[Baltimore Sun] Orioles icons Cal Ripken Jr., Jim Palmer, Buck Showalter, others remember late owner Peter Angelos
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Longtime Orioles owner and family patriarch Peter Angelos died Saturday at 94 years old, the team announced.
Here’s what former Orioles and those who knew Angelos had to say in remembrance of the Baltimore political activist and one of the most successful class-action attorneys in U.S. history:
Cal Ripken Jr., former Orioles shortstop and Hall of Famer
“Peter was a significant influence in Baltimore for decades,” Ripken said in a statement. “His impact on our region through his ownership of the Orioles and his many charitable contributions has been undeniable. Peter and I had a good relationship and following my retirement, his generosity towards our family’s foundation and assistance in making the IronBirds an Orioles affiliate in our hometown were greatly appreciated. Laura and I have Georgia and the Angelos family in our thoughts today.”
Jim Palmer, former Orioles pitcher and Hall of Famer
“I always considered Peter a friend,” Palmer said on the phone Saturday. “He was the type of guy who would do things for people but didn’t want anyone else to know that he did them. He didn’t want that attention. That’s who he was.”
“If you suffered from asbestos poisoning or tobacco poisoning or lead paint poisoning, he was the knight in shining armor.”
“People have a very short memory. When he bought the team, he said the Orioles are a state treasure. Now, some people obviously didn’t like the way that he ran the ballclub. But there were a lot of good things that happened with Peter.”
“It’s the end of era. He kept the team here. One of the most beautiful ballparks. Yeah, there were ups and downs and, what, 14 losing years and all that, maybe he interfered or whatever. If I’m David Rubenstein, I have to say thank you for keeping the team here and leaving me a team that has the chance of being very good.”
Buck Showalter, former Orioles manager
“Peter had a great love for Baltimore,” Showalter said in a statement. “Every conversation seemed to start with what was best for the people of Baltimore, the fans. It’s sad for me because I know how much the Orioles meant to him and how happy he was when we got better — him coming down to the locker room during the playoffs and seeing him smile during the good times.
“I used to go over to his office once a homestand and just sit down, have lunch and talk with him. You could tell how passionate he was. When someone gets you and you kind of get them, there’s a certain kinship there. I had a great relationship with him.
“With that type of spotlight, there’s a lot of scrutiny, and I think he understood that. He was a tough man, driven, self-made, very focused, smart, sharp. He was special.”
Boog Powell, former Orioles first baseman and two-time World Series champion
“When I came to Baltimore to try to open my business, they didn’t own the Orioles when I opened Boog’s BBQ,” Powell said. “But Peter sure made me feel welcomed after they took over the team, and I had a good relationship with both him and John. … Most of the time, we would just talk about baseball. He was a big baseball fan — huge baseball fan. The Angelos family was great to me.”
Rick Dempsey, former Orioles catcher and two-time World Series champion
“Peter was so good to me we had a very good relationship,” Dempsey said in a statement. “…. I am sad that he suffered so long with Dementia but I am happier now that he is at peace .. God Bless him he was a good man …”
Brandon Hyde, Orioles manager
“I’m just going to start off by offering my condolences to the Angelos family,” Hyde said to open his pregame news conference Saturday. “I know he meant a lot to a lot of people — the city of Baltimore, the community and baseball. I just want to offer my sincere condolences to the family.”
Dave Trembley, former Orioles manager
“In 2009, [Matt] Wieters was getting called up to Baltimore,” Trembley said in a statement. “I was going to leave the team for two days to return home to Daytona Beach, Florida, to attend my son’s high school graduation on Saturday. Mr. Angelos found out about this and said, ‘You aren’t missing Wieters’ debut, you are the manager.’ He flew me home Friday night after the game on his private plane, and I went to the graduation and was back for batting practice on Saturday.
“I met with Mr. Angelos in his office after I was named the manager. He was very nice to me. He asked that I make sure the players were professional on and off the field and represented the tradition of the Orioles in a positive way and were cordial to the fans and Orioles workers. A real nice man. Special. My sincere condolences to his family.”
