In Buck we still trust
In Rochester, N.Y., we watch the Baltimore Orioles with great interest. Perhaps it is the 40-year affiliation our Triple A Rochester Red Wings had. During that time, we learned the Oriole Way — specifically, that a team of professional ballplayers can represent their community with a standard that makes us proud.
Certainly, Buck Showalter has reminded us of this, more so than anyone in the 20 years that preceded his time as team manager (“Showalter erred by not using Britton but that’s not the only reason Orioles lost wild-card game,” Oct. 5). We remember what preceded those years in the decades of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. Those teams would visit Rochester annually for an exhibition game that allowed us to proudly feel a part of them. For the first few innings of those games, the Orioles starters would take the field, and in their defensive crouches, Brooks Robinson, Mark Belanger, Davey Johnson and Boog Powell would anticipate balls hit to them intent on denying anything through them on the ground.
I would like to thank Buck for bringing back to Baltimore the standard that we grew accustomed to watching those teams. Baltimore deserves to be recognized as a great baseball city. When former Rochester Red Wings like Don Baylor, Bobby Grich, Al Bumbry, Dennis Martinez, Mike Flanagan, Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken were called up, we knew they were ready to continue the greatness that preceded them. Their success was all of our success.
With Buck Showalter at the helm, we know that the Oriole Way will always compete for division and world championships, and we in Rochester would say thank you, Buck, for giving us a reason to believe again. Val W. Ruoff, Webster, N.Y.
Memorial Stadium memories
Reading Mike Klingaman’s article, “Memorial stadium resurrected at local retirement community” (Oct. 6), brought both a smile and tear to me. It highlighted the work performed at the Oak Crest Retirement Village by residents Claire Romano and John Swope, which involved building a replica scale model of Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium.
Last Christmas, this model of our beloved stadium was already part of the Oak Crest model train garden. The train garden is the work of residents at this senior living village.
On New Year’s Day, I took my dad, who was 92 years old, wheelchair-bound and an Oak Crest resident, for our annual trip to the train garden.
Upon seeing the model stadium, he got the biggest smile. Dad grew up a block from the stadium. He spent time pointing out the authenticity of the model. We chatted about the Orioles, Colts and cold Natty Bohs.
Unfortunately, it was one of the last outings for the two of us as Dad passed a short two weeks later. I will never forget the smile and conversation the resurrected Memorial Stadium made possible.
Thank you! Bill Alcarese, Baltimore