ORIOLES AND SARASOTA SET FRANCHISE SPRING TRAINING

ATTENDANCE RECORD

           With today’s crowd of 7,642 for their Grapefruit League finale against the New York Mets at Ed Smith Stadium, the Orioles set a franchise record by drawing 120,455 fans for their 17 home games.  The figure also represents a new spring training season attendance record for Sarasota, a community which has held spring training since 1924.

The previous record for both the Orioles and Sarasota, set in 2011, was 115,506 in 16 home dates.

On March 14, the Orioles drew an Ed Smith Stadium record 8,797 fans for a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, one of nine sellouts this spring.

“The Baltimore Orioles are proud to shatter our spring training attendance record in 2013 at the beautifully remodeled Ed Smith Stadium,” said David Rovine, Vice President for Orioles-Sarasota. “We are grateful for the fans from the Sarasota region, the Mid-Atlantic states and beyond who came out to enjoy the ballpark and support the local charitable causes we spotlighted on game days. This new record not only demonstrates the powerful attraction of professional baseball in Sarasota, but also underscores the positive relationship that continues to grow between the Orioles and the Sarasota County community.”

The Orioles have announced plans for the first game of their 2013 spring training season and their fourth season in Sarasota. The team will face the Minnesota Twins at Ed Smith Stadium tomorrow, Saturday, February 23, at 1:05 p.m.

            Tomorrow and throughout the season, ballpark gates will open two hours prior to the scheduled first pitch. All fans attending tomorrow’s opener will receive a 2013 spring training magnet schedule presented by the Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the first 1,000 female fans in attendance will receive a Bird of Paradise flower courtesy of Beneva Flowers.

REMEMBERING EARL

                The Orioles lost a beloved member of their family in January when Hall of Fame Manager EARL WEAVER passed away. The greatest manager in Orioles history, Weaver compiled 1,480 wins and a .583 winning percentage over 17 seasons as the team’s skipper from 1968-82 and 1985-86. A minor league second baseman for 13 years, mostly in his hometown St. Louis Cardinals organization, the “Earl of Baltimore” began his managing career in the minors in 1956 and joined the Orioles organization a year later. He came up to the Orioles as first base coach in 1968 and was named manager on July 11 of that year. From 1969 through 1982, he won six AL East titles, four AL pennants and one World Series, beating the Cincinnati Reds in 1970. Earl’s Orioles won at least 100 games five times, and he earned Manager of the Year honors three times.

He retired following the 1982 season, which ended one game shy of another AL East title when the Orioles lost to the Milwaukee Brewers on the final day of the season. He came back to manage in the middle of the 1985 season for 1 ½ years before retiring for good.

Living in Florida after his retirement, Earl was a frequent visitor to Orioles’ spring training and Dream Week. He also made regular visits to Baltimore, including multiple trips with his wife Marianna for the Orioles Legends Celebration Series in 2012. Earl’s sculpture was unveiled in the bullpen picnic grove at Oriole Park on June 30, 2012.

The Orioles will honor Earl prior to tomorrow’s game in a pre-game moment of silence and video tribute. In addition, Earl’s uniform number 4 will be stenciled onto the grass outside of the Orioles dugout in foul territory.  An orange patch depicting the number 4 and the words “Earl Weaver” and “Hall of Fame” in black will also be worn on the home, road and two alternate in-game jerseys beginning tomorrow and throughout the entire 2013 season. An image of this patch is attached to this release.

PRE-GAME EVENTS

            The National Anthem will be performed by tenor HEATH HUBERG. Huberg is currently singing the role of Nadir in Sarasota Opera’s 2013 production of The Pearl Fishers.

Ben Millice, representing Southwest Airlines, the Official Airline of the Orioles, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game.

SECURITY MEASURES

The Orioles have one of the most liberal food policies in professional sports. Outside food and beverages may be brought into Ed Smith Stadium, subject to the following guidelines:

• Soft-sided and paper bags are permitted at Ed Smith Stadium, as long as they fit into a 16” x 16” x 8” container. Hard-sided coolers, thermoses, glass bottles, cans or alcoholic beverages are not permitted into the ballpark.
• Non-alcoholic beverages in plastic bottles are permitted into the park. All items will be checked at the gates and any beverage which has been opened or partially consumed prior to entry is subject to confiscation if it is thought to contain alcohol. In addition, no plastic or paper cups of beverages are permitted into the park at the entry gates.
• All items permitted into the ballpark will be inspected. No bags or items exceeding the maximum size of 16″ x 16″ x 8″ are allowed into the ballpark.
• No containers or unauthorized items can be left at any park entrance.
• No re-entry will be permitted once a fan has entered the ballpark gates.
• Vehicles dropping off or picking up guests with special needs or disabilities are permitted to utilize the East Lot for this purpose. No vehicles are permitted to park curbside, nor are people able to stand and wait with vehicles.

Individual tickets for all 18 of the Orioles’ spring training games at Ed Smith Stadium will go on salethis Saturday, January 26 at 10:00 a.m. It is recommended that fans purchase tickets online or by phone.

Fans interested in season tickets, five game flex-plans or group tickets, or those wishing to receive additional spring training ticket information may call the Orioles spring training office at 941-893-6300.

Spring training tickets for Orioles home games at Ed Smith Stadium may be purchased in the following ways:

THROUGH THE INTERNET: Tickets can be purchased at the Orioles’ official website,www.orioles.com/spring.

