Eddie Waitkus 1941

big league ball returns to Baltimore 

Debut

On April 15, 1954 — After a 51-year absence, big league ball returns to Baltimore as a crowd of 46,354 watch the Orioles beat the White Sox, 3 – 1, in the first game played at Memorial Stadium. Clint Courtney of the Orioles hits the first major league home run in the ballpark. A Baltimore ownership group, which includes Clarence Mills, Jim Keelty, Jerry Hoffberger and Zanvyl Krieger, bought the former St. Louis Browns and brought the franchise to the Charm City.

Bob Turley started and got the win for the Orioles over Virgil Trucks. Vern Stephens and Eddie Waitkus were the hitting stars.  Waitkus is 4 years removed from being shot in in a scene out of the Natural. 

 

 

 

[jetpack_subscription_form title=”Join the Community” subscribe_text=”We bring you cool stories about the game, players, ballparks and the people that shaped the game!”  subscribe_button=”Join us!” show_subscribers_total=”1″]

Subscribe to our Podcast

The Daily Rewind

on Apples Podcast | Spotify  | Google | Stitcher

And connect with us wherever else you listen to Podcast and hangout!

 

 

Game ticket & learn more about the players, teams, stadiums and dates in history

 

@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@

Baltimore Orioles 3, Chicago White Sox 1

 

Game Played on Thursday, April 15, 1954 (D) at Memorial Stadium

CHI A    0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   1  7  0
BAL A    0  0  1    1  0  0    1  0  x  -   3  9  1

BOX+PBP
WP: Turley (1-0)
LP: Trucks (0-1)
HR: Stephens (1), Courtney (1)



Play by Play


WHITE SOX 1ST: the first major league game played in Memorial
Stadium and the the first American League game played in
Baltimore since 1902; Carrasquel singled to right; Fox flied
out to center; Boyd walked [Carrasquel to second]; Minoso flied
out to right; Fain flied to left in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  White Sox 0, Orioles 0.

ORIOLES 1ST: Young flied out to center; Waitkus popped to
catcher in foul territory; Coan walked; Wertz struck out; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  White Sox 0, Orioles 0.

WHITE SOX 2ND: Lollar singled to left; Rivera struck out; Groth
singled to center [Lollar to third]; Trucks struck out;
Carrasquel struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  White Sox 0,
Orioles 0.

ORIOLES 2ND: Mele grounded out (third to first); Stephens
singled to pitcher; Hunter grounded into a double play (second
to first) [Stephens out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White
Sox 0, Orioles 0.

WHITE SOX 3RD: Fox made an out to shortstop; Boyd flied out to
center; Minoso struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 0,
Orioles 0.

ORIOLES 3RD: Courtney homered; Turley grounded out (shortstop to
first); Young grounded out (first unassisted); Waitkus singled
to center; Coan walked [Waitkus to second]; Wertz walked
[Waitkus to third, Coan to second]; Mele forced Wertz (third to
second); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  White Sox 0, Orioles 1.

WHITE SOX 4TH: Fain popped to first in foul territory; Lollar
made an out to second; Rivera walked; Groth struck out; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  White Sox 0, Orioles 1.

ORIOLES 4TH: Stephens homered; Hunter was called out on strikes;
Courtney grounded out (first to pitcher); Turley flied out to
left; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 0, Orioles 2.

WHITE SOX 5TH: Trucks grounded out (pitcher to third to first);
Carrasquel flied out to center; Fox singled to left; Boyd flied
out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  White Sox 0, Orioles 2.

ORIOLES 5TH: Young flied out to center; Waitkus singled to left;
Coan walked [Waitkus to second]; Wertz flied out to center; Mele
flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  White Sox 0, Orioles
2.

WHITE SOX 6TH: Minoso walked; Fain flied out to left; Lollar
grounded out (third to first) [Minoso to third (error by
Courtney)]; Rivera was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  White Sox 0, Orioles 2.

ORIOLES 6TH: Stephens grounded out (pitcher to first); Hunter
lined to shortstop; Courtney singled to center; Turley struck
out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  White Sox 0, Orioles 2.

WHITE SOX 7TH: Groth popped to shortstop; Trucks struck out;
Carrasquel singled to shortstop; Fox singled to right
[Carrasquel to third]; Boyd singled to center [Carrasquel
scored, Fox to third]; Minoso struck out; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. 
White Sox 1, Orioles 2.

ORIOLES 7TH: Young doubled to left; PIERCE REPLACED TRUCKS
(PITCHING); On a bunt Waitkus singled to third [Young to third];
LENHARDT BATTED FOR COAN; DORISH REPLACED PIERCE (PITCHING);
Lenhardt reached on a fielder's choice [Young out at home
(second to catcher), Waitkus to second]; Wertz singled to right
[Waitkus scored, Lenhardt to second]; Mele grounded into a
double play (third to second to first) [Wertz out at second]; 1
R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  White Sox 1, Orioles 3.

WHITE SOX 8TH: DIERING REPLACED LENHARDT (PLAYING CF); Fain
flied out to right; Lollar was called out on strikes; Rivera
flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  White Sox 1, Orioles
3.

ORIOLES 8TH: Stephens popped to second; Hunter was hit by a
pitch; Courtney made an out to shortstop; Turley grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  White Sox 1, Orioles 3.

WHITE SOX 9TH: MARSHALL BATTED FOR GROTH; Marshall grounded out
(shortstop to first); STEWART BATTED FOR DORISH; Stewart lined
to first; Carrasquel walked; Fox walked [Carrasquel to second];
Boyd grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. 
White Sox 1, Orioles 3.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
 White Sox        1   7   0   11
 Orioles          3   9   1    9