Baltimore riots: Unrest forces baseball game to be played without fans
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Version 0 of 1. The Baltimore Orioles took the field against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday afternoon but for the first time in Major League Baseball history the teams played without any fans in the stadium. First-ever crowdless MLB game as the Orioles play the White Sox in Baltimore : http://t.co/Oh3b5pzZW1 pic.twitter.com/oou8TtZp5f Wednesday's game came the day after the Orioles had a game cancelled due to unrest in Baltimore. A historic look at the empty Camden Yards as MLB closes @Orioles-@WhiteSox game to the public due to #BaltimoreRiots. pic.twitter.com/WuIGwCUp7B This is what an empty Baltimore Orioles game looks like http://t.co/aG5KmsRabJ pic.twitter.com/Xn8AgXSEnx Protests have been on-going in Baltimore since 25-year-old Freddie Gray died while in police custody earlier this month. The protests had been peaceful, but devolved into riots on Monday, resulting in arson and looting across the city. More than 200 people were arrested. The violence caused the Orioles – Baltimore’s professional baseball team – to postpone its game Tuesday. Baseball was back in Camden Yards on Wednesday, but the game was played before an empty stadium. Official @MLB historian says Baltimore Orioles empty stadium game will be 'unprecedented' http://t.co/KDvQTOkSrK pic.twitter.com/3lVIt2hCOZ “After consultation with Major League Baseball and city and local officials, tomorrow’s game between the Orioles and Chicago White Sox will begin at 2:05 pm and will be closed to the public,” the Orioles said in a statement. The possibility of further violence in Baltimore also has prompted the team to move its next three home games on May 1-3 to Tampa, Florida, though the Orioles will be the home team. Fans with tickets to Wednesday’s game or the games moved to Tampa will be able to exchange unused tickets for admission to future games, on a “dollar-for-dollar” basis, the team said.
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