While some 40,000 fans were looking on, Sheela Murthy threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Orioles-Nationals baseball game on Sunday, June 24th at Baltimore’s Camden Yards. As part of the Girl Scouts’ Grand Slam 100th Anniversary Celebration, Murthy was chosen to do the honors. She is a longtime supporter of the Girl Scouts, and Board Chair for the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. Murthy was accompanied by flag bearers and an honor guard of Girl Scouts who sang the national anthem before the game.
2012 marks a double anniversary for the Girl Scouts. In addition the Girl Scouts of the USA turning 100, the Central Maryland chapter is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. The Grand Slam event was one of many scheduled celebrations commemorating these institutional milestones.
The game was a bit of a cliffhanger for the Orioles, who pulled off a last-minute victory with Matt Wieters’ two-run homer in the eighth inning. For the Girl Scouts, it was just a great party, from end to end: there was cotton candy in Girl-Scout green, face painting, temporary tattoos, and a special souvenir patch for each Girl Scout in attendance. Nearly 8,000 Girl Scouts swelled the crowd for the final game in what turned out to be the “the most highly attended three-game series in Baltimore this season,” according to the Baltimore Sun. (See Matt Wieters’ 2-Run Homer in the Bottom of the 8th Lifts Orioles to 2-1 Win Over Nationals, by Eduardo A. Encina, Baltimore Sun, 24.Jun.2012.) All in all, it was a great show of Girl Scout spirit and hometown pride.
Copyright © 2012, SHEELA MURTHY. All Rights Reserved