2024 Birdland Caravan Recap
From Thursday, January 25, through Saturday, January 27, more than 35 current Orioles players, coaches, broadcasters, and front office staff split into groups, piled onto buses, and traveled a total of 552 miles across Maryland, making 16 stops in 14 cities, bringing the magic of Orioles baseball straight to the fans.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25
The 2024 Birdland Caravan kicked off bright and early Thursday morning with players and coaches joining the Justin, Scott & Spiegel show live from Banditos in Columbia. Fans in attendance at the show got to meet and take photos with pitchers Danny Coulombe, John Means, Grayson Rodriguez, and Jacob Webb, outfielder Colton Cowser, and infielder Ryan Mountcastle. The 2023 American League Manager of the Year Brandon Hyde and 2023 MLB Executive of the Year Mike Elias also made an appearance.
The players, as well as Hyde and Elias, traveled back to Oriole Park where they were joined by members of the coaching staff to participate in a community event with ShareBaby. Together, they packed 400 kits, providing 400 Baltimore City families with bath time essentials to keep their children clean and healthy. ShareBaby works to meet the unmet basic needs of Baltimore’s youngest and most vulnerable by giving them diapers and other essential items.
Thursday evening, the Oriole Bird and Mr. Splash traveled to Westminster to meet fans and take pictures with the AL East Championship Flag. They were joined by Westminster's Mayor, Mona Becker, who stopped by for a photo.
Day one of Birdland Caravan ended with a special showing of 101: The Story of the 2023 Baltimore Orioles at the historic Charles Theatre in Baltimore.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 26
Birdland Caravan continued on Friday as Orioles players, Manager Brandon Hyde, and front office staff split up to participate in community projects, photo op meet and greets, and happy hours across six Maryland cities.
Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Elias, infielder Joey Ortiz, pitcher Cade Povich, and infielder Jordan Westburg traveled to Frederick, Md., where they worked with the Frederick Chapter of Blessings in a Backpack to pack 500 bags, providing weekend food assistance to 120 children enrolled in the YMCA of Frederick County’s Head Start program. Next, they met and took photos with fans, including the Mayor of Frederick, Michael O’Connor, and Frederick’s City Council President, Brad Young.
Later that day, Elias, Ortiz, Povich, and Westburg traveled to Hopkins Farm Brewery in Havre De Grace, Md., where they met up with Orioles broadcaster Scott Garceau to meet and hang out with fans.
Manager Brandon Hyde, infielder Coby Mayo, pitcher Chayce McDermott, and outfielder Cedric Mullins, as well as members of the Orioles Senior Leadership Team, began their day at Mission of Love in Capitol Heights, Md., where they packed 200 toiletry bags for low-income individuals and families in Prince George’s County and surrounding areas.
After participating in the community project, Hyde, Mayo, McDermott, and Mullins traveled to Laurel, Md., to meet and take photos with fans, including special guests Councilman Thomas Dernoga, his Chief of Staff, Michelle Garcia, and Councilwoman Wanika B. Fisher. The group ended their day at Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Halethorpe where they were joined by Orioles broadcasters Melanie Newman and Brett Hollander for a happy hour with fans.
The Bird and Mr. Splash were also out and about, making a special stop at Weis Markets in Easton to meet and take photos with fans.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 27
The Orioles ended the 2024 Birdland Caravan on a high note on Saturday, participating in 10 different events across six Maryland cities, including Timonium, Germantown, Crofton, Hagerstown, Baltimore, and Catonsville.
Orioles pitchers Cole Irvin, Dillon Tate, and Tyler Wells, along with catcher James McCann and outfielder Ryan McKenna, started their day at Bowlero in Timonium, meeting members of the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore before bowling alongside fans. After bowling, the group traveled to Crofton High School where they put on a fan rally, hosted by Orioles broadcasters Rob Long and Melanie Newman. Delegate Stuart Smith and Councilwoman Shannon Leadbetter were also in attendance at the fan rally, cheering on their favorite Orioles.
The players stayed after the fan rally to meet and take photos with fans before heading to Catonsville for the last stop of the day. While in Catonsville, Irvin, McCann, McKenna, Tate, and Wells made their way around State Fare, El Guapo, and The Basement Arcade Bar, serving as the guest bartenders for the night.
Pitchers Keegan Akin, Mike Baumann, Cade Povich, Nick Vespi, and Bruce Zimmermann, and infielder Coby Mayo, piled on the second bus to travel to Germantown where they met members from the Baltimore Station before golfing with fans, including Delegate Gregory Wims and Council member Laurie-Anne Sayles.
After Topgolf, they traveled to Hagerstown, where fans packed the auditorium to watch the rally hosted by Orioles broadcasters Geoff Arnold and Brett Hollander. After the rally, the players took photos and met with fans before traveling to UNION Craft Brewing in Baltimore, where they were joined by Delegate Malcolm Ruff.
Hundreds of fans showed up at each stop throughout the weekend, telling us what we already knew – Birdland is ready for baseball to be back.