O's fans speak - with their feet

About 1,000 walk out to protest Angelos

owner irked by organizer

The fans — In one of the oddest spectacles in the 14-year history of Camden Yards, about 1,000 fans took the afternoon off work or school yesterday not to see an Orioles game, but rather to walk out on one.

The fans - many wearing black T-shirts with "FREE THE BIRDS" in white lettering - streamed into the stadium before the afternoon game chanting, "Sell the team!" and "Pete must go!" in a demonstration to voice their displeasure with club owner Peter Angelos.

Before filing out in protest an hour into the game, the fans, led by WNST-AM owner Nestor Aparicio, voiced a myriad of demands ranging from asking Angelos to sell the team outright, to somehow restoring the Oriole "magic" that existed before nine straight losing seasons.

Schmuck Protesters achieve their aim. PG 3C