Though the calendar says that spring begins in late March, everyone knows that the true marker of the season is baseball’s Opening Day.
And no one relished Opening Day more than Jim Henneman. From his high school days as a pitcher at Calvert Hall to a writing career that spanned eight decades for every major print outlet in town, Jim knew just how important that first day of the season was, culturally, psychically and on the field.
And so, every first Orioles home game found Henny, as he came to be known, decked in a tuxedo replete with the requisite black tie and orange shirt.
Jim Henneman, who died last month at the age of 89, was no show pony. Indeed, he was probably the most gifted baseball writer this city has ever seen, and that’s saying something.
He wrote both elegantly and in a straight-forward manner. His pieces broke the game down methodically, but never condescendingly.
Henny’s game stories and analysis took the readers down on the field and into the clubhouse to let the audience know what was going on in the minds of the players, managers and coaches.
Personally, he was a charmer, a down-to-earth kind of guy who took the work seriously, but never himself. It was always a kick to watch him craft his stories from the press box with a beer next to his laptop.
After he stepped away from daily journalism in 1995, the Orioles tapped into Jim’s vast knowledge of the game and named him official scorekeeper, placing him in control of deciding what was a hit and what was an error for most Camden Yards games.
It was fitting, then, that the team eventually named the press box which was such an integral part of his life for Jim before the 2024 season.
Essentially, the Orioles enshrined the spot where baseball journalism in Baltimore took place for the man who personified it over the 70 plus years the team has been here.
It’s disheartening, then, to hear last week’s news, that the team is moving the press box from behind home plate, where it has historically been located since the stadium opened in 1992.
The new Jim Henneman press box will move down the third base line, with a perspective that is askew from the traditional perspective for writers and broadcasters.
In the spot where the old box was located will go a premium club that will provide 380 big-money fans with a private entrance, VIP parking and the finest meats and cheeses and beverages.
In a certain sense, what the Orioles are doing is no different than what most professional teams are doing these days, namely maximizing revenue by kicking the media who provide day-to-day coverage out of prime in arena real estate.
The team is taking advantage of some of the $600 million they’re getting from Maryland taxpayers to upgrade the 33-year-old ballpark, so it’s all legal.
It’s just not in keeping with who Jim Henneman was. And that’s a shame.
And that’s how I see it for this week. You can reach us via email with your questions and comments at Sports at Large at gmail.com. And follow me on BlueSky, Threads and X at Sports at Large.
Until next week, for all of us here and for producers Lisa Morgan and Rob Timm, I’m Milton Kent. Thanks for listening and enjoy the games.
