The Orioles will open a 10-game homestand on Thursday, April 28, when they host the Chicago White Sox at 7:05 p.m. ET. The homestand will feature several special events including the launch of the Birdland Community Heroes Program and a celebration for Mother's Day weekend including Catch on the Field, recognition of the Orioles' 2016 Honorary Bat Girl, and all Orioles uniformed personnel wearing jerseys with pink Orioles script and caps with a pink cartoon bird in honor of Mother's Day on Sunday, May 8. Additionally, two unique giveaways for the first 10,000 female fans 18 and over will be given out that weekend: an Orioles canvas tote presented by MLB Network (May 7) and a Mother's Day infinity scarf (May 8).
The Orioles will host their first Mother's Day Catch on the Field on Sunday, May 8, prior to the 1:35 p.m. game against the Oakland Athletics. The event includes a pair of tickets to Sunday's game, two soft baseballs, and a 25-minute pregame session of catch on the Oriole Park field. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Baltimore Orioles Charitable Foundation. Tickets are on sale now at orioles.com/catch.
Major League Baseball will name the 30 winners of the 2016 Honorary Bat Girl Contest, which recognizes baseball fans who have been affected by breast cancer and demonstrate a commitment to eradicating the disease. The winner of the Honorary Bat Girl Contest for the Orioles is CRYSTAL SILINS from Fairfield, Pa., who will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Sunday, May 8, prior to the Orioles game against the Oakland Athletics at 1:35 p.m. A breast cancer fighter, she has endured a bilateral mastectomy, over a year of various chemotherapy treatments, six weeks of radiation, and nine surgeries since being diagnosed with breast cancer in January of 2013.
In addition, the Orioles, along with all Major League Baseball teams, will wear jerseys with pink Orioles script and caps with a pink cartoon bird in honor of Mother's Day on Sunday, May 8. Each player's authentic, game-worn jersey will be autographed and auctioned at www.orioles.com/auction with proceeds going to the Baltimore Orioles Charitable Foundation to benefit breast cancer research and awareness.
During the game on Mother's Day, ADRIENNE ROBERSON, a mother of two children and PA announcer for the Bowie Baysox, the Orioles' Double-A affiliate, will serve as PA announcer for the Orioles.
IN THE COMMUNITY
WTTR "BIRDS ARE BACK" RALLY
On Saturday, April 30, the annual "Birds are Back" rally, presented by Orioles Radio Network affiliate WTTR Radio (1470 AM), will take place at Westminster Island Green (1199 S. Pleasant Valley Road, Westminster, MD 21158) from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Orioles catcher CALEB JOSEPH and Orioles Hall of Famer AL BUMBRY will attend and sign autographs for fans from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. The event will also include an appearance from the Oriole Bird.
DYLAN BUNDY TO APPEAR AT ORIOLES TEAM STORE IN YORK
On Saturday, May 7, Orioles pitcher DYLAN BUNDY will make an appearance at the Orioles Team Store in the York Galleria (2899 Whiteford Road, York, PA 17402) from 11:00 a.m. to noon. Bundy will sign autographs and greet fans. The event is free of charge and open to the public and the media.
O'S ZONE EVENT
The second O's Zone event presented by Budweiser will take place on Tuesday, May 10, at the Hard Yacht Café in Dundalk, Md., from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Former Orioles outfielder JOE ORSULAK will sign autographs for fans from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and the Oriole Bird will be on hand to take photos with fans. Orioles public address announcer RYAN WAGNER will serve as the emcee and will ask trivia questions throughout the event, with fans having the chance to win prizes, including Orioles fan packs and autographed items. The Orioles promo team will also be on hand to distribute promotional items to fans in attendance. Budweiser will sponsor four additional O's Zone events, taking place throughout the season.
