The original Baltimore Orioles were charter members of the American Association when it was founded in 1882. In it's ten years in the A.A. the club usually floundered in the league's basement, never finishing better than third. The Orioles actually dropped out of the Association in 1890 after a dispute with league management. They played in the minor Atlantic Association for half a season and then rejoined the A.A. when the Brooklyn Gladiators folded in late August.When the A.A. went out of business after the 1891 season, the Orioles were absorbed by the National League. In 1892, their first season in the N.L., they finished dead last. Towards the end of the season Ned Hanlon was hired to manage the club, and under his guidance the Orioles became the pre-eminent baseball club of the 1890's.
The legendary Orioles featured such future Hall of Famers as third baseman John McGraw, shortstop Hugh Jennings, and outfielders Joe Kelly and Wee Willie 'Hit 'em where they aint" Keeler.
The Orioles played in four straight Temple Cup World Series from 1894 to 1897. Renowned for the "Old Oriole Spirit" which impelled men to ignore injuries and keep on playing, the feisty Orioles made baseball into a real team sport, specializing in relays and cut-offs - and pioneering the hit and run. They were known as baseball's first "greatest team of all time".
At the end of the 1899 season the National League decided to cut back to eight clubs. The Baltimore Orioles were one of the four teams that were dropped. But two years later, when the American League was formed, the Orioles were reborn. The first manager of the A.L. Orioles was John McGraw who had a brand new 8,500 seat steel and concrete ballpark constructed for the club on the site of the old A.A. ballpark. The Orioles raided the N.L. for such players as: catcher Roger Bresnahan, outfielder Cy Seymour and pitcher Joe McGinity.
But the A.L. Orioles were not a success, either on the field or financially, and the club only lasted for two years. They finished the 1901 season in fifth place and then ended the 1902 season dead last, some 34 games behind the Philadelphia A's. The franchise was then moved to New York City for the 1903 season were it would become known as the Highlanders, and later the Yankees.