The YouTube Debates: Orioles Edition

Roar from 34 - Strengthening democracy one posting at a time

By Matthew Taylor

The 2008 presidential election introduced the nation to the concept of YouTube debates. It's about time that our country dealt with some issues weightier than those presented by the likes of the talking snowman. Therefore, Roar from 34 proudly presents the first-ever YouTube Debate: Orioles Edition. Let the enlightened conversation begin (in the comments section).

Question 1: Which "Evening Magazine" fan profile is better, Wild Bill Hagy or Pat "The Bugler" Walker

Wild Bill Hagy




Pat "The Bugler" Walker


Question 2: Who was the better pitchman, Boog Powell or Jim Palmer?

Boog Powell




Jim Palmer


Question 3: Which is the more random player tribute, Luke Scott or Brady Anderson?

Luke Scott


Brady Anderson


Question 4: Which is the better episode of "Orioles Everyday," Devil Rays or Red Sox?

Devil Rays


Red Sox


Question 5: Which is funnier, the Orioles-themed church sign or the Earl Weaver tirade?

Church


Earl


Question 6: Which is the better nostalgic O's video, Orioles Magic or Orioles Magic? (Sorry, no room for democracy on this one.)

Orioles Magic


Orioles Magic

Hagy Does Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Wild Bill is gone, but obviously not forgotten

By Matthew Taylor

"I'd give anything right now to hear one more time, hear my friend's jokes or stories."

-Chris Franklin, a friend of Wild Bill

Baseball season is over, but the memories of Wild Bill live on. Keith Maisel of The Catonsville Times covered another of the many local tributes to everybody's favorite former cab driver. It's just further proof of the legacy left behind by a man who, like many us of, loved what the O's once were.

Consider some of the comments left by Roar from 34 readers during this past season:

"Living behind Memorial Stadium for 22 years, I spent a lot of time in Section 34, as well as other sections at Memorial Stadium. I have so many fond memories of those days and appreciation for WB. What was better than he and Dempsey on the O's dugout? It's too bad young O's fans weren't lucky enough to know him, but he'll always live in our memories."

-Crystal Hall

"As a 'charter member' of he section 34 rowdies...I applaud the effort gents!!Thanks for keeping the spirit alive."

-"Young" Doug Reaves

"We were so privileged to have a first class organization like the Orioles during the "Orioles Magic" era and a group like Section 34. Like my friend "Young Doug", I was also a charter member. We had some great memories. Our fan base drew people from all professions and faiths -- steelworkers, cab drivers, accountants, doctors -- out for a fun day or night at Memorial Stadium to cheer our lungs out for the Orioles. We also had a softball team that raised thousands of dollars for various charities in the games we played. Our section was one large family of fans. In this era of sports with high ticket prices and the wine and cheese crowds, there may never be a group like Section 34 again. Thanks for the memories Wild Bill -- rest in peace my friend."

-Glenn

O's Continue To Remember Wild Bill

Looks like the O's are doing things right when it comes to remembering Wild Bill Hagy. First they created the "Wild Bill Hagy Award" for the Orioles Hall of Fame, and now they're collecting memories to post on the team's MLB website, with a pretty good video of the man himself to spark your memory. It's worth a visit over to the Orioles' website to check it out.

More on Wild Bill Hagy

Tributes appear inside and outside of the Blog-O's-phere

By Matthew Taylor

“And, today, a generation of Orioles fans mourns their crazy uncle.”

-Dan Connolly, The Baltimore Sun

A round-up of Wild Bill Hagy stories and tributes, starting with some of my favorite details and quotes about the O's legend.

· "If ever an out-of-town fan happened into his cab wearing a Yankees hat, he ordered it removed. If the person refused, he refused the fare."

· "This was a football town when I got here," Palmer said. "The Colts were still the No. 1 team in this town. But he was like everybody else. He was kind of the cheerleader version of Cal. I think people could relate to him. People loved to sit up there. ... He made it exciting."