AT THE BALLPARK
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION NIGHT AT THE YARD
On Thursday, April 28, the Orioles and Governor LARRY HOGAN's Office of Service and Volunteerism will celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Night at Oriole Park during the game against the Chicago White Sox at 7:05 p.m. As part of the pregame ceremony, Lt. Governor BOYD RUTHERFORD will be on hand to present ADAM JONES with the Governor's Service Award for his continued support of the Baltimore community. ELVA BUTLER, an AmeriCorps member with AARP Foundation Experience Corps, will then throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Butler serves as an academic tutor, providing direct literacy support to students at risk of not reaching grade level literacy benchmarks.
In addition, Lt. Gov. Rutherford will present the Orioles with a Governor's Citation as a thank you for hosting their first Volunteer Appreciation Night and donating a total of 2,000 tickets to local volunteer organizations.
BIRDLAND COMMUNITY HEROES PROGRAM
The Orioles have launched the Birdland Community Heroes Program to recognize community heroes who have inspired others through their spirited commitment to extend a hand in charity, service, hope, and harmony. This recognition honors the heroism of members of our extended Orioles community from all walks of life, occupations, and diverse backgrounds living in our region, our country, and abroad, who have distinguished themselves by selflessly working or volunteering in fields that care for, serve, teach, protect, and improve the lives of others, around the corner or around the globe, who are most in need.
Throughout the 2016 season, the Orioles will recognize local Birdland Community Heroes on the scoreboard at Oriole Park, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday home game.
AUTISM AWARENESS NIGHT
In recognition of National Autism Awareness Month, the Orioles, OriolesREACH, and Major League Baseball are partnering with Autism Speaks to host "Autism Awareness Night" on Friday, April 29, when the Orioles host the Chicago White Sox at 7:05 p.m. Discounted Upper Reserve tickets are available for purchase at www.orioles.com/autism, and $5 for every ticket sold through the site will benefit Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments, and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.
Local leaders in the movement for autism awareness will be honored for their contributions to this initiative in a special pregame ceremony. Following the pregame ceremonies, PETE VASCO - father of RONNIE VASCO, a three-year-old boy from Sykesville, Md. - will throw out the ceremonial first pitch with Ronnie's mother, MEGAN VASCO, and sister, SOPHIA VASCO. Ronnie attends Kennedy Krieger, Early Achievements Program in Baltimore, a therapeutic center for autism.
ADAM JONES 2015 MARVIN MILLER MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD PRESENTATION
Orioles pitcher and MLBPA Player Representative DARREN O'DAY will be representing his Major League peers in presenting ADAM JONES with the prestigious 2015 Players Choice Award as the Marvin Miller Man of the Year during pregame ceremonies before the Friday's game against the Chicago White Sox.
Each year, Major League baseball players vote to select the best performances by their fellow players on the field and in their communities. The Players Choice Awards recognize each season's "best of the best" as chosen by the players themselves. In recognition of his outstanding performance on the field and in the community, the Major League Baseball Players Trust will present a $50,000 grant to Boys & Girls Clubs as selected by Jones.
VIETNAM VETERANS RECOGNITION DAY
On Saturday, April 30, the Orioles will host Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day and honor Vietnam Veterans in the Maryland community, including those who have been the focus of a multi-year salute program launched by Maryland Public Television (MPT) called "MPT Salutes Vietnam Veterans." Many of these veterans appear in the upcoming MPT documentary film called "Maryland Vietnam War Stories," which debuts on MPT on May 24-26.
Prior to the 7:05 p.m. game against the Chicago White Sox, more than 55 Maryland Vietnam Veterans will take the field for a pregame ceremony honoring them for their service. Seven Vietnam Veterans who make up the Honor Guard from VVA Chapter 451 in Dundalk will serve as the color guard and will carry the U.S. flag and the flags of the military branches. Chief Warrant Officer Five (retired) FRED L. SHINBUR of the U.S. Army will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Orioles Hall of Fame outfielder AL BUMBRY, also a Vietnam Veteran. CW5 (Ret) Shinbur, an infantry combat Vietnam War veteran, served in the U.S. Army for nearly 36 years. In the fifth inning, the Orioles will honor Vietnam War veteran and former U.S. Marine Corps navigator JAMES H. WARNER, who earned a Silver Star and was a prisoner of war for more than five years in North Vietnam, as the Birdland Community Hero. More information on the MPT Vietnam project is available at mpt.org/Vietnam and on the project's Facebook page titled "MPT Salutes Vietnam Veterans."
