The Birds’ last flight

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Orioles’ last World Series championship, which Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken Jr. and the rest of their teammates celebrate at old Veterans Stadium after Baltimore beats Philadelphia 5-0 in the fifth and deciding game of the 1983 World Series.

Murray, who is 2-for-16 through the first four games of the Series, accounts for three of the Orioles’ runs with a solo home run in the second inning and a two-run homer in the fourth.

Both homers come off Phillies starter Charles Hudson – the first on a drive to deep right field; the second denting the scoreboard in even deeper right-center.

Each one further quieting the late Sunday afternoon crowd of 67,064 in South Philly.

Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr.

Ripken, in only the second full season of his Hall of Fame career in 1983, catches the final out of the Series on an easy liner to short by Philadelphia’s Garry Maddox.

“I just squeezed my hand over the ball,” Ripken later tells the Baltimore Sun. “And the feeling of fulfillment, joy, accomplishment – there was just this finality to holding the ball in your glove.”

Alas for Ripken and his teammates, the Orioles have yet to return to the Series.

Of course, the one from 1983 still resonates with those who are there.

“I only had one personal highlight,” center fielder Al Bumbry says at the approach of the 40th anniversary, “and that was when Ripken caught that soft line drive. That was my highlight. That’s the one thing I remember that sticks in my mind to this day.”