1954 – Present
In 1954 Bill Veeck sold the St. Louis Browns to a Baltimore-based group of investors, who moved the perpetual losers to their hometown. With Paul Richards at the helm both on the field and in the front office, the Orioles developed a highly productive farm system and by 1960 were contending for the pennant. The Orioles were built on the arms of the “Baby Birds,” a group of young pitchers who included Wally Bunker and Milt Pappas, as well as the brilliant fielding of Brooks Robinson. The addition of Frank Robinson in 1966 brought Baltimore its first WS victory, a four-game sweep of the Dodgers. The Orioles soon became a mini-dynasty, reaching the WS three straight years (1969-71) with a lineup that included Boog Powell, Mark Belanger, and Paul Blair, and pitchers Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally, and Jim Palmer. Known for strong organizational unity and “The Oriole Way,” which emphasized fundamentals and careful, measured development in the minor leagues, Baltimore has also produced a slew of pitching coaches (George Bamberger, Ray Miller, Wes Stock), managers (Earl Weaver, Frank Robinson), and front-office talent (Harry Dalton, Frank Cashen). A short period of decline in the 1980s was stemmed by Roland Hemond with a typical infusion of young pitching talent.
