Pirates-Orioles snow Photo Credit: SportsNet Pittsburgh
By Arthur Weinstein on

Snow is not uncommon in early-season MLB games, but it’s always a surreal sight. The sport that’s synonymous with hot summer evenings interrupted by a winter wonderland scene.

So we can forgive the Pittsburgh Pirates broadcast team for getting a bit excited when the snow started coming down hard Friday during the team’s home opener against the Baltimore Orioles.

Radio play-by-play man Joe Block and analyst Bob Walk sounded a bit like meteorologists when they tried to describe the scene.

“The snow is picking up,” Block said.

“It’s kind of a sleet, a heavy sleet,” Walk said.

“Snowing on Opening Day in Pittsburgh — or sleeting if you will,” Block said.

“It’s collecting on the infield dirt so it’s starting to turn white,” Block said. “Just enough that it’s a light brown infield.”

“Looks like it’s been seasoned. A little garlic powder or something out there,” Walk joked. “A little onion powder.”

On the TV side, SportsNet Pittsburgh announcers Greg Brown and Neil Walker also pointed out the surreal nature of the snow.

“We see some white snow stuff coming down, Greg,” Walker said.

“How about that —actually it’s more than just a little bit now, Neil,” Brown said.

Brown asked Walker, who played 12 MLB seasons, including his first seven in Pittsburgh, if he had played in the snow.

“I can remember playing a couple of times in Detroit early in the season where we got some stuff like this,” Walker said. “You can deal with 35, 38-degree weather, but all of a sudden the precipitation starts coming and the wind starts blowing, that’s when it gets a little tough.”

“It’s a wild look, isn’t it? Wild!” Brown said.

The Orioles broadcasting crew had some fun with the snow as well.

[SportsNet Pittsburgh, AA on X]

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.

View all posts by Arthur Weinstein