Wild Bill Hagy
| William Hagy | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | June 17, 1939 |
| Died | August 20, 2007 (aged 68) Arbutus, Maryland |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | "Wild Bill" |
| Occupation | Cab driver |
| Known for | "O-R-I-O-L-E-S" cheer |
William "Wild Bill" Hagy (June 17, 1939 – August 20, 2007) was an American baseball fan and cab driver from Dundalk, Maryland who led famous "O-R-I-O-L-E-S" chants during the late 1970s and early 1980s from section 34 in the upper deck at Memorial Stadium.
Hagy grew up in Sparrows Point, Maryland and drove an ambulance, an ice cream truck, and eventually a cab until he retired in 2004.
Hagy's chants and persona developed him into an icon associated with the Baltimore Orioles for years. While leading cheers from "The Roar from 34" at Memorial Stadium, Wild Bill became a Baltimore institution. Standing at six foot two inches tall, Hagy was an easily recognized figure at the ball park, always adorned in sun glasses and a straw cowboy-styled hat. Hagy found the inspiration in his cheers from Leonard "Big Wheel" Burrier, a famous fan who led the Baltimore Colts in similar cheers.
Hagy is said to symbolize the term "Orioles Magic" as his cheers sometimes led to comeback victories for the Orioles. Eventually the team recognized his enthusiasm and let him do his Orioles cheers from atop the dugout. Hagy's fame led him to meet Presidents such as Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, and to get writeups in The New York Times.
In 1985, Hagy boycotted Memorial Stadium for not being allowed to bring in his own beer. At the end of a game he tossed his cooler of beer onto the field, never to return.
Hagy did return to Camden Yards however, the night Cal Ripken broke the longtime record for consecutive games played. Hagy led the fans in his famous cheer on one of baseball's greatest nights.
Hagy's last known O-R-I-O-L-E-S cheer was performed at Ripken's Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, New York. Hagy died at his home in Arbutus, Maryland in 2007.
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