Oriole Bird

Left-hander Arthur Rhodes finally allowed the opposition to score yesterday. He had not given up a run since May 25, but Philadelphia Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal cranked a two-out, two-run home run in the eighth inning to show that Rhodes is not invincible.No matter. Rhodes still was the pitcher of record in a 10-6 victory, improving to 5-2 and further establishing himself as one of the game's premier middle relievers."I wasn't upset about giving up the two runs," Rhodes said. "You're going to give up runs.

The Linthicum Community Fair begins at 9 a.m. Saturday with a parade that will include several floats and the Oriole Bird.Children in grades one through six are invited to arrive at old Andover High School with their decorated bicycles by 8:30 a.m.The parade will proceed along Hammonds Ferry Road to the fairgrounds on the field across from St. John Lutheran Church, 300 W. Maple Road.The fair, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will feature pony rides, a scarecrow booth, a silent auction, clowns, craft dealers, live entertainment and more.

The best thing about having a birthday is the presents. Every kid agrees on that.But there's also the fun of planning a birthday party. Will the cake have purple or green icing? Should your younger brother be allowed to stay in the house when your friends come over?Here's something worth thinking about: This year, have a baseball birthday party.You could do this a lot of different ways. The best is to come up with ideas of your own. That way, your baseball party will be different from everybody else's, including Jerry Narron's.

Both of Baltimore's major-league sports teams, in baseball and football, have problems.These problems are not the quality of play on the field but pertain specifically to what the public wants and deserves from the organizations they are paying to support. The customers should not be ignored or slighted; they have earned the right to proper consideration.On the basis of franchise seniority, let's deal first with the Orioles. Owner Peter Angelos is considering changing the oriole bird on the team's cap but, on another matter, has so far refused to return the name Baltimore to the road uniform.

It's not summer, but the Baltimore Orioles have the attention of their fans. Quite a few of those fans will be delighted at the appearance of the Oriole Bird, who will visit Freedom Elementary School on Thursday as part of the promotion of the new "Cal Bars" candy bars (for Cal Ripken, whose picture is on the candy wrapper)."We were hoping that the Bird would come," said Tina Crockett, fund raising chairperson for the school PTA, "but we didn't receive confirmation until this weekend. Because we weren't sure we didn't tell the kids, so an awful lot of them will be very surprised."

It's the spirit of Oriole baseball games, the smiles of childre when they shake hands with the Oriole Bird, and the roar of fans during the Oriole cheer that Alan Gimbel loves. A lifelong resident of Baltimore, Mr. Gimbel has been a fan of the Orioles and Bird since he was a kid."The 1979 World Series left a lasting impression on me. The Oriole Bird came to visit my school, Cross Country Elementary. . . . I remember being absolutely enthralled by the Bird. He was so big and all the kids lost their minds."

In 1968, when Towson was a quiet, small-town county seat, Dale Anderson was county executive; Spiro T. Agnew was Maryland's somewhat obscure governor; and Hilda Wilson, a York Road lighting store owner, helped organize a small, afternoon fair one Saturday in early May.Now nearly 25 years later, the fair has grown to a huge two-day festival, preceded by a catered reception for organizers and nearby community residents on the 10th floor of the new multiscreen cinema,...

Except for a visit from the Oriole Bird, it was a pretty typical school day in Carroll County.Make that a typical first school day."This is a day when everyone has to be really flexible," said Dorothy Mangle, director of elementary education for the Carroll County public schools."

James Patrick Parker had just made another of his many appearances as the Oriole Bird, this time at the Glen Burnie home of a seriously ill child.It was a part-time job for the 23-year-old Towson State University senior theater major, and one he enjoyed. And after two seasons in the bird suit, it was something he did well.But it would be his last performance.At 4:40 p.m. yesterday, on his way home to Carroll County after the Glen Burnie appearance, Parker was killed in a one-car accident at Fort Meade.

A 23-year-old Towson State University student who performed as the Oriole Bird was killed yesterday when he lost control of his Ford Bronco as he was driving home from an appearance as the Bird in Anne Arundel County.James Patrick Parker was driving west on Route 32 through Fort Meade about 4:30 p.m. when he lost control of his truck and it flipped three times, base spokesman Chris Ivusic said.Mr. Parker was thrown from the truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Fort Meade emergency services personnel.