MARK TRUMBO CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD PRESENTATION
Before Saturday's game against the Chicago White Sox at 7:05 p.m., Orioles outfielder MARK TRUMBO will be presented with a custom-made watch, courtesy of Game Time, during a special pregame ceremony for being named the American League Co-Player of the Week for the period ending on April 17. Presenting the watch to Trumbo will be Orioles Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations DAN DUQUETTE. Trumbo batted .320 (8-for-25) with five home runs and 11 RBI in six games. He also became the first Oriole to hit two home runs in one inning when he accomplished the feat in the seventh inning on April 15th at Texas.
INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL AT LARGO JUNIOR VARSITY BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL VISIT ORIOLE PARK
As part of the Cardboard to Leather Program, the Orioles and Oriole Advocates have partnered to provide the new junior varsity baseball and softball program of International High School at Largo, a local ESL (English as a Second Language) school, with baseball equipment for their inaugural season.
The Oriole Advocates created the Cardboard to Leather Program in 1992 to provide baseball and softball equipment to underprivileged youth in developing countries. The Orioles have invited the new junior varsity baseball and softball program at International High School at Largo to Oriole Park on Wednesday, May 4, for the game against the New York Yankees at 7:05 p.m. This will be the first time any of the players have attended a Major League Baseball game. In addition, the student-athletes will have a meet and greet with Orioles pitcher UBALDO JIMÉNEZ.
This season's Cardboard to Leather collection will be held on Sunday, September 4. Fans are encouraged to bring new and gently-used baseball equipment to the Orioles game to be used in this year's distribution, which will be going to youth players in Aruba, Dominican Republic, and Mexico. Financial donations will also be accepted to help with shipping costs.
WAYNE KIRBY'S RBI COACHES CLINIC
First base coach WAYNE KIRBY, a continued supporter of the Baltimore Orioles RBI program, will be hosting a Coaches Clinic for RBI head coaches on Saturday, May 7, at Oriole Park. The Baltimore Orioles RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) is a youth outreach program designed to promote interest in baseball, increase the self-esteem of disadvantaged children, and encourage kids to stay in school and off the streets. The Orioles provide additional unique experiences for RBI teams, including hosting inner city youth clinics involving current and former players providing instruction, as well as hosting all participants to watch a game at Oriole Park and recognizing the champions from each division on field in a pregame ceremony. This will be the first season where Kirby will host the RBI Coaches Clinic, covering topics including positive coaching and baseball fundamentals and drills.
ALUMNI AUTOGRAPH SERIES
Every Monday and Thursday home game, former Orioles players will sign autographs on Eutaw Street as part of the Orioles Alumni Autograph Series. On Thursday, April 28, LARRY SHEETS, NATE SNELL, and RICK KRIVDA will be on hand to meet fans and sign autographs from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. On Thursday, May 5, JOE ORSULAK, TIM NORDBROOK, and BRIAN BASS will sign autographs from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
ORIOLES MILITARY APPRECIATION PROGRAM
As part of the Orioles Military Appreciation Program presented by GEICO, the Orioles and OriolesREACH donate a catered private suite at each Sunday home game at Oriole Park to servicemen and women. On Sunday, May 1, military members from the 742nd Military Battalion will enjoy the game against the Chicago White Sox at 1:35 p.m. from a catered suite, have a meet-and-greet with J.J. HARDY and MATT WIETERS, and receive a player t-shirt. On Sunday, May 8, military members from the Operation Homefront will enjoy the game against the Oakland Athletics at 1:35 p.m. from a catered suite, have a meet-and-greet with ZACH BRITTON and BRAD BRACH, and receive a player t-shirt.
