Complete history of Orioles' Mr. Splash on one-year anniversary of Bird Bath debut

On May 12, 2023, the Baltimore Orioles introduced a new member of the Birdland family. Mr. Splash made his debut sitting in front of section 86, now known as the Bird Bath. The idea was to spray fans sitting in the Bird Bath with water any time an Orioles player got an extra-base hit, and the ritual has now taken on a life of its own.

If any tradition desires to be long-lasting, it helps if it debuts by making a memorable impact. That particular evening, the Orioles put Mr. Splash to work. After a slow offensive start to the game, Cedric Mullings laced a fifth inning triple for his second hit of the game, and the first extra-base hit in the Mr. Splash era. The O's finished the game with five extra-base hits, capped off by a Mullins homer that gave him the seventh cycle in Orioles history.

One year later, Mr. Splash is still sitting in his "nest" for every home game in what has become one of the most popular attractions for fans at Camden Yards. His role morphed very quickly from only spraying fans when the O's got an extra-base hit to hosing down those in the Bird Bath whenever the time feels right. Mr. Splash has even sprayed those lucky enough to get tickets in section 86 when highlight defensive plays are made.

Which celebrities have been Guest Splashers in Orioles Bird Bath?

Several people have made appearances as guest splashers in the first year, including Ben McDonald, Gov. Wes Moore and, most recently, David Rubenstein. Rubenstein is, of course, the new owner of the Orioles, and his appearance as "Mr. Rubensplash" made Orioles fans love him even more.

There's no telling who will make the next guest appearance in the Bird Bath. One fun idea is fellow Orioles owner and baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr., who could appear on September 6, when the Orioles take on the Tampa Bay Rays on the 29th anniversary of Ripken breaking Lou Gehrig's consecutive games played streak.

The Orioles have played 86 home games since Mr. Splash has made his debut and they are 52-34 in that time. It looks like he and the Bird Bath are here to stay.