Orioles Lose Home Opener

Apr. 13, 1965 - Winds out of the northwest at 25-to-45 miles an hour made a farce out of Baltimore’s 1965 American League opener today as the Orioles lost to the Chicago White Sox, 5-3, at Memorial Stadium.

A surprising crowd of 39,455, largest for a home opener since 46,354 welcomed major league baseball back to the city in 1954, watched the weird contest in mid-50’s temperatures.

But the wind was blowing the same for both clubs, and the Orioles left seven runners stranded over the last four innings and nine over all.

The O’s outhit the Sox, 10-9, but the difference was primarily in the control of the pitchers.

Neither starting pitcher was around for the finish, although both figured in the decision. Gary Peters, 20-8 last year and a 3-0 performer against the Orioles, went seven innings to get the victory, while Steve Barber lasted only three innings to suffer the loss.

Barber gave up four runs on four hits, three walks, and a wild pitch during his short tenure. One of the runs was unearned, scoring on an unusual throwing error by Brooks Robinson.

The Oriole third baseman launched a wild heave into right field while attempting to cut down Pete Ward at second base after the latter singled John Romano to third.

“I saw Ward going down out of the corner of my eye,” Brooks recalled, “and I thought at the time I might have a chance to get him. But I was off balance, and I really shouldn’t have thrown the ball.”

Then there was Floyd Robinson’s line drive off first baseman Boog Powell’s mitt — a cinch double play if he held the ball since the White Sox’s Don Buford had strayed far off the bag.

“I just didn’t get my glove up into the right place at the right time,” Powell said. “I saw the ball come off Robinson’s bat all right, but it took off on me like a knuckleball and caromed off my glove about shoulder-high.”

“Those base on balls kill you,” grumbled Baltimore manager Hank Bauer. “You can’t walk a fast man like that Don Buford leading off three times in a row and expect to beat a team that has good pitching.

“We didn’t play good baseball, I’ll have to admit that, but Buford walked leading off the first, third, and fifth, and that’s the three innings they scored all their runs.”

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