Bobby Young, 1991 Crown/Coca-Cola All-Time Orioles #492

The Orioles' most significant trade-deadline acquisition was corner outfielder Gerardo Parra, acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for minor league pitcher Zach Davies. In a bit of serendipity, the two-time Gold Glover became the 1,000th player in Orioles history when he took his place in left field on Saturday, August 1. I'm not much for math, but that's an average of 16.1 new O's per season. It all began with second baseman Bobby Young, who led off for the Birds in their April 13, 1954 opener in Detroit and bounced out to Tigers first baseman Walt "Moose" Dropo, who was himself destined to be among the first 1,000 players in Oriole lore. As long as we're looking back on the team's Baltimore origins, here are the other firsts from that 3-0 loss to Steve Gromek in Motown:

• First base hit: Gil Coan, single to right field with two outs in the first inning
• First pitch: Don Larsen
• First putout: Clint Courtney, catching strike three from Larsen to Detroit leadoff hitter Frank Bolling
• First walk: Future Indians World Series hero Vic Wertz, leading off the top of the fourth
• First extra-base hit: Larsen, double to left field with one out in the top of the fifth inning
• First pinch hitter: Dick Kokos, who struck out while batting for shortstop Billy Hunter with one out in the top of the ninth

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.