I Hate Myself for Loving Baseball
By: Celeste Spaghetti (@SpaghettiC11)
A surprise guest popped into the Orioles v. White Sox game at Camden Yards on Monday, even sneaking her way into the 2023 team photo.
But this wasn’t a random visit to OPACY. As many unfamiliar with the lore learned last night, rock n’ roll legend Joan Jett’s Orioles fandom goes back many decades, stemming from her childhood and adolescence in Rockville, MD (go Wheaton Knights!).
A big moment in Jett’s Orioles fandom came on September 6, 1995, when she sang the national anthem on the night Cal Ripken, Jr. tied Lou Gehrig’s consecutive game record, at Cal’s personal request. Jett also presented Cal with one of her gold records.
On Monday’s game against the Chicago White Sox, Jett did more than just join the O’s team photo, but also joined announcers Kevin Brown and Ben McDonald in the booth.
Not only did she call Ryan O’Hearn’s 2-RBI hit…
…but also taught Ben McDonald the proper mechanics of a screwball.
Thank you Joan for supporting Birdland throughout all these years, the ups and the downs.
See you at the parade!
All Sports Scene 
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