Who was more fired up than Gary Mangold three hours before the first pitch on opening day? Nobody.
Leaving his Allentown, Pennsylvania home bright and early, Gary was on a mission. By 8 a.m., he was off to Camden Yards with his daughter and grandson in tow.
As the gates swung open at noon, they made a beeline for Section 90. With his 8-year-old grandson Nolan hanging over the center field wall, Gary was just a few rows back, eagerly snagging home run balls as Gunnar Henderson, Pete Alonso, and Samuel Basallo launched batting practice rockets into the sky.
Gary was in his element, high-fiving strangers, and soaking in the excitement. He even turned his hat backward, ready to catch a Basallo homer, but it slipped through his fingers.
“I just missed one,” he said, pinching his fingers to show the narrow miss. “It was what I always dreamed of, then it went off my hands.”
The energy was electric as fans returned to a cherished tradition-early gate openings for Orioles’ batting practice, something that had been on hold since the pandemic. For many, it was a chance to relive memories and maybe snag a keepsake home run ball.
Ken Zurawski was among those who had asked for this return in his Birdland survey. With his 5-year-old son Wyatt in his arms, they caught a ball tossed by Colton Cowser.
It was a special moment, reminiscent of Zurawski’s own experiences from the 1990s when Albert Belle was hitting bombs into the stands. “It’s just a chance to interact with these guys,” Zurawski shared.
“Once the game starts, it’s hard to see them from far away in your seats.”
For die-hard fans, catching batting practice homers is more than a hobby-it’s a beloved ritual. Gunnar Henderson himself remembers doing the same as a kid in Montgomery, Alabama, collecting balls to fill up the bucket back home.
“It brings back fun memories,” he reflected. “Especially when it’s you and your buddy getting out there.”
Joe Birch felt that same nostalgia, bringing his daughters Addison and Mackenzie to Section 90, where Jackson Holliday tossed them a ball. “I did the same thing with my dad for years,” Joe said. “This is their first time, and we’re gonna make it a tradition.”
Hollis Alcarese, 11, snagged a homer from Alonso, the Orioles’ star signing, and reveled in the thrill of skipping school for opening day. “I was excited because that would mean I got to leave school early,” he admitted with a grin.
Jessica Mangold and her father Gary had been to games before but never early enough to catch the Orioles’ BP. When she found out about the early opening, she knew they had to be there.
“I called him and said, ‘We’re going in at 12. We gotta be in line right away.’”
Watching Gary and his grandson, it was hard to tell who was having more fun. Although Gary didn’t catch a ball himself, seeing the batting practice was enough to bring back cherished memories. “This is the best thing since sliced bread,” he said, thrilled to see the tradition return.