Baltimore, Maryland has a long and storied sporting history encompassing many teams from many different eras. Area fans, such as the late Wild Bill Hagy, are known for their passion and reverence for historical sports figures who played in the city or were born there.
Among other sports, Baltimore is also known for horse racing. The Preakness Stakes is a 1-3/16 mile (1.91 km) American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The Preakness Stakes has been termed "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" because a blanket of Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta, the state flower of Maryland) is traditionally placed around the winner's neck. The Preakness is the second leg in American thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown series and almost always attracts the Kentucky Derby winner, and some of the other horses that ran in the Derby.
Baltimore Bohemians, a USL PDL soccer franchise founded in 2011, finished second in the Mid-Atlantic division in 2013, clinching a playoff berth in their second season. The Bohemians also secured a U.S. Open Cup berth and led the entire 62-team PDL in scoring with 42 league goals. [1] They went on hiatus as of the 2017 season. [2]
In 2018, FC Baltimore began play in the National Premier Soccer League out of the Community College of Baltimore County's Essex Stadium. [3] The team won the Mid-Atlantic Conference in its inaugural season, including the largest home victory of the year with a 13–0 win over Legacy 76, and reached the 2018 NPSL National Playoffs as a wildcard team. [4] [5] In 2019, they finished second in the NPSL Mid-Atlantic Division [6] and fell to eventual league champions New York Cosmos B in the Northeast Region Final. [7] Baltimore City F.C. is an Eastern Premier Soccer League club that plays in Cherry Hill.
Baltimore Blast, a franchise of the Major Arena Soccer League, has been playing at the 1st Mariner Arena since 1992. Originally known as Baltimore Spirit, the team changed its name in 1998. The current name was previously used by another indoor soccer team that played in Baltimore from 1980 to 1992, winning a MISL title in 1984. Since joining the MISL in 2001, the Baltimore Blast have won nine league championships: 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2017 and 2018. [8] The Blast joined the MASL in 2014 upon closure of the MISL. The Baltimore Kings, a Baltimore Blast affiliate, [9] joined MASL 3 in 2021 to begin play in 2022. [10]
Baltimore has two women's American football teams: the Baltimore Burn (founded 2001) and the Baltimore Nighthawks (founded 2007). Both teams play at Art Modell Field.
The Baltimore Stallions was an expansion professional football team that joined the Canadian Football League in 1994. It remained in Baltimore for two seasons before relocating to Montreal after the 1995 season to become the Montreal Alouettes. While playing for Baltimore, the team posted the best two season starts of any CFL expansion team ever, advancing to the Grey Cup in both seasons. In its final season in Baltimore, the Stallions became the only U.S.-based CFL team to win the Grey Cup, upsetting the heavily favored Calgary Stampeders.
The Baltimore Mariners, a franchise of the American Indoor Football Association, played at the 1st Mariner Arena from 2008 to 2010. After winning the AIFA championship to cap an undefeated season in 2010, the team folded over charges that owner Dwayne Wells purchased the franchise with embezzled funds. [11]
Baltimore Orioles (MLB)3 World Series titles Baltimore Orioles: 19th century (MLB)2 pre–World Series titles Baltimore Bullets (NBA)1 NBA Finals title Baltimore Colts (NFL)2 NFL championships (pre-Super Bowl) 1 Super Bowl title | Baltimore Ravens (NFL)2 Super Bowl titles Baltimore Stallions (CFL)1 Grey Cup title Baltimore Mariners (AIFA)1 AIFA Championship Bowl title |
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It is customary before a Baltimore Ravens game to tap the shoe of the statue of Johnny Unitas, Baltimore's star quarterback of the mid twentieth century while the Colts were still playing in the city. This is seen as a good luck charm for the game to come. [15]
When the national anthem is played at an Orioles or Ravens game, the word "oh" is emphasized in the line "oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave" by the crowd to show allegiance to the Orioles using their nickname, the O's, while also honoring the fact that "The Star Spangled Banner" was written by Baltimorean Francis Scott Key at the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812. Some national onlookers regard this custom as disrespectful to the nation's anthem. [16] Due to the Baltimore Orioles's large fanbase as they were the only baseball team in the Baltimore–Washington area from 1971 to 2005, the practice has also extended to Washington Nationals, Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards games (the Capitals being erroneously attributed to player Alexander Ovechkin)[ citation needed ] as well as events involving athletes from the Baltimore area.
Nicknames are widely used in Baltimore to refer to certain sports figures or moments. Several Orioles players of the modern era have earned themselves nicknames which have quickly become traditional, such as Chris Davis receiving the nickname "Crush Davis" following his record-setting 2013 season and Nelson Cruz, whose last named is chanted in an elongated fashion whenever he makes a big play at home. The 2012 postseason game between the Ravens and the Broncos has picked up several nicknames, such as the "Mile High Miracle", the "F-bomb", and the "Rocky Mountain Rainbow", each referring particularly to Joe Flacco's pass to Jacoby Jones for a Baltimore touchdown which led to a victory, eventually leading the Ravens to win Super Bowl XLVII. [17] [18]
When the Orioles are thrown into situations where they succeed spectacularly, especially when overcoming an adversarial situation, it is known by the Baltimore community as "Orioles Magic". This term was popularized by the local station WFBR when announcers reacted to Doug DeCinces' walk-off home run over the Detroit Tigers in 1979 by shouting "it might get out of here", followed by an eruption of fan cheering at Memorial Stadium. [19]
Eating Esskay hot dogs and drinking National Bohemian beer at Baltimore sporting events, particularly at Orioles games, has become a long-lasting tradition. National Bohemian is commonly referred to as "Natty Boh" by venues and Baltimoreans, however no longer served at Oriole Park itself after a marketing dispute involving usage of the Orioles color likeness on cans initiated by owner Peter Angelos. [20] [21]
The term "Birdland" is commonly used to refer to the Baltimore area's fanbase for both the Ravens and the Orioles. MASN, the Orioles' broadcasting network, is commonly accredited with popularizing this term thanks to their promos. [22]
The song "Seven Nation Army" was popularized in Baltimore as the Ravens' official pump-up song. "Seven Nation Army" was first played at the Ravens opening game of 2011 against the Steelers, and has been played at every home game since. It can often be heard at Orioles games as well. [23] The song has been played whenever the Ravens score a touchdown or the Orioles hit a home run.
