2014 Orioles FanFest

This past Saturday I went to my second Orioles FanFest at the Convention Center in Baltimore.  This once a year event is very, very well attended.  Season ticket holders such as myself get free early admission to the event, which begins at ten in the morning.  By the time I arrived at the complex and parked for free at Camden Yards (thanks, O's!) the line waiting to get in wrapped around the convention center--a huge building that spans many city blocks.  This was only the season ticket holders. The general admission people were in a different line, waiting to go in at eleven.

I had autograph tickets last year, but this year I didn't have any. One of the best parts of FanFest besides the Q&A with players and coaches, and the autographs, is the room with some inexpensive memorabilia. 

Last year I got a 6 foot horizontal Orioles banner that hung in Camden Yards for ten dollars, and also a smaller banner of the Oriole Bird.  This year I got a vertical "Together We Play" banner that hung inside Camden Yards for twenty dollars.  One one side is Matt Wieters.

 On the other side is Jim Johnson, a now former Oriole.  Jim's face will always be up against the wall.

Actually, I am probably not going to hang it--I am going to put it up on eBay since I already have one hanging.

Something else I found was a pile of scorecards, authenticated by MLB.  Not that the O's would sell fake material, but regardless, it adds value.  There were a slew of these to choose from, but I chose the first one I picked up, since Hunter Pence's name was on it!  For the record, the O's won this game back in 2008.  I am going to frame it.  Oh yeah, only ten bucks for this.

 In the giveaway room, I got a free O's magazine and an Earl Weaver bronze statue.

And finally, here are a bunch of autographed 8x10s they were selling...for one dollar each!  What a steal, although you probably don't recognize some or all of the players.  Never fear! Not many people there did, but the names are on the back .  Top: Aubrey Huff, and former Phillies Danys Baez.  Bottom: David Hernandez, and Aubrey Huff, this time in a black uniform.

Top: Rich Hill, Miguel Tejada (looked like he signed in Crayola marker. All of the sigs were faded and horrible), Bottom: Greg Zaun, Brian Bass

And here's a second white uniform Aubrey Huff (can't have too many), and former Phillie Ty Wigginton.  All of these get framed and put on my wall of 8x10s.  Can't beat them, for a dollar!

Free magnets all the fans received!

This might be the best 8x10 I got at FanFest, and it wasn't even of an Oriole!  I met Dion from Dion's IP Autos, and I traded him 11 signed cards for this sweet Joe Flacco 8x10, and a Matt Stover and Tyrod Taylor on card auto.  It was great meeting a fellow blogger!  Thanks, Dion.

One last thing, I mentioned on Twitter (@FunnerHere) that I got a Flacco auto for $10 from eBay, and here it is!  I think Joe has a nice auto and now is the time to buy them, while he had a down year.  Any Flacco autos you'd like to trade, I'm all ears!