Orioles Rise From The Ashes: Baltimore's Journey To The Majors

Frank Lynch saw his first professional baseball game as a seven-year-old in 1946, and what a game it was. The hometown club, the Baltimore Orioles, was hosting the Montreal Royals and the teams exciting rookie, Jackie Robinson. The fact that Robinson was breaking baseballs color barrier had little impact on the youngster. Although he was fascinated with Robinsons aggressive style and blazing speed, Frank was more interested in the players wearing the Oriole uniforms. He quickly matched uniform numbers and namesthose of Eddie Robinson, Al Cihocki, Howie Moss and Johnny Podgajny. He was hooked. Throughout his youth and into adulthood he was first and foremost a baseball fan. For 30 years, he worked as a sports writer and copy editor at both of Baltimores major newspapersthe News American and the Baltimore Sun. After retiring in 2001, Frank decided to chronicle the final ten years of Baltimores membership in the International League. Orioles Rise from the Ashes is a fact-filled account of events both on and off the field that eventually led to Baltimores journey to the majors.