April 17: Magic After Midnight Roberto Alomar's big game helps the O's top the reeling Red Sox in 12 innings.

It's April 17, 1996, and the O's needed a little magic after midnight to keep the good times rolling and send the Sox to their seventh straight loss. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-17-m...

April 15: Tax Day is a Day Off No game today means more time to enjoy the immaculate vibes of the first-place O's.

It's April 15, 1996, and it's a day off for the O's. More time to do their taxes while everyone raves about how great it is to be 9-2 and in first place. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-15-t...

April 14: Unlikely Pitchers’ Duel Goes to Twins Frankie Rodriguez bests Jimmy Haynes in a battle of starters whose ERAs came into the game north of 10.

It's April 14, 1996, and Frankie Rodriguez shuts down the red-hot O's. Elsewhere, the Shark collapses at the Masters, and Israel is attacking Lebanon. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-14-u...

The Brady-O-Meter, a silhouette of a baseball player with little black baseballs on his cheek. Watch his sideburns grow with every dinger. Current total: 3

It's April 13, 1996, and Brady's walk-off blast means we have to update the Brady-O-Meter! ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-13-b...

April 13: Brady Caps Furious Rally with Walk-Off Blast A five-run deficit in the fifth is nothing for these Birds as they race to 9-1.

It's April 13, 1996. Down five in the fifth? No big deal for these Birds. Brady walks of the Twins and reliever Pat Mahomes, whose 6-month-old son was probably sad about it. The O's are now 9-1. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-13-b...

April 12: Moose Goes the Distance A Rafael Palmeiro 3-run home run was all the O's ace would need as he 2-hit the Twins.

It's April 12, 1996, and the O's keep rolling behind Mike Mussina's masterful complete game. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-12-m...

Breaking Down the Bronx Wall of Dingers. In 1961, the New York Yankees hit 240 home runs. The record stands to this day in 1996. The mighty Birds of Baltimore are taking aim. Can they break through? Six home runs by the Orioles today now means 12 bricks have turned orange.

Also, with 6 more home runs today (4/11/1996), that means a remarkable 6 bricks turn orange on the seemingly insurmountable Bronx Wall of Dingers.

The Brady-O-Meter, an orange silhouette of a baseball player with little black baseballs on his cheek. Watch his sideburns grow with every dinger. Current total: 2

It's April 11, 1996, and Orioles outfielder Brady Anderson hit his first two home runs of the season. He has never had more than 21 in a season, but maybe this season he'll hit more. We're tracking his progress with the Brady-O-Meter. Watch his sideburns grow with every dinger!

April 11: Bombs Away! Birds Bash Cleveland W

It's April 11, 1996, and the O's tied a Camden Yards record with six homers, racking up 14 runs and delivering an emphatic statement that they are among the AL's best. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-11-b...

April 10: O's Pass First Test On a frigid night in Baltimore, the Birds walk off the defending AL champs in extra innings.

It's April 10, 1996, and the O's pass their first test. Deep into a frigid night in Baltimore, the Birds walked off the defending AL champs in extra innings. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-10-o...

It's April 9, 1996, and rain has washed out the O's game vs. Cleveland. More time to celebrate the 131st anniversary of the Confederates surrendering. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-9-ra...

April 8: A Day Off as Cleveland Comes to Town No game today, but the defending AL champs are on their way to Baltimore.

It's April 8, 1996, and the O's have an off day as they head back home to host Carlos Baerga and mighty Cleveland. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-8-a-...

April 7: Moose on the Loose in Minnesota O's ace gets the Birds back in the win column with a dominant 8 innings against the Twins.

It's April 7, 1996, and on Easter, Mike Mussina has the O's back in the win column. After a series win in Minnesota, the Birds head back home for a well-earned off day tomorrow. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-7-mo...

Breaking Down the Bronx Wall of Dingers. In 1961, the New York Yankees hit 240 home runs. The record stands to this day in 1996. The mighty Birds of Baltimore are taking aim. Can they break through? B.J. Surhoff has the 4th Orioles homer of the season

B.J. Surhoff's blast today gets him his first brick in the wall. There's a long way to go, though.

April 6: Can't Win 'Em All The Twins put an end to the O's season-opening 4-game win streak.

It's April 6, 1996, and all good things... The Twins hand the O's their first loss of the season. In the loss, B.J. Surhoff hit a home run off of Twins reliever Pat Mahomes, who has a 6-month old son. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-6-ca...

April 4: These O's Are Royal An 8th-inning outburst wraps up a season-opening sweep for the Orioles.

It's April 4, 1996, and these O's are royal. A 5-run 8th leads to a season-opening sweep of Kansas City. Robbie Alomar is hitting .600 so far. Not bad. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-4-th...

Breaking Down the Bronx Wall of Dingers. In 1961, the New York Yankees hit 240 home runs. The record stands to this day in 1996. The mighty Birds of Baltimore are taking aim. Can they break through? Home runs by Roberto Alomar and Rafael Palmeiro fill up 2 orange bricks in a wall of 240 navy blue bricks.

