Baltimore Orioles fans are letting ownership know how badly they messed up after the organization suspended play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown for pointing out a baseball statistic on-air.
Yes, it was that stupid and absurdly petty for the Orioles to suspend Brown for literally doing his job, as he simply pointed out that the Orioles lost 15-straight road series to the Tampa Bay Rays before snapping the streak last month.
As you could imagine, the Orioles have received tons of criticism for the inexplicable move, with broadcasters across the MLB calling out the idiocy of suspending a broadcaster for stating a fact about the team they cover.
Well, Orioles fans have jumped into the conversation as they led a very loud “Free Kevin Brown!” chant at Camden Yards on Tuesday night during Baltimore’s evening tilt with the Houston Astros.
You could even hear it clearly on the game broadcast while the announcers discussed everything but the chant that was going on in the background.
An audible and unmistakable "Free Kevin Brown" breaks out in the seventh inning at Camden Yards. pic.twitter.com/vjTbk4APd8
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 9, 2023
A “Free Kevin Brown” chant grows voice in the seventh inning at Camden Yards pic.twitter.com/1ghipT1k4O
— Andy Kostka (@afkostka) August 9, 2023
O’s fans are coming out to support Kevin Brown pic.twitter.com/rmhnlXwZxF
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) August 8, 2023
For the Orioles to be having such a fantastic season, you’d really have to screw up royally to get the fans this upset. Well, suspending your play-by-play guy for stating a baseball fact will do that.
Brown will reportedly be back in the booth on Aug. 11, ending one of the most embarrassing controversies in sports this year.
However, hopefully the Orioles brass learns that you can’t just suspend someone that works for you because they point out an unflattering statistic about your team that has since gone away.
Doing something that silly will unite everyone in disgust and frustration.
MLB fans really admired Orioles fans for supporting Kevin Brown.
Kevin Brown dreamed of a lot in his TV career but I'm pretty sure he never dreamed of this. https://t.co/hTEOpFDxlq
— Bryan Curtis (@bryancurtis) August 9, 2023
"I'm not owned! I'm not owned!!" John Angelos continue to insist as he slowly shrank and transformed into a corn cob https://t.co/VLKAdC45hl
— Jay Jaffe (@jay_jaffe) August 9, 2023
John Angelos is going to suspend 30,000 people tonight https://t.co/4B1qEC5nwG
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) August 9, 2023
How can you not be romantic about baseball https://t.co/SugDGcyuXX
— Franzke & LA (@FranzkeLA) August 9, 2023
This is incredible. To see everyone around the broadcasting and baseball community support Kevin Brown has been inspiring. Orioles fans, you rock and you deserve better. https://t.co/4YCTITD27W
— Frank-Paul Santangelo Jr. (@fp_jr) August 9, 2023
This was heard loudly on the MASN broadcast. The Orioles subsequently suspended every fan in attendance. https://t.co/MlD7lGjylQ
— Vince Marotta (@Vincemarotta) August 9, 2023
More evidence that Baltimore is a really, really good, smart sports town with a dynamite baseball culture that has been beaten down by 30 years of Angelos family ownership negligence/incompetence/indifference (take your pick). https://t.co/TVgQzW3he9
— Ben Krimmel (@BenKrimmel) August 9, 2023
This why you love baseball https://t.co/c52w417cDN
— Cassidy McMahon (@CassMac_21) August 9, 2023
Fans realizing they do have some power over their weird MLB team owners. https://t.co/kS2svhMghy
— Casey Pratt (@CaseyPrattABC7) August 9, 2023
🔥🔥🔥 FREE KEVIN BROWN 🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/ffPX4V83lY
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) August 9, 2023
Baltimore are on pace for their best record in 44 years and in the midst of a game where they're up against the defending World Series champs, the fans are angrily jeering at ownership to stop messing with their Play-by-Play broadcaster
One of the greatest self-owns of all time https://t.co/zO0WmNVrXF
— Canada Sports Betting (@CANSportbetting) August 9, 2023
Respect to Orioles fans.👏🏻 https://t.co/mZ9IFBYRsY
— Keith Murphy (@MurphyKeith) August 9, 2023
Well done, Orioles fans! https://t.co/x9HCXz7lPY
— Judy Battista (@judybattista) August 9, 2023
This is fantastic 👏🏼 👏🏼 https://t.co/RDZdbMp0Sq
— Andrew Catalon (@AndrewCatalon) August 9, 2023
They should let you recall sports owners like you can vote on recall elections https://t.co/IvO806IiYO
— Shohei Ohtani Stan Account (@AndyKHLiu) August 9, 2023
This should be Kevin Brown’s ringtone https://t.co/C2sIvBiEaU
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) August 9, 2023
