BALTIMORE — Fans attending Baltimore Orioles' games at Memorial Stadium will soon find their coolers and ice chests being inspected at the gates as officials crack down on alcohol abuse by fans, officials said Friday.
Beginning July 8, containers brought into the park will be inspected for alcoholic beverages in an effort to preserve the "family atmosphere" at games, said General Manager Hank Peters.
In a survey by Sport magazine, published in its July issue, "Oriole fans were rated as the best-behaved in all major league baseball," Peters said. "Unfortunately, there is a small minority among our fans whose rowdy conduct and obscene language tend to spoil a day at the ballpark for those around them. It is our feeling that overindulgence in alcoholic beverages is the principal cause of that misbehavior."
Fans with coolers will be asked to enter through two gates as officials begin efforts to enforce a long-standing Baltimore Park Board regulation prohibiting bringing alcoholic beverages and any cans or bottles into the stadium.
