Feb 11, 2013

After winning Super Bowl XLVII, the Baltimore Ravens were welcomed back by one of the greatest victory parades in Baltimore history with over 200,000 fans in attendance on Feb. 5.

Look back at past celebrations and Opening Day sports parades. Perhaps, the biggest turnout was on April 15, 1954, when fans welcomed the Baltimore Orioles in their very first season on Opening Day against the White Sox. Over 350,000 fans were said to have shown up for the parade.

: 1954 — Orioles’ Opening Day 1954 Parade on Baltimore Street. (Baltimore Sun)

: April 15, 1954 — Orioles’ Opening Day Parade featured floats like this one of the Oriole Bird. (Frank Kalita/Baltimore Sun)

: April 17, 1954 — Mobs of people crowd the ball players on Charles and Madison Street for the Orioles Opening Day Parade. (Clarence B. Garrett/Baltimore Sun)

: Dec. 29, 1958 — A huge crowd of 30,000 estimated fans greeted the Baltimore Colts as they arrived at Friendship International Airport. Pictured, a group of fans ride atop the bus carrying the Colt players as it begins to ride through their welcomers. The Colts won the National Football League Championship with a thrilling 23-17 sudden death victory over the New York Giants in Yankee Stadium. (Associated Press File Photo)

: Dec. 29, 1958 — A huge crowd of 30,000 estimated fans greeted the Baltimore Colts as they arrived at Friendship International Airport welcoming the Colts after their National Football League Championship win. (Associated Press File Photo)

: Dec. 27, 1959 — Colts fans at the 1959 Championship. (Walter McCardell/Baltimore Sun)

: April 10, 1961 — Orioles’ Opening Day 1961 Parade on South Howard Street. (Baltimore Sun)

: April 10, 1961 — Orioles Opening Day. (Baltimore Sun)

: April 10, 1961 — Orioles’ Opening Day 1961 Parade. Scene along the route at Howard St. and Baltimore St. (Baltimore Sun)

: September 23, 1966 — “We Won” lit up on building after the Orioles won the 1966 American League Championship. (Baltimore Sun)

: Sept. 23, 1966 — Orioles American League Championship, 1966. Pennant fever on the block. (Richard Childress/Baltimore Sun)

: Oct. 10, 1966 — Front page of the Baltimore Sun.

: Oct. 9, 1966 — Jubilant Oriole fans on Baltimore Street celebrate after the Orioles won their 4th straight game to win the 1966 World Series. (William L. LaForce, Jr./Baltimore Sun)

: October 10, 1966 — Jubilant Orioles fans around Baltimore Street as police car squeezes through. Many began rocking the car, but the officer kept smiling all the time. (William L. LaForce/Baltimore Sun)

: 1966 — Birds Forever fans at City Hall gather to catch a glimpse of the parade to honor the Orioles who won the American League Championship and World Series that year. (Baltimore Sun)

: Oct. 19, 1979 — After a painful loss to the Pittsburg Pirates in the 1979 World Series, fans attend a parade to celebrate their time. This little fan seems to be in a trance. (Walter McCardell/Baltimore Sun)

: 1983 — Baltimore fans during the parade for the Orioles who won the 1983 World Series. (Baltimore Sun)

: Oct. 1983 — Eddie Murray is shown at the victory parade after the Orioles won the 1983 World Series. (Baltimore Sun)

: 1983: Baltimore Orioles Cal Ripken’s car is surrounded by fans during the World Series victory parade through Baltimore. (Lloyd Pearson/Baltimore Sun)

: Sept. 7, 1995 — Fans turnout to celebrate Cal Ripken Jr. during a parade in downtown Baltimore. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)

: Sept. 7, 1995 — Cal Ripken Jr. welcomed by fans at the Inner Harbor. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Sept. 7, 1995 — The parade for Cal Ripken Jr. started at noon and concluded at the Inner Harbor. Fans were excited to be able to see and hear the record-breaking ball player. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: May 13, 1997 — A copy of The Evening Sun on Monday, October 10, 1966 about the Baltimore Orioles sweeping the series.

: Jan. 30, 2001 — Ravens players are driven through Baltimore Streets in Hummers for the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl XXXV Victory Parade. (Perry Thorsvik/Baltimore Sun)

: January 30, 2001 — Fans fill the War Memorial Plaza at the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl XXXV Victory Celebration. (Perry Thorsvik/Baltimore Sun)

: January 30, 2001 —Baltimore Raven Linebacker Ray Lewis, left, coaxes team owner Art Modell, right, into a little dance during the rally celebrating the Ravens Superbowl victory. (David Hobby/Baltimore Sun)

: January 30, 2001 — Tony Siragusa holds the Lombardi Trophy along with his daughter, Samantha Rose, as Martin O’Malley, left, looks on. The were celebrating at the rally following the Ravens’ victory parade. (David Hobby/Baltimore Sun)

DID YOU KNOW:

The 1958 NFL Championship Game is considered “The Greatest Game Ever Played” when the Baltimore Colts defeated the Giants 23-17 in sudden death overtime. Fans celebrated the victory with the blare of horns, bells, shouts and fireworks. In what was decribed as a tidal wave of 30,000 nearly hysterical fans, many descended on Friendship Airport (now BWI-MARSHALL) to welcome the world champion Colts. Some fans became unruly and jumped on top of the team bus, while several were arrested because of the mass confusion and rowdy behavior. Meanwhile, in 1959, Baltimore played the New York Giants again for the championship — this time at home in front of an announced crowd of 57,545 at Memorial Stadium — prevailing 31-16. Fans quickly poured onto the field, grabbed souvenirs from the Colts bench and even toppled the iron goal post.

The Orioles had a big Opening Day parade in 1961 with between 35,000 and 40,000 people lining the parade route along Howard, Baltimore, Charles and Preston Streets, despite the bitter wind and chill. “It can be done in 61.”

In 1966, the city went wild after the Orioles won the American League pennant as well as the World Series title. The celebration was postponed twice because of weather. When the celebration did occur, it was described as a mammoth two-hour parade, the biggest celebration since the end of World War II and even the traffic police smiled as crowds jammed streets. The city would go crazy for their Orioles several more times, celebrating World Series and American League pennant wins throughout the late ’60s and ’70s.

In 1971, the city planned to honor all four of its teams at the time — Orioles, Colts, Bullets and Clippers — in the Parade of Champions. Unfortunately, the celebration was canceled due to heavy rain.

Meanwhile in 1983, the Orioles had a magical season and were on top of their game when they won the World Series. Seventeen hours after winning, a huge crowd was ready to greet the team along the parade route hoping to see Eddie, Cal, Rick and others.

On September 7, 1995, a crowd estimated at 300,000 participated in a a parade to honor Cal Ripken Jr. for his record-breaking streak playing in 2,131 straight games. “All I ever wanted to do was be a baseball player,” Ripken Jr. told the crowd at the Inner Harbor. “All I ever wanted to do was was be a baseball player in this City.”

Baltimore celebrated its first Super Bowl win with a new team — the Baltimore Ravens on January 30, 2001. “Raven Maniacs” braved the cold rain to celebrate the Purple Reign. “Who Let The Dogs Out” became an anthem for Ravens fans.

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Orioles Win the Pennant in 1966 - Ghosts of Baltimore
Sep 25, 2013 @ 13:21:39

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Opening Day parades, victory parties: How Baltimore celebrated its winning teams over the years

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