Seventeen years after he flew the coop, the Oriole bird has returned to The Baltimore Sun. Starting tomorrow, the whimsical cartoon - a stamp-sized favorite of Sun readers during the team's heyday 40 years ago - will regularly grace the sports pages. "Hopefully, in that one inch of space, this classic little Oriole can capture the essence of last night's game," said Mike Ricigliano, the cartoonist who will draw it. Ricigliano's oddball work has appeared in The Sun (and, previously, The Evening Sun)

If a rivalry still exists between the Orioles and New York Yankees after all these years at opposite ends of the American League East standings, it is a very strange thing indeed. Take yesterday, for instance. The Yankees' Edwar Ramirez came out of bullpen in the seventh inning and threw his first pitch over the head of Kevin Millar, prompting some nasty stares and a quick ejection. The pitch was believed to be in retaliation for the pitch by Daniel Cabrera that plunked Alex Rodriguez the night before, though it's possible the guy just didn't like Millar's new haircut.

WHERE -- Oriole Park WHEN -- Tomorrow. General admission starts at 10:30 a.m. at Gate C. Fan forums begin at 10:45 a.m. and last throughout the day. A two-hour autograph session with current and former Orioles begins at 11 a.m., followed by a team workout at 1:15. Fans can pose for photos with the 1983 World Series trophy in Championship Cafe from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Other activities -- The main concourse will have a speed pitch, moon bounce and other activities. Photos with the Oriole Bird and free giveaways will take place on the club level.

Certainly, they're the happiest of sports collectibles. Bobble-head dolls, those spring-loaded little guys with the oversize craniums that were once a staple of car dashboards, have been enjoying a resurgence of late. And tonight, they're coming to Camden Yards. Those of you lucky enough to be 14 or younger (or small for your age) will get a free Brady Anderson bobble-head just for going to tonight's O's game. The first 12,500 of you, that is. Just think of it: an entire stadium filled with dolls who continually nod "yes."

The Carroll County Public Library will hold its summer reading programs tomorrow through Aug. 5. The five branches will offer reading and other programs for children. Reading Rhythms is open to children from infancy through fifth grade. The eight-week program combines reading and music with game activities. Children can earn weekly reading incentives, watch programs and enter weekly prize drawings. Incentives include a summer reading bag with a game board, bookmark, Baltimore Zoo pass and more.

Left-hander Arthur Rhodes finally allowed the opposition to score yesterday. He had not given up a run since May 25, but Philadelphia Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal cranked a two-out, two-run home run in the eighth inning to show that Rhodes is not invincible.No matter. Rhodes still was the pitcher of record in a 10-6 victory, improving to 5-2 and further establishing himself as one of the game's premier middle relievers."I wasn't upset about giving up the two runs," Rhodes said. "You're going to give up runs.

The Linthicum Community Fair begins at 9 a.m. Saturday with a parade that will include several floats and the Oriole Bird.Children in grades one through six are invited to arrive at old Andover High School with their decorated bicycles by 8:30 a.m.The parade will proceed along Hammonds Ferry Road to the fairgrounds on the field across from St. John Lutheran Church, 300 W. Maple Road.The fair, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will feature pony rides, a scarecrow booth, a silent auction, clowns, craft dealers, live entertainment and more.

Both of Baltimore's major-league sports teams, in baseball and football, have problems.These problems are not the quality of play on the field but pertain specifically to what the public wants and deserves from the organizations they are paying to support. The customers should not be ignored or slighted; they have earned the right to proper consideration.On the basis of franchise seniority, let's deal first with the Orioles. Owner Peter Angelos is considering changing the oriole bird on the team's cap but, on another matter, has so far refused to return the name Baltimore to the road uniform.

The best thing about having a birthday is the presents. Every kid agrees on that.But there's also the fun of planning a birthday party. Will the cake have purple or green icing? Should your younger brother be allowed to stay in the house when your friends come over?Here's something worth thinking about: This year, have a baseball birthday party.You could do this a lot of different ways. The best is to come up with ideas of your own. That way, your baseball party will be different from everybody else's, including Jerry Narron's.

It's not summer, but the Baltimore Orioles have the attention of their fans. Quite a few of those fans will be delighted at the appearance of the Oriole Bird, who will visit Freedom Elementary School on Thursday as part of the promotion of the new "Cal Bars" candy bars (for Cal Ripken, whose picture is on the candy wrapper)."We were hoping that the Bird would come," said Tina Crockett, fund raising chairperson for the school PTA, "but we didn't receive confirmation until this weekend. Because we weren't sure we didn't tell the kids, so an awful lot of them will be very surprised."