Bobby Young, 1994 Topps 1954 Archives #8

I'm really, honestly trying to count my blessings while the bedraggled, skeleton crew Orioles continue to slowly murder my love for baseball. The next week needs to come and go in a hurry.

At least I can continue to linger in the past. On this date in 1953, the American League owners approved the sale of the sad-sack St. Louis Browns to an ownership group headed by Baltimore mayor Tom D'Alesandro. The league honchos also okayed the group's plans to move the club East to Charm City, where they would become the Orioles. The city of Baltimore owes a great debt to the Browns' previous owner, Hall of Famer Bill Veeck, who badly wanted to move the team himself. Of course, the other owners were beyond annoyed with the beer-swilling, free-thinking, sideshow-creating Veeck and they insisted that they would not approve the relocation of the franchise unless he sold the team. Rather than dragging out the process or retrenching himself in St. Louis, Bill chose to be the bigger man and stepped aside. Without this selfless act, Baltimore may have had to wait even longer to re-enter the major leagues for the first time since the turn of the 20th century. Instead, the stage was set for April 13, 1954, when second baseman (and Granite, MD native) Bobby Young became the first player to take the field for the new Orioles, grounding out to first base at Tiger Stadium on Opening Day at the onset of a 3-0 O's loss. It wasn't the result that local fans wanted to see, but there would be plenty of chances for better games. The Birds had found their nest.

So there's the upshot: at least we have a team.