The Colts left Baltimore when I was 6 years old, just a kid. The Ravens did not arrive until I was a sophomore in college. I was excited that Baltimore had an NFL team, but my enthusiasm was quelled by the fact that I grew up without a hometown football team. My formative years were spent rooting for the Orioles.

I can still recall trips to Memorial Stadium during childhood as if they were yesterday. Once, my parents tricked my sister and me into believing that we were going to visit our "Aunt Birdie" on a Sunday afternoon. As the car made that familiar trek through the city toward 33rd Street, I knew we had been had.

I remember how Wild Bill Hagy and the "Roar from 34" would get the fans fired up in the late innings. I remember when "Thank God, I'm A Country Boy" was the only song played during the 7th-inning stretch.

Even when we couldn't get to the stadium, I remember listening to Chuck Thompson's call on the radio while sitting on the back porch with my Dad and our next door neighbor, or watching the game on Home Team Sports, listening to Mel Proctor and John Lowenstein.

Nothing is more powerful than the memories formed in one's childhood, and for that reason, the Orioles will always be near and dear to my heart.

Baltimore has endured 14 straight seasons of losing. So as an Orioles fan, one is always waiting for the other shoe to drop. When the Orioles jumped out to a fantastic first-place start this season in May, we all thought, "Hey, we've seen this before, in 2005, with Lee Mazzilli."

But somewhere, through the 25 different pitchers, the 178 roster moves and the injuries to Nick Markakis and Jason Hammel, Buck Showalter and Dan Duquette found a way for the 2012 Orioles.

They found diamonds in the rough like Miguel Gonzalez, discovered a niche for Brian Matusz as a lefty specialist, developed players like Manny Machado and Steve Johnson, got the most out of journeymen Chris Davis and turned guys like Adam Jones and Matt Wieters into clubhouse leaders.

They instilled a will to win in the Orioles and made them a relevant baseball team again. They deserve our thanks for making the "Oriole Way" more than just another childhood memory.

Brian Johnson, Elkridge