Orioles Hall of Famer just made his pro wrestling debut in epic fashion

Every once in a while, an athlete and a city will form such a strong bond that the two become inseparable. It doesn't matter where the athlete is from or who he was drafted by. Such is the case with Baltimore and Orioles Hall of Famer Rick Dempsey.

Born in Tennessee, Dempsey was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1967 before debuting for them in 1969. He spent parts of eight seasons in the majors before being acquired by the Orioles in a trade with the New York Yankees in 1976.

Dempsey found his footing in Baltimore and the love affair began.

The former catcher spent parts of 12 seasons in Baltimore (1976-86, 1992) and is arguably the best backstop in Orioles history, though Adley Rutschman may have something to say about that. Over that time, Dempsey became a fan favorite in Baltimore. The 1983 World Series MVP was also well known for his goofy antics and wild shows he put on during rain delays.

Even though Dempsey, who is 74 years young, retired from baseball 32 years ago, he has remained active in the Baltimore community. Over the last five decades, Dempsey has been involved in numerous charity events, he's dedicated a large amount of his life to teaching baseball, and he had his own restaurant in Camden Yards. He has been a lasting part of the Birdland community and will always have a place here to call home.

This past Saturday, Dempsey attended Jimmy's Seafood Slamboree, The Tailgoat, a professional wrestling event held by MCW Pro Wrestling in Baltimore. During the event, Dempsey made a surprise appearance in a match and helped MCW wrestler Ken Dixon slam his opponent through a table. Always a showman, Dempsey then flexed his muscles in the face of the man he just crushed while Dixon got the pin.

We don't know if Dempsey will look to continue with his new professional wrestling career and become just the latest two-sport Oriole, but he certainly seemed to enjoy himself and he was a natural in the ring.

This is just another reason why Baltimore will always love Rick Dempsey.