The O's hit their first two homers of the season today (4/3/1996) so with that we're introducing a new feature: Breaking Down the Bronx Wall of Dingers. Can the '96 Birds actually hit more bombs than the Bombers? ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-3-o-...

April 3: O's Keep Rolling Royals For only the fourth time since 1982, the Orioles are 2-0. Life is good.

It's April 3, 1996, and the good vibes continue in Birdland. For only the fourth time since 1982, the O's are 2-0. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-3-o-...

April 2: Let the Games Begin It

It's April 2, 1996, and it may have been a day late, but the home opener went about as well as it could for the Birds. Is this the start of a 162-0 season??? ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-2-le...

April 1: Sometimes it Rains Mother Nature played an April Fools' Day prank on Birdland, and for the second time ever, rain postponed the home opener in Baltimore.

It's April 1, 1996, and it was supposed to be the O's home opener. But Mother Nature said "April Fools'!" and for the second time since the team moved to Baltimore in 1954, the opener was washed out. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/april-1-so...

March 31: Know Your Enemies The O's enter 1996 in "playoffs or bust" mode, but who do they have to beat to get there?

It's March 31, 1996, and Opening Day is tomorrow! It's "playoffs or bust" in Baltimore, but who will be in the O's way this year? Let's take a look: ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/march-31-k...

March 29: Mills on the Mend Alan Mills has pitched in nearly 150 Orioles games. Will his surgically repaired shoulder let him see the field in 1996?

Oh, and yesterday was March 29, 1996. Alan Mills has pitched in nearly 150 games for the O's. He'll start the season on the injured list, but he should be back in his usual bullpen spot before too long. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/march-29-m...

March 30: The Other Guys Life is tough on the roster bubble. Jeff Huson and Jimmy Myers have each had long journeys through professional baseball, but for now, they've made it.

It's March 30, 1996, and we're rounding out the Opening Day roster. Life on the roster bubble is tough, but Jeff Huson and Jimmy Myers have made the team. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/march-30-t...

March 28: The Power Arm He throws hard. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. Armando Benitez has the tools to be a dominant reliever. Can he put it all together in 1996?

It's March 28, 1996, and the O's let their starter give up 12(!) runs in a preseason game. Out in the bullpen, Armando Benitez is just 23 years old and has the stuff of a dominant closer. Can he bounce back from a disappointing '95 season? ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/march-28-t...

March 27: Billy's Back in Baltimore After three years, including one spent almost entirely in the minors, Billy Ripken is back home with this brother in Birdland.

It's March 27, 1996, and the brother of the Prodigal Son has returned to Baltimore. Billy Ripken has carved out nearly a decade-long career in the majors. After three years away, he's back in Birdland and looks like he'll make the team. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/march-27-b...

March 26: A Career at the Crossroads Arthur Rhodes' career has been full of "what ifs" to this point. Starting hasn't worked out, but can he reinvent himself as a dominant reliever?

It's March 26, 1996, and it's still 6 days until Opening Day. Arthur Rhodes has yet to fill the promise contained in his powerful left arm. Starting hasn't worked out, but can he reinvent himself as a dominant reliever? ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/march-26-a...

March 25: Alexander the Great (Utility Man)? A former top prospect is out of minor league options but has looked good this spring. He seems likely to make the team, but how much will he play?

It's March 25, 1996, and the O's are looking to finalize their roster. Manny Alexander was once seen as the heir apparent to the Iron Man at short. That shine has worn off, but is there still enough talent here to dream on? ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/march-25-a...

March 24: The Time is Now for Haynes After impressing in a late-season call up in 1995, rookie Jimmy Haynes looks to have secured a spot in the rotation this year. Can he hold onto it?

It's March 24, 1996, and it looks like the last spot in this year's rotation will fall to rookie Jimmy Haynes... for now. He impressed in a September call-up last year, but has struggled so far this spring. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/march-24-t...

March 23: The Backup Catcher The nephew of a beloved Orioles icon, Gregg Zaun has catching in his blood. He's fought the odds to make it to major league camp, and he's determined to stay.

It's March 23, 1996, and Rick Dempsey's nephew has a clear shot at the backup catcher role in Baltimore. Gregg Zaun used to hang upside down on the playground hoping to grow big enough to be a major leaguer. He's made it this far, and now he's hoping to stick. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/march-23-t...

March 22: The Nasty Sinker and the Second Spitter A veteran reliever known for locker room shenanigans joins a bullpen with some familiar faces. Can they win another championship together a decade later?

It's March 22, 1996, and a veteran reliever has teamed up with some old buddies in the O's bullpen. You may recognize him from MTV's Rock n' Jock softball or a famous Seinfeld bit. At 35, he's looking for another ring a decade after he won his first. ghostsof96.beehiiv.com/p/march-22-t...