Something Magic: The Baltimore Orioles, 1979-1983

by Charles Kupfer

"Orioles Magic" is a phrase fans still associate with the 1979-1983 seasons, Baltimore's last championship era, when they played excellent, exciting ball with a penchant for late-inning heroics. This book analyzes the Orioles not just as a great team but as the team to be marked by the fabled "Oriole Way," an organizational commitment to fundamentally sound baseball that guided them for nearly 30 years. The Magic years are discussed in the context of Baltimore sports, fan culture and baseball history, recalling the thrills of a splendid squad that delighted fans and reminding us why Peter Gammons called the 1979-1983 Orioles one of the major league's "last fun teams."

Genres: Baseball, Sports

212 pages, Paperback

Published June 26, 2018

Reviews

[Rich Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

For Oriole fans it's a very nostalgic read. It focuses in on the years 1979-83, the last of which is the last World Series the O's won. It was great to hear about players, managers, and events from that period many of which I remember but some I had forgotten. The book covers in less detail the entire history of baseball in Baltimore from the late 19th century. Threaded throughout is commentary on who owned the team, how the team and the community interacted, and the nearly always present fear that the team would leave Baltimore (like the football Colts).

As an Oriole fan since 1966 I could easily have rated this 4-5 stars but the kindle version was laden with typos early on and they popped up, albeit with less frequency, to the end. Unfortunately the editor for this kindle version performed more like Billy Ripken at the plate than Cal.

[Paul Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not the best written book in the world (and I noticed a few typos while reading), but it was a nice retrospective of the Orioles from 1979 to 1983. It also included a history of baseball in Baltimore up to that time and since.

I'm just a little too young to remember that era. (I turned 9 in 1983 and was, and am, more a Phillies fan anyway, but the O's have been my American League team my whole life.) It was a good way to learn about a time when the O's were considered the model franchise of baseball from an organizational point of view while also being a fun team to root for. It gave a good sense of the love affair between the city and the team and how strong the bond truly was.

It makes me wish I could remember those times and that they return soon. It's a fairly quick read and well worth the time.

[Stu Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A warm bath of nostalgia, a history of the 5 seasons that made up the last glory years of the Orioles. A season by season breakdown, a look at Earl Weaver and his managerial genius and his penchant for fighting umps, a look at all the players, and a recap of the magic moments of Orioles magic. If your an Orioles fan my age or older, it's as I said a warm bath of nostalgia, if your a younger Orioles fan there was a time once when we were legends. I can't recommend this enough

[mitchell p. kanefsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read!

Nostalgic! I recall being at the Stadium at the beginning of Orioles Magic when DeCinces homered off Tobik! To this day, I know who the true Orioles fans are based on the comments I get when I wear a “Hagy 34” T-shirt! How ‘bout dem O’s Hun!!