· "In more personal moments away from the park, Mr. Dempsey rode in Mr. Hagy's cab and talked baseball with him.'He was just a thrilling part of our careers,' Mr. Dempsey said. 'There will never be another like Wild Bill Hagy.'"

· "At the ballpark, fueled by Budweiser and his love for baseball, he became a different person. Mr. Hagy took his inspiration from legendary Baltimore Colts fan Leonard 'Big Wheel' Burrier. He once asked Mr. Burrier if he minded an imitator at Orioles games. 'Big Wheel' gave him his blessing and thus began the routine."

· "If Orioles baseball was his religion, his pulpit was Section 34 - a perch in the upper deck of his church, Memorial Stadium. It's where he and his disciples stood and cheered nightly and drank in, not just soaked in, Oriole Magic."

· “His unforgettable chant, however, remains part of the Orioles' holy trinity of fan traditions along with the "O" during the national anthem and John Denver's "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" during the seventh-inning stretch.It's one of those weird but lovable things that are uniquely Baltimore. It's hard to explain why certain random acts or people become so endearing here, except that they inspire nostalgia and remind us of a simpler, perhaps even better, time.”

AP

Baltimore Sun

Dan Connolly column

O, By the Way

WBAL

WGMD

Carroll County Times

Channel 2 News

Wayward O

Baltimore Mick

Detours and Devotions

Legal Right

SchansBlog

CrabLaw

Dempsey’s Army

Oriole Magic

Oriole Post

Inside Charm City

The Loss Column

Our Favorite Local Legend Passes Away

[Photo: The Baltimore Sun]

Wild Bill Hagy, 68, creator of the real "Roar from 34," dies

By Matthew Taylor

"You can't fully appreciate what he meant to Orioles fans unless you were part of the Memorial Stadium days"

-Roch Kubatko

A sad day for longtime O's fans as another link to the team's magical past has died.

Wild Bill Hagy, the man who, according The Sun, "loved his beer in Section 34 at Memorial Stadium," and who created the original Roar from (Section) 34 for which this blog is named, passed away this afternoon at his Arbutus home.

[See the sidebar "What does Roar from 34 mean?" for more details.]

Hagy is so ingrained in local lore that the Babe Ruth Museum includes him as part of its "Nine Innings of Baseball" display. The Museum describes Hagy's role as follows: "Inning Six features the familiar musical strain of "Orioles Magic," Wild Bill leading the Roar from 34, and other memorable images and music from the raucous 1980s."

The Orioles' statement on Hagy:

The Orioles organization is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of "Wild Bill" Hagy. While leading cheers from "The Roar from 34" at Memorial Stadium, Wild Bill became a Baltimore institution. He was one of the great characters of the Baltimore sports landscape and was a true die-hard Orioles fan, supporting the club year in and year out. He will be missed by everyone who knew him and by everyone for whom he led the "O-R-I-O-L-E-S" cheer. All of us in the Orioles organization extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends. A moment of silence will be held in his memory before tonight's Orioles-Rangers game. William G. Hagy was 68 years old.

Roch Kubatko shares his thoughts and encourages fans to do the same. He writes, "You can't fully appreciate what he meant to Orioles fans unless you were part of the Memorial Stadium days ...."

The Roar from 34 authors saw Hagy earlier this summer during Cal's Hall of Fame induction weekend. Sadly, the many nostalgic Birds fans in the Cooperstown watering hole where Hagy was spotted couldn't coax the Baltimore legend into doing his O-R-I-O-L-E-S routine one last time.

Bird Watching Video

By Matthew Taylor

Because anything's better right now than talking about what's happening on the diamond, here's the Mascot Hall of Fame nomination video for the Oriole Bird. It's fun viewing for longtime Birds fans as it features a lot of Memorial Stadium footage.

The Bird's always there to cheer us up. We need him now more than ever.

See if you can spot the footage from a Baltimore Blast game and a quick shot of Wild Bill Hagy.