1. … When Frank Robinson hit [a home run] out of Memorial Stadium, that happened just once. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he's been told for years that the construction of the Hilton Baltimore beyond the left-field gates — the hotel opened in 2008 — had created a stream into left-center field. But this list is interested in the longest, no doubt, crushed ball home runs in Oriole Park’s history. Though Davis' power is more naturally toward the middle of the field, he said he's seen balls he's hit toward the flag court drift toward right-center field. "And trust me, many times in batting practice, even though I didn't play a lot in the American League, we all tried to hit that damn thing and never did. To any left-handed hitter, whether it's an Orioles player or an opponent, the eight-story brick structure that spans 1,116 feet along Eutaw Street — making it the longest brick building east of the Mississippi River — beckons. Prior to Camden Yards, the predominant design trend of big league ballparks was the symmetrical "multi-purpose stadium". In May 2005, the Babe Ruth Museum opened its expansion project, Sports Legends at Camden Yards, in the historic Camden Station building at the north end of the warehouse. I don't know if we'll ever see it. Do you need more information about this building and its related companies? The right field line is 318 feet & 333 feet down the left field line. Morrison, who has a career-high 24 homers at the break, was the hitter to most recently park a home run on Eutaw Street, on July 1. That is the only batted ball to touch the warehouse, and through more than 2,000 games at Camden Yards, no hitter has ever reached the building in a game, creating a kind of mythical nature to the ballpark's most recognizable feature. "That changed the ballpark, they tell me. It changed to way the ball carries, especially right around the bullpen.". … One thing about the warehouse, take a look at the left-handed power guys. Seattle Mariners outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. seems touched after reaching the warehouse during the 1993 All-Star Game Home Run Derby. The warehouse was notable before Camden Yards truly made it famous. I've seen Chris hit some balls like that.". So hopefully the stars will align one way before I'm forgotten about and I can put one out there.". And we would have early BP sessions when I thought, he's going to hit it. The Houston Astros' Lance Berkman and Kansas City Royals' Alex Gordon also came close, hitting home runs of 430 and 425 feet, respectively, within two weeks of each other in 2008, and if their balls were just slightly more toward the line, they might have had the best chances of hitting the warehouse. "There's a dearth of left-handed [power] hitters," Showalter said. The Warehouse at Camden Yards is ideally situated on the Camden Yards Sports Complex and has become one of the most recognizable landmarks in the MLB. ... 2017, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards with the warehouse in the background. Three Eutaw Street homers have been hit this season, with Boston's Jackie Bradley Jr. and Cleveland's Jason Kipnis doing so before Morrison. "At the end of the day, you do the best you can and I think it feels like it's a pretty comfortable set of dimensions.". From home plate, a lot of guys probably think they have a chance, but when you go back there and walk through the street, you see the distance between the right-field wall and the building.". Griffey's blast is marked by a plaque. Going into this season, Montreal Expos outfielder Henry Rodriguez owns the farthest Eutaw Street blast, hitting a ball 443 feet in 1997, but the blast didn't come close to hitting the warehouse because it was hit to right-center field. Still, over the years, it hasn't stopped hitters from taking aim — with all but Griffey falling short. We're talking around 4 o'clock, and I just got up there and just walked around and looked at some of the markers.". But I think that's pretty interesting that that was in 1993. Chris Spiridigliozzi The O's have lost 36 of their past 56 games but are just four games out of second wild-card spot. A glance at the two oriole bird weather vanes placed on opposite sides of the top of the center-field scoreboard give a clue that there is a wind blowing in along the warehouse, Smith said. We've seen some absolutely destroyed baseballs that go 20 rows deep in right-center next to the wall where the fans sit. Janet Marie Smith, the Orioles' architect responsible for making the team's vision for Camden Yards come to life, said that while the warehouse played a key role in laying out the asymmetrical dimensions that team president Larry Lucchino wanted for the ballpark while also meeting then-manager Frank Robinson's desire for the park to play fair, the warehouse more served as the vehicle for the novelty of the Eutaw Street concourse as a landing spot for home runs rather than be any intended target itself. So I decided one afternoon to go up there as close to game time as I could. Memorial Stadium, the Orioles' home since they moved from St. Louis in 1954, was an early example of such a design. A 465 foot home run to center! And you have to take a quick look at the video from the 1993 All-Star game Home Run derby when Ken Griffey Jr. hit the warehouse! "I mean, as soon as he hit that ball, I jumped up and thought, that ball's got a chance to hit the warehouse and it was the same thing as most," Davis said of Morrison's 424-foot blast. Security Guard Assigned To Ballot Box In NE Baltimore Shot Early Thursday, AMBER Alert Canceled For 7-Year-Old Prophet Marquis Matthew Johnson; Mother, Grandmother Arrested, 3-Year-Old Boy Killed By Father In Bel Air Murder-Suicide, Sheriff's Office Says, Maryland Department Of Labor: Over 82% Of Unemployment Claims Flagged, Investigated Confirmed Fraudulent, Maryland Gov. ©2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. There have been a couple balls I've hit on the road, where I've thought, 'That would be fun to hit at home and see where it would have gone.". "And I think at the time, if you asked me, I would have thought, well, if it's happened once within the park's first two years, then we should expect it every two years, and here we are waiting after 25 years for the second one.". 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"The one closest to the warehouse is always kicking in a little … And that would indicate it's true that there is wind coming through Eutaw Street hitting the warehouse and bouncing back in a different way than the way it swirls around the rest of the park.". [display-posts tag=“top-5” wrapper=”ul” posts_per_page=“4”], By viewing our video content, you are accepting the terms of our. The right field line is 318 feet & 333 feet down the left field line. The Warehouse at Camden Yards is a 8-story low-rise building in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.. View a detailed profile of the structure 216488 including further data and descriptions in the Emporis database. 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And it was the same deal. … When you think of the guys who have come through, ["Big] Papi" [David Ortiz], [Jim] Thome, and none of them came close. But as Camden Yards celebrates its 25th anniversary this season, only one ball has ever hit on the fly, when Ken Griffey, Jr. reached the building during the All-Star Game Home Run Derby with a blast estimated at 465 feet 24 years ago Tuesday. It almost has to be an off-speed pitch, maybe a cut fastball, that you absolutely destroy and turn on that ball.