M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) since its opening in 1998. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Often referred to as "Ravens Stadium" or "The Bank", the stadium has a listed capacity of 70,745 and has been praised for its fan amenities, ease of access, concessions and other facilities.
The Milwaukee Wave is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded in 1984, they have been the oldest continuously operating professional soccer team in the United States and are seven-time league champions, most recent being the 2018–19 champions of the Major Arena Soccer League.
The Cleveland Crunch is an American professional indoor soccer club located in Cleveland, Ohio.
Loyola Blakefield is a private Catholic, college preparatory school run by the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus in Towson, Maryland and within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. It was established in 1852 by the Jesuits as an all-boys school for students from Baltimore, Baltimore County, Harford County, Carroll County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, and Southern Pennsylvania. It enrolls over 900 students in grades six through twelve. The school was originally called Loyola High School when it was established in 1852. The name change occurred when it added a middle school.
The Baltimore Bays were a professional soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland founded in 1967 as one of the ten charter members of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). When the NPSL and the rival United Soccer Association (USA) merged in 1968 to form the North American Soccer League (NASL), the team moved to the new league. The Bays played its home matches at Memorial Stadium during its first two seasons and moved to Kirk Field, a high school football stadium, in 1969. The team folded at the conclusion of the 1969 NASL season.
Mount Saint Joseph College is a Catholic college preparatory school and secondary school / high school for young men from ninth to twelfth grade sponsored by the Xaverian Brothers and founded in 1876. It is located within the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland.
The Baltimore–Columbia–Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area, also known as Central Maryland, is a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in Maryland as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB). It is part of the larger Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area. As of 2022, the combined population of the seven counties is 2,985,871, making it the 20th-largest metropolitan statistical area in the nation.
Todd Hicks is a former American soccer left back who played in the National Professional Soccer League, USISL and USL Second Division. He coaches youth soccer. His is currently a High School Assistant Principal for Carroll County Public Schools and currently lives in Severna Park, Maryland.
Paul Cantabene is a retired professional lacrosse player and face-off specialist. He is the namesake for the Premier Lacrosse League's Paul Cantabene Faceoff Athlete of the Year Award, being described as one of the most intense and hardest working players and having revolutionized the faceoff position.
Washington, D.C., has major league sports teams, popular college sports teams, and a variety of other team and individual sports. The Washington metropolitan area is also home to several major sports venues including Capital One Arena, RFK Stadium, Commanders Field, Audi Field, and Nationals Park.
Maryland has a number of major and minor professional sports franchises. Two National Football League teams play in Maryland, the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore and the Washington Commanders in Prince George's County. The Baltimore Orioles compete as Major League Baseball franchise in Baltimore.
The Baltimore Blast is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The team is a part of the Major Arena Soccer League.
Calvert Hall College High School is a Catholic college preparatory high school for boys, located in Towson, Maryland, United States. The school was established in 1845 by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools as a Catholic college preparatory high school for boys. It is the oldest Christian Brothers school in the United States.
The Tacoma Stars are an American soccer organization that fields men's teams in both the Major Arena Soccer League, an indoor soccer league, and USL League Two, a minor outdoor league. Founded in 2003, the indoor team plays at ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington. First playing in 2024, the outdoor men's Stars team and outdoor women's team, the Tacoma Galaxy, play at Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma, Washington.
The Rochester Lancers are a professional indoor soccer team in the Major Arena Soccer League 2. The team is named in honor of the Rochester Lancers of the North American Soccer League. The team was active from November 2011 through March 2015. A new version of the team contested the 2018–19 Major Arena Soccer League 2 season; for 2019–20 the team moved back up to the MASL. After another two year hiatus the Lancers are in M2 for the 2022-23 season.
The Las Vegas Legends are a semi-professional soccer team based in Paradise, Nevada. They play in the National Premier Soccer League, a fourth-tier league in the American soccer pyramid.
The 2017–18 Baltimore Blast season is the twenty-sixth season of the Baltimore Blast professional indoor soccer club. The Blast, an Eastern Division team in the Major Arena Soccer League, play their home games at SECU Arena in Towson, Maryland.
Mississauga MetroStars were a professional indoor soccer team which played its home games at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The team joined the Major Arena Soccer League for the 2018–19 season. The club featured former Toronto FC players Dwayne De Rosario, Molham Babouli and Adrian Cann on the roster in its first season. Just as the 2019–20 season began, it was announced the team would cease operations.