BY PHONE: Individual game tickets can be purchased by phone by calling 877-222-2802. Season, group tickets, suites and other specialty areas are available by calling 941-893-6300.

BY FAX OR MAIL: Individual game ticket orders can be faxed or mailed to the Orioles Box Office in Sarasota.  The fax number is 941-893-6375. The mailing address is 2700 12th Street, Sarasota, 34237. To request a ticket order form, call the Orioles at 941-893-6300.

AT THE PARK: Individual game tickets can be purchased in person at Ed Smith Stadium in the Left Field Ticket Office, located at 12^th Street and Tuttle Avenue.  The box office will be open on January 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and will then be open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., from January 28 until February 8. From February 11 – March 30, the box office will be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parking is available in the East Lot, located on 12^th Street and Tuttle Avenue.

TRAVEL PACKAGE: The Orioles are offering the official Spring Training Travel Package that includes hotel accommodations, rental car, game tickets, optional airfare through Southwest Airlines and other amenities.  For more information or to order travel packages, fans should visit www.orioles.com/springtravel or call 1-800-892-7687.

The Orioles will play their first of 18 home spring training games in 2013 at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on Saturday, February 23 at 1:05 p.m. against the Minnesota Twins. 2013 marks the fourth consecutive spring training for the Orioles in Sarasota, and the third in the renovated ballpark.

PRESS RELEASE

The Orioles today announced their 2013 Grapefruit League schedule, which opens February 23 with a 1:05 p.m. game against the Minnesota Twins at Ed Smith Stadium. 2013 marks the fourth consecutive spring training for the Orioles in Sarasota, and the third in the renovated Ed Smith Stadium.

Baltimore will face eight different opponents during the 2013 Grapefruit League campaign. The O’s will host the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates three times each and the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays two times each, with the New York Mets also making one visit to Sarasota. In preparation for this year’s World Baseball Classic, Team Brazil will come to Sarasota to play the Orioles, rounding out the 18-game home schedule.

The Orioles will play 16 games on the road during the 2012 Grapefruit League schedule. They will make four trips to play the Pirates, three trips to play the Blue Jays and Twins, two trips to play the Rays and Red Sox and one trip to play the Yankees and Phillies.

Fans interested in season plans, five-game flex packs or group tickets, or those wishing to receive additional spring training ticket information may call the Orioles spring training office in Sarasota at 941-893-6300.

The Orioles are also offering the official Spring Training Travel Package that includes hotel accommodations, rental car, game tickets, optional airfare through Southwest Airlines and other amenities. For more information or to order travel packages, fans should visit www.orioles.com/springtravel or call 1-800-892-7687.

Single game tickets for all 18 of the Orioles’ Grapefruit League Games at Ed Smith Stadium will go on-sale January 26, 2013. Pitchers and catchers will report to Sarasota February 12 and position players will report on February 15.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES 2013 SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULE

Day Date Opponent Location Time

Saturday February 23 Minnesota Twins Sarasota 1:05

Sunday February 24 at Toronto Blue Jays (ss) Dunedin 1:05

Monday February 25 New York Yankees Sarasota 1:05

Tuesday February 26 at Pittsburgh Pirates Bradenton 1:05

Wednesday February 27 at New York Yankees Tampa Bay 1:05

Boston Red Sox Sarasota 7:05

Thursday February 28 at Minnesota Twins Ft. Myers 1:05

Friday March 1 Pittsburgh Pirates (ss) Sarasota 1:05

Saturday March 2 at Tampa Bay Rays Port Charlotte 1:05

Sunday March 3 Philadelphia Phillies (ss) Sarasota 1:05

Monday March 4 OFF DAY – -

Tuesday March 5 at Toronto Blue Jays Dunedin 1:05

Wednesday March 6 Brazil (WBC) Sarasota 1:05

Thursday March 7 Toronto Blue Jays Sarasota 1:05

Friday March 8 at Pittsburgh Pirates Bradenton 7:05

Saturday March 9 at Boston Red Sox Ft. Myers 7:05

Sunday March 10 Pittsburgh Pirates (ss) Sarasota 1:05

Monday March 11 at Pittsburgh Pirates Bradenton 1:05

Tuesday March 12 OFF DAY – -

Wednesday March 13 at Minnesota Twins Ft. Myers 7:05

Thursday March 14 Tampa Bay Rays Sarasota 1:05

Friday March 15 Boston Red Sox (ss) Sarasota 1:05

Saturday March 16 at Toronto Blue Jays Dunedin 1:05

Sunday March 17 Minnesota Twins Sarasota 1:05

at Philadelphia Phillies Clearwater 1:05

Monday March 18 OFF DAY – -

Tuesday March 19 at Boston Red Sox Ft. Myers 1:35

Wednesday March 20 Toronto Blue Jays Sarasota 1:05

Thursday March 21 Pittsburgh Pirates Sarasota 7:05

Friday March 22 at Tampa Bay Rays (ss) Port Charlotte 1:05

Saturday March 23 Philadelphia Phillies Sarasota 1:05

Sunday March 24 at Pittsburgh Pirates Bradenton 1:05

Monday March 25 Boston Red Sox Sarasota 1:05

Tuesday March 26 at Minnesota Twins Ft. Myers 1:05

Wednesday March 27 New York Yankees Sarasota 7:05

Thursday March 28 Tampa Bay Rays Sarasota 7:05

Friday March 29 OFF DAY – -

Saturday March 30 New York Mets Sarasota 12:05