Bob Smith

( Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / October 8, 2012 )

Bob Smith, portfolio manager of T. Rowe Price's International Fund, had this memory to share: "I learned to read with Oriole box scores, delivered the Morning Sun for 5 years, ages 13 through 17, growing up in Rogers Forge. With a single mom, I was a Junior Oriole and went to games with my older sister on the bus. I have more memories than I can peck out on a Blackberry but a few:

"Saw Paul Blair hit an inside the park grand slam. Saw Bobby Grich hit 3 homers. Saw a 17-inning game where the father who took us kids never called home and caught hell for bringing us home so late. I saw the Orioles hit 5 singles with 2 outs in the ninth to win.

"My favorite as a kid might have been a game that never finished as Mike Cueller, with two out in the fifth and the O's losing in the pouring rain foul off several pitches before he hit a single and the umps called the game and Cueller started dancing like a kid at second base.

"My favorite as an adult was the last playoff game in 1997 when they lost in 10 to the Indians. In a moment of pure frustration in the 7th my 7-year-old grabbed my hand and said 'Don't worry Dad, even if they lose I am having a great time with you." Wow that made me realize what it was all about -- spending time with my kid.

"I could go on. But they have lived in my head for 40 years. "