practice
2:05-2:25 Field Preparation
2:30 Ceremonies begin
3:05 Play Ball!

Source: MLB

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