We continue our off-season project with a look at the Baltimore Orioles All-Time 25-Man Roster.
This look at the Baltimore Orioles all-time 25-man roster only includes their time in Baltimore. The Orioles franchise dates back to 1901, when it originated in Milwaukee as the Brewers. That team became the St. Louis Browns and existed as the Browns through the 1953 season. Along the way, the Browns were purchased by Bill Veeck in 1951. He made a valiant effort to outdraw the crosstown St. Louis Cardinals with his many interesting promotions, but ultimately conceded defeat when the Cardinals were purchased by Anheuser-Busch. Veeck couldn’t compete financial with Anheuser-Busch.
Veeck was not well-liked by the other owners in part because of the publicity stunts he used as promotions at Browns home games. When he realized it would be difficult for two teams to remain in St. Louis, he tried to move the team to Milwaukee, but was blocked by the other owners. Then he worked on a deal to move the team to Baltimore, but found resistance there as well. He ended up selling his entire stake in the Browns to a group of investors who moved the team to Baltimore.
Once in Baltimore, the Browns became the Orioles and started fresh, putting the St. Louis Browns in their rear-view mirror. In December of 1954, they made a 17-player trade with the New York Yankees that sent away most of the former Browns who were still on the team’s roster.
The Orioles were quite awful during their first six years in Baltimore. Things started to turn around in the 1960s, as the Orioles finished in the upper half of the standings five times in six years from 1960 to 1965. They had a terrific stretch of play from 1966 to 1971 when they won went to the World Series four times in six years, winning twice. Many of the great players from this era are members of the all-time 25-man roster.
The Orioles continued their strong run throughout most of the 1970s and into the early 80s. They lost the ALCS in 1973 and 1974. They made the post-season again in 1979, losing the World Series to the “We R Fam-A-Lee” Pittsburgh Pirates. Four years later, they won the World Series against the 1983 “Wheeze Kids” Philadelphia Phillies.
The last half of the 1980s were not a good time for Baltimore Orioles fans. The team bottomed out with a 54-107 season in 1988, but bounced back to win 87 games in 1989. They made the playoffs in 1996 and 1997, but lost in the ALCS both years. They then went 14 years without making the post-season before making the playoffs three times in the last five seasons.
The Orioles franchise is historically known for their strong defense and pitching. They’ve had some amazing fielders over the years, including Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson, who was a wizard with the glove at the hot corner. Their great-fielding teams in the early 1970s helped the team have twelve 20-game winners in the six seasons from 1970 to 1975, including four 20-game winners on the 1971 team.
Here is the Baltimore Orioles all-time 25-man roster.