In Baltimore, A Different Historic Moment: A Fan-less Baseball Game

By Eyder Peralta / NPR

Published April 29, 2015 at 9:44 AM PDT

This story was published more than 9 years ago.

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez delivers a pitch against the Chicago White Sox in the first inning of a baseball game without fans on Wednesday in Baltimore.

History was made in Baltimore today: The Orioles played in what the league says is the first Major League Baseball game to be closed to public.

So players came on the field to no cheers and a home run was marked by the crack of a bat and only a few isolated claps.

Here's video of the first pitch:

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And video of a three-run home run by Orioles first-baseman Chris Davis:

NPR's Don Gonyea is at Camden Yards this afternoon and he reports that he saw just a small amount of police presence outside the stadium.

ESPN reports that it is believed that fan-less games have been played in the minor leagues. The network explains:

"The Baseball Hall of Fame and John Thorn, MLB's official historian, said they did not think there ever had been a closed-doors big league game, although there have been instances in the minor leagues. "Thorn said the lowest attendance for a major league game appears to be six when Worcester hosted Troy in a National League matchup on Sept. 28, 1882."