The biggest superstition or ritual for each MLB team
By Brad Weiss
Baltimore Orioles: Thank God I’m a Country Boy
The Baltimore Orioles organization has been around for a long time, as they made their Major League Baseball debut all the way back in 1954. Truth be told, the franchise has actually been around even longer than that, as they started out as the Milwaukee Brewers in 1901, then became the St. Louis Browns from 1902-53 before settling in Charm City.
For years after moving to Baltimore, the Orioles would play organ music during the seventh inning stretch, until their general manager, Frank Cashen decided to appeal to the younger crowd. In 1975, he played John Denver’s hit, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” and while he played others during that time, that song became the one that stuck with the crowd.
When the Orioles made the World Series in 1983, Denver got on the roof of the dugout during Game 1, belting out his hit tune for the Orioles crowd. Fourteen years later, he made another appearance inside Camden Yards, though that would be his last for the Orioles faithful, as he tragically died in a plane crash three weeks later.
Still, you can hear Denver belt out his famous tune during every Orioles home game during the seventh inning stretch, as it is still played after, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” For the Orioles, there has not been much winning as of late, but they certainly got a winner when they decided on this song for their seventh inning stretch.