The city of Baltimore doesn’t always have the best of reputation. But one of its positive reputations is it’s admiration for sports.
As it stands, there’s two pro sports teams in the city — the Ravens (NFL) and the Orioles (MLB). There’s also the Terps, the model collegiate team. While these sports programs have given the city plenty to cheer for, there’s also been some heartbreaks — enough to believe there might be a curse on the city.
We’re not completely sure of spiritual beings are holding back the teams, but we did want to count down five heart-breaking moments in Baltimore sports lore. Not to kick dirt on the city’s fan, but as a reminder of how much better things are nowadays. We mean, the Oriels are first in the AL East and the Ravens are legit Super Bowl contenders going into this season.
Things are going well, Baltimore. But alas, you know that hasn’t always been the case. Allow us to present our list (in no particular order):
Super Bowl III
For most, this Super Bowl is associated with Broadway Joe Namath’s guarantee. In Baltimore, it’s associated with a chokejob of epic proportions.
Despite being 18-point underdogs, the Jets quarterback predicted they’d best the Baltimore Colts — and that they did by the score of 16-7. If legal Maryland betting sites was a thing back then, it would have been a huge money-lose for bookies since most fans bet on underdogs for the sake of it.
A couple of things: the Colts franchises predates the current Ravens franchise (more on that heartbreak later). This was also a time when the Super Bowl was a contest between the thought-to-be-better league, the NFL, against the inferior one, the AFL.
The NFL’s Packers had streamrolled to victory in the first two Super Bowls. The Colts, being in the NFL, we’re believed to do the same. Welp, that wasn’t to be.
For all of Namath’s glory, the Colts had quarterbacks better than him (at the time). The first was former MVP, Earl Morrall. He was the starter almost all season because Johnny Unitas was hurt. With Morrall under center, Baltimore lost only one game all season.
But in the Super Bowl, Morrall was intercepted three times. He was benched in favor of Hall of Famer Unitas, but he threw another puck of his own. The Colts didn’t get a touchdown until under four minutes left in the game thanks to New York’s smothering defense.
All-time-winningest coach Don Shula coaches that Colts team. His decision to start Morrall over Unitas is still questioned today, and the sting of the loss remains with the portion of the population old enough to remember.
Moving to Indianapolis
The Colts were one of the most successful franchises of NFL’s early days with three NFL championships and a Super Bowl victory. But despite this, then owner Robert Irsay wanted more — a better football stadium.
The team, as well as the Orioles, played at Memorial Stadium. It progressively deteriorated in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
Then in the dead of the night of March 29, 1984, Irsay moved the team up north to Indianapolis. Fifteen trucks loaded up the team’s belongings and hit the road to the utter dismay of the city.
The moving crew moved quickly because Maryland policy-makers we’re on the verge of passing a law to seize the team via imminent domain. Irsay was flirting with multiple cities (Phoenix most famously) but acted quick once Indy secured the deal.
To this day, the sudden move remains one of the most shocking moments in NFL history period. The city was left without a football team for a decade until the Ravens were born in 1996.
2011 AFC Conference Championship
To be fair, the Ravens have brought a glimmer of hope back to Baltimore. They won their first Super Bowl within five years of returning to the city. A second title followed in 2013.
However, if you ask Ravens diehards, the team should probably have three Super Bowl rings. The one that got away was in 2012 when Baltimore lost to New England 23-20.
Trail by three, the Ravens’ Lee Evan’s dropped a go-ahead touchdown with seconds remaining. Then kicker Billy Cundiff conpletely shanked a 32-yard field goal that would’ve sent the game to overtime. Cundiff sailed it way too left and became a scapegoat alongside Evan’s (both would not return the next season).
Cal Ripken Ends Streak
Cal Ripken might be the most popular sports figure in Baltimore history. He spent 21 seasons — all with the O’s. In 19 of those years, he made the All-Star team.
Ripken also holds one of the sports streaks many believe will never be broken — 2,632 games straight. But the day the iron-man streak ended is forever etched into the city’s membrane.
The precious record (2,130) belonged to Lou Gerhig and was passed by Ripken in 1995. He’d continue until September 20, 1998 when Ripken walked into the managers office and said, “it’s time.”
That’s right, Ripken willingly ended the streak. Not an injury. Not a benching. He did it on his own terms in the final regular season game of the 1998 season against the Yankees.
Ripken didn’t announce anything beforehand. In fact, the scoreboard had him in the lineup most of the day. But Ripken wanted to finish it and so in front of the Camden Yard fans to make it a celebration. Celebration it was as Ripken got a standing ovation and tipped caps from both teams.
As the famous saying goes, “don’t cry because it’s over. Cry because it happened.” That was the city of Baltimore that fateful September day.
2018 Orioles
This isn’t even a moment as it is an entire team for an entire season. The 2018 O’s team was one of the worst major sports team to ever exist in America — and that’s saying something.
There’s a myriad of statics one could point to in showing the ineptitude of that ball club, but this might the most telling: Baltimore finished 60 games behind the division leader. Only six other teams in league history can say they’ve finished that behind.
The losing was bad, but the team went full-scorch mode by dismantling the team. Stud players like Manny Machado, Zack Britton, and Jonathan Schoop, among others, were dealt, adding to the misery.
The good news, as we said, look at how far Baltimore has come in five years time. From that to ahead of the Yankees and Sox in the division…