Adam Jones, former Orioles center fielder
“Saddened to hear the loss of Peter Angelos,” Jones wrote on X. “Mr. Angelos was an incredible man and we both shared a deep love for the city of Baltimore and the Orioles. Sending my condolences to the Angelos family during this difficult time. Rest in Power Mr. A.”
Chris Davis, former Orioles first baseman
“The first time I met Peter was actually in the clubhouse in 2012 when we were kind of making a run towards the end of the season trying to get into that wild-card game,” Davis said on the phone. “He said, you know, you remind me of somebody. And for anybody who’s ever met Peter, he’s not a big man, but he’s got a big presence. He’s got a big, bolstering voice. He said, ‘You remind me of somebody,’ and I said, ‘Who’s that?’ He said, ‘Babe Ruth,’ and I was like, ‘Wow, thank you.’ That’s an outstanding compliment. I thought it was cool that he made it a point to come and talk to me. It was my first full year with the team, having been traded there the year before. But I also appreciated the fact that he wanted to be in the clubhouse and be around the guys seeing as the team was doing very well.
“Over the years, obviously, I got to know him a lot better, and I would go to his office every now and then just to sit and talk with him about whatever. I just always appreciated how authentic and genuine he was. He really cared about the team. He really cared about the guys on the team. He wanted to know how the chemistry and the culture in the clubhouse was. He wanted to know if the guys got along or if we spent time together away from the field. You could tell he was a family man and that was important to him.
“He did care about the team. When you go through as many losing seasons as the Orioles did before we started winning again, it’s tough. As the owner, you’re going to take that on the chin because everyone feels like you’re the one in control. But Peter really did care about the team. It really rejuvenated him and excited him to see the team winning again from 2012 to 2016 — to see the great postseason run in 2014.
“The commitment that he and the Orioles organization made to me contractually changed my life and changed my family’s life. I always appreciated that about Peter. I think he’s a very faithful, very loyal man. I think he’s definitely going to be missed.”
Scott McGregor, former Orioles pitcher
“So sorry to hear of Mr Angelos’ passing,’ McGregor said. “Peter’s name is synonymous with Baltimore and the Orioles. He was a huge influence throughout the city both heartfelt and financially and he will never be forgotten.”
Ben McDonald, former Orioles pitcher and current MASN broadcaster
“We’d all heard the rumors and heard that he was bad off. You knew that the time was probably near, and having gone through that with my dad recently, you try to prepare for something like that, but you’re never fully prepared.
“I was young when Peter bought the club, and Peter was around and he was a big fan of baseball. He was around in the early years a good bit. I got the chance to talk with him a few times, but not a lot. When I think of Peter, I think of obviously a world-class attorney — all the cases that he won and did in that world. And also as a really good owner, too, and a guy that found a way through all the rumors over the years to keep the club in Baltimore. He wanted to keep the club in Baltimore, and he found a way to do that.
“My first thoughts and prayers are with the family, because I know how difficult a time it is. That’s how I remember Peter, as a really good owner, a nice guy, an engaging guy. As an individual he was a little bit, I don’t know, but I don’t have anything bad to say about him, man. I always thought he was a good guy. He did it the best way that he could in a smaller market, and, you know, he seems to love the game of baseball, he really did.”
Pam Shriver, part-owner and former tennis star
“It’s an emotional day for the whole Angelos family, the Baltimore Orioles, the city of Baltimore,” Shriver said on the phone. “We can reflect on what Peter helped do to stabilize the Orioles in Baltimore forever, which is the hope. If that’s the case in history, it will be chalked up to what Peter was able to do in the early 90s to secure local ownership and bringing on a pretty unique group of partners, which I’ve been pleased to be a part of.
“His legacy is Baltimore first. Peter just loved his hometown. It’s where he made his business, his law practice empire. He made his mark as owner of the Orioles. His family remained there, his kids. I feel like that’s what Baltimore is about, maintaining your love for the city and wanting to leave it in a better place when you have the ability and the wisdom and wealth to make Baltimore a better place. I feel like Peter did that. I think he leaves behind an amazing legacy, honestly, both at the law practice and what he did for the Orioles.”