KIDS RUN THE BASES
On Sunday, May 1, and Sunday, May 8, all fans 14 and under will be able to participate in a postgame Kids Run the Bases, the second and third of 13 Sunday home games when kids can round the bases like their favorite Orioles.
YOUTH BASEBALL PARADE PRESENTED BY RIPKEN BASEBALL
On Sunday, May 1, more than 10,000 pre-registered youth baseball and softball players will participate in a pregame parade around the warning track and be greeted by Orioles players as they walk by the dugout as part of the first of two Youth Baseball Parades this season, both of which are presented by Ripken Baseball. Teams, dressed in their uniforms, will carry banners and wave to their family members as they round the field. The final Youth Baseball Parade at the ballpark this season will take place on Sunday, May 15.
STEAL SECOND BASE PRESENTED BY ESSKAY AND ROYAL FARMS
The Orioles will again feature the Steal Second Base contest for every Sunday home game this season. Presented by ESSKAY and Royal Farms, the Steal Second Base contest allows a young fan to participate in a timed race from the grounds crew area in center field to retrieve second base. Fans can sign up for the opportunity at the ballpark at any Fan Assistance Center. The lucky winner will receive four tickets to that day's game, a parking pass for the game and an Orioles jersey. The contestants will also get to keep the authentic base that they steal. The winners for Sunday, May 1, and Sunday, May 8, are ABIGAIL WEBB, a 10-year-old from Baltimore and ADAM DECKER, an 11-year-old from Baltimore, respectively.
SAFETY PATROL NIGHT
The Orioles have donated a total of 10,000 tickets to safety patrol students throughout the state of Maryland and their families as part of two Safety Patrol Appreciation Nights in May. The first night will be held on Saturday, May 7, and the second will be held on Saturday, May 14. This is the 62nd year the club has supported the safety patrol program.
ORIOLES REACH COMMUNITY BOOTH
During each home game, the Orioles provide a community booth for charitable, nonprofit organizations to distribute information, sell raffle tickets, register participants, or conduct health care screenings for Orioles fans. The following groups will be at the community booth, located near Gate D, during this homestand:
ORIOLES REACH GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE
This season, OriolesREACH will again host thousands of underprivileged youth as part of the OriolesREACH Gameday Experience Program. Group members receive game tickets, concessions vouchers, an Orioles T-shirt, a cap, and transportation to and from the game. Tickets are provided courtesy of Orioles players. Players participating in the program this year include CHRIS DAVIS, YOVANI GALLARDO, KEVIN GAUSMAN, J.J. HARDY, UBALDO JIMÉNEZ, ADAM JONES, MANNY MACHADO, BRIAN MATUSZ, CHRIS TILLMAN, MARK TRUMBO, and MATT WIETERS. The following organizations will attend games at Oriole Park during this homestand, courtesy of these Orioles players:
- APRIL 28 - Waverly Elementary Middle School (Brian Matusz)
- APRIL 29 - Alliance of Rosemont Community Organizations (J.J. Hardy)
- APRIL 30 - Collective Christian Ministries (Kevin Gausman)
- MAY 1 - ConneXions Community Based Arts School (Ubaldo Jiménez)
- MAY 3 - Independence School Local 1 (Chris Tillman)
- MAY 4 - Hilltop Elementary (Matt Wieters)
- MAY 5 - Furman L Templeton Elementary School
- & Black Diamond Softball (Manny Machado)
- MAY 6 - Christian Youth Athletics (Chris Davis)
- MAY 7 - Israel Baptist Church (Mark Trumbo)
- MAY 8 - Hampstead Hill Academy (Brian Matusz)