Orioles connect with fans during Birdland Caravan stop at South Hagerstown

The Baltimore Orioles were a hit Saturday afternoon at South Hagerstown High School, connecting with hundreds of fans of all ages for over an hour during their Birdland Caravan stop in the Hub City.

Players on hand included relief pitchers Keegan Akin, Mike Baumann, Nick Vespi and Bruce Zimmermann, as well as top minor league prospects Cade Povich and Coby Mayo, along with the Oriole Bird.

Orioles broadcasters Brett Hollander and Geoff Arnold served as the masters of ceremony for the event, which was held in the South High auditorium and free of admission.

The fan rally kicked off with a highlight video of the Orioles’ spectacular 2023 season, in which they won 101 games and captured the American League East title.

The players then interacted with the crowd, fielding dozens of questions, including many from children, covering a wide array of topics, such as their favorite foods, sports, players and stadiums, and even the instruments they played as kids. There also were games and photo opportunities.

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“It was fun to meet them and just hear what they had to say, a chance to get to know them a little bit better,” said longtime Orioles fan Tiara Moore, of Hagerstown. “There were definitely some funny moments.”

Angela Jeffries, who teaches at South, attended the event with her two sons, Parker, 8, and Maddox, 6.

“I brought my kids because I thought it would be a fun experience, and it was,” she said. “It gave them a perspective, a chance to meet the players and interact with them, because when you go to the stadium, that doesn’t always happen.”

Mike Hoos came from Westminster, Md., along with his sister and two grandchildren.

“It was great,” he said. “I really liked it. I’ve been a big fan forever.”

He also has a special connection with Zimmerman, a Baltimore native. Hoos was his history teacher at Cardinal Gibbons High School.

“I haven’t seen him since he was a freshman in high school 14 years ago,” Hoos said. “I would have come anyway, just because I love the Orioles, but that certainly was an added incentive.”

How did the Orioles end up in Hagerstown?

This was the third year of the Orioles’ Birdland Caravan, a three-day event in which different buses of players visit various places in Maryland.

Saturday was their first time stopping in Washington County.

“Representatives from the Orioles reached out to us,” said Dwayne Freeman, South Hagerstown’s athletic director. “They toured several facilities here in Hagerstown, and they picked South High for the prime location to host the Birdland Caravan. We’re pleased, and we’re excited that they chose South High to come here and put on their event.”

What did the fans learn from the Orioles?

The fans learned a little bit of everything from the players, such as:

• Baumann — who went 10-1 with a 3.76 ERA last year — got married this offseason.

“So far, so good,” he said. “We’re one month in.”

Any marriage advice?

“Definitely listen to your wife,” he said with a laugh. “Definitely don’t not listen to your wife.”

Also, tacos are his favorite food, and he prefers dogs over cats.

Who is Baumann’s favorite player?

“Felix Bautista,” he said. “He makes me feel safe.”

• Zimmermann is fired up for Sunday’s big football game in Baltimore, where the Ravens will host the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC championship.

He and some friends have tickets for the game and plan on tailgating.

“I’m really excited,” he said. “I grew up watching the Ravens. I think it’s going to be close. (Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes) has a way of always keeping it interesting, so I think we’re winning by three.”

• The funniest player on the Orioles is either Ryan Mountcastle or Colton Cowser.

• There are lots of good golfers on the team.

Who’s the best?

“Last year, it was definitely Aaron Hicks,” Zimmermann said. “Hicks could play in pro-ams and shoot scratch. Cole Irvin is very good, and not surprisingly, Jackson Holliday is very good at golf.”

• Vespi’s favorite place to play baseball, other than Baltimore’s Camden Yards, is Yankee Stadium.

That answer drew loud boos from the crowd.

“But only because my grandfather passed away, and he was a huge Yankees fan,” Vespi said. “It was cool for me to be able to toe the rubber at Yankee Stadium in honor of him.”

The explanation drew a loud round of applause.

• Akin was one of the masterminds behind the Orioles’ homer hose, which became a fad last season, as each Oriole who homered would drink water from it upon returning to the dugout after rounding the bases.

“Irvin came to me and said he wanted to put this together,” Akin said. “Obviously, you can’t find an orange-and-black hose very many places, so we went to the hardware store and bought a green hose. We brought it in the clubhouse, got a pair of scissors, cut it in half and raided the training room for some black and orange tape, and me and Irvin got to working on it. Before we knew it, we had a little, orange-and-black homer hose made. And it kind of took off from there.”

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Orioles fans rally during Birdland Caravan stop at South Hagerstown