Janet Marie Smith, former vice president of Orioles planning and development
“First, I should extend my sympathies to Peter Angelos’ family,” Smith said in a statement. “He loved his family so much, and I know the loss is immense. He also loved Baltimore. During the years I worked for him (1993-94 and again 2009-12), he demonstrated that over and over. Through quiet anonymous acts and public advocacy, especially for downtown and its importance to the city and the state.
“He took great and direct interest in the 20th anniversary upgrades to Camden Yards and the renovations to Ed Smith Stadium and player facilities in Sarasota. He was always thoughtful about decisions and never hurried in examining options and understanding their implications from a fan or players perspective. He always asked about the business ramifications of decisions, not just the budget implications. He valued that knowledge of the sports industry, relationships with the Maryland Stadium Authority, sponsors, concessionaires, and vendors were important ingredients to getting things done — it wasn’t all about design — but he enjoyed that the most.
“He was so proud of the bronze sculptures of the Orioles retired number players and managers. He funded those himself and wanted each to feel honored by the gesture, though he never publicly appeared at any of the ceremonies. He came to Camden Yards early one morning, just the two of us, to see the sculptures when they were all finished, and you could see how touched he was by their presence at the ballpark.
“I should also say, since I’m talking with the Baltimore Sun, he cared very much about the 4th estate. He left ‘The Sun’ sign on the scoreboard long after needed, out of respect for the importance of journalism in shedding light on issues of public interest that he felt government and business needed to know and be held accounted for — this wasn’t a casual act, this was his firm belief.”
Jim Duquette, former Orioles vice president for baseball operations
“He bought the team in ’93 to keep it from potentially leaving,” Duquette said Saturday on MLB Network Radio. “We have seen locally the Colts had left in the middle of the night, so there’s this whole feeling around in Baltimore that the Orioles might leave, too. They were up for sale. Eli Jacobs owned the team for a little bit, but they were talking about moving it out of town.
“There’s a lot of angst about the Orioles leaving. Peter was kind of the savior at that point. It’s hard to believe because a lot of people around town did not like Peter over the course of his ownership. Early on, he was such a successful lawyer and he represented a lot of people in the asbestos area in the state of Maryland, he was like a hero. They had success there a couple years into it. I think it was ’96 and ’97 that they got to the ALCS back-to-back. During that period of time, he was at the ballpark a lot. He loved baseball. He loved the sport.”
David Rubenstein, whose purchase of the club is expected to soon be approved by Major League Baseball
“I offer my deepest condolences to the Angelos family on the passing of Peter Angelos. Peter made an indelible mark first in business and then in baseball. The city of Baltimore owes him a debt of gratitude for his stewardship of the Orioles across three decades and for positioning the team for great success.”
Steve Bisciotti, Ravens owner
“I am saddened to learn about the passing of Peter Angelos. As a native Baltimorean, Peter was an important figure in our city’s rich sports history. He was a smart businessman who wasn’t afraid to stand up to issues he felt were important. Above all, the impact Peter made through his philanthropic efforts left a lasting impression on our community. My heart goes out to the Angelos family during this difficult time.”
Ronald Weich, University of Baltimore School of Law Dean
“Peter Angelos was one of the most successful and most loyal graduates of our law school. He was a fierce advocate for his clients and a champion for justice.”
Josh Linn, a season-ticket holder who hosts an Orioles podcast
Linn said his first years as a fan in the early 2000s were rocky under Angelos’ leadership. However, the 33-year-old praised Angelos for keeping games affordable for families.
“The fact that they were so vocal about keeping games affordable when other teams in other leagues are trying to extract every last dollar out of the experience” was commendable, Linn said. “He found a balance between running a profitable business and also offering a good customer experience.”
While other teams during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike were eager to hire fill-in players or “scabs,” Angelos was one of few owners who took a pro-labor stance. His legal work on behalf of asbestos victims and his philanthropic work in Baltimore should overshadow past failures on the field, Linn said.
Overall, Linn called Angelos, “a fundamentally decent person who has a complicated legacy.”
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, longtime Maryland Democrat
“Sad to hear of Peter Angelos’ passing,” Ruppersberger wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “What a legend. He was a fierce competitor, usually for the underdogs and working class. He leaves an enduring legacy of philanthropy and commitment to #Baltimore and will be missed.”
Baltimore Sun reporter Cassidy Jensen contributed to this article, which will be updated.
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