BALTIMORE — Orioles CEO John Angelos said Monday the team will remain in Baltimore — and that he and his parents have never contemplated otherwise.
Angelos’ comments — released by the team — came days after he was sued by his brother Lou Angelos. Lou claimed in last week’s lawsuit that John has seized control of the Orioles at his expense, and in defiance of their father Peter’s wishes.
“John intends to maintain absolute control over the Orioles — to manage, to sell or, if he chooses, to move to Tennessee (where he has a home and where his wife’s career is headquartered) — without having to answer to anyone,” the lawsuit said.
The suit did not elaborate on how likely it was that the team might actually move, and John Angelos sought to reassure fans in his statement Monday.
“As I have said before, as long as Fort McHenry is standing watch over the Inner Harbor, the Orioles will remain in Baltimore,” he said. “My mother was born and raised in northeast Baltimore, attended city public schools at Eastern High School and has worked with my father their entire lives to help the city, including by restoring the club to local ownership and preventing its relocation. For them, as for me, the Orioles will forever play at Oriole Park, and at no time ever have we contemplated anything different.”
Peter Angelos became the Orioles’ owner in 1993, but his public role has diminished in recent years and he turns 93 next month.
