Orioles - Remember 1996!

We've almost clinched the wild card spot (with only a +7 run differential??) but the dreaded Yankees have won the division.  Could the Yankees be any more detestable?  They disgust me and all Orioles fans for many reasons.  I don't have the time or the energy to go into this long and storied rivalry.  But lets at least remember one incident that, even as a non-baseball fan, I will never forget.  The memory has been seared upon my mind and emotions ever since it happened.

Ok who remembers this?  This was one of the most absurd missed calls in sports.  That isn't just my assessment either.  I pulled this photo from a slideshow of the top missed calls in sports and it was number nine.  Number nine for a call that did not even occur in a championship and only occurred in a baseball game.  I don't even think that Jeffrey Maier was the only person trying to interfere.  Look at Mr White Sweatshirt!  He has the face of a man who's just missed out on catching a fish.  He wanted to interfere as well.   Look at the other fans - these are Yankees fans.  This is a very sad picture and it pains me to even post it again.  For an Orioles fan it is almost a disgusting picture.  Maier is really taking advantage of a situation which is every fan's dream, namely, being able to directly help your team win!

And the outfielder slumps against the wall dejected.  The Orioles manager was ejected for arguing and later the umpire admitted he missed the call.  In that situation an umpire is supposed to judge what would have happened and award an "out" or the number of bases that the batter would have gotten.  But a home run?

We owe the Yankees big time.  Much like the sweet vindication of Chelsea FC finally winning the Champions League this year after the 2008 debacle, I think it is high time that the Orioles crush the Yankees and make them pay for one of the worst moments in recent Orioles history.  Remember 1996!