The day Olson flipped

Gregg Olson will be inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame before tonight's game, but I promised yesterday to reminisce about his "Giambi" moment back in 1991.

The Otter had a particularly frustrating performance in Minnesota, and snapped a little bit on his way back from the mound at the Minneapolis Metrodome. The HTS camera in the dugout well wheeled around to focus on him and he flipped the it the bird -- not realizing he was making an obscene gesture right into the homes of thousands of Orioles fans.

It would have been newsworthy if the baby-faced Olson wasn't one of the nicest guys on the planet, but he had just given up a game-losing bloop single the Twins pinch hitter Randy Bush and he was fuming.

Afterward, he was still upset when I approached him at his locker. He was even defiant, complaining that the camera should not have been so obtrusive. I got my surprisingly inflammatory quote and started to walk away, then thought better of it.

"Gregg," I said, "could you say that again, but start it out by saying 'I want to apologize to the fans of Baltimore..."

It wasn't great journalism on my part, but he was still a kid and he was digging himself a hole and I probably would do it again.

Here's the actual quote from the June 5, 1991 edition of The Sun:

"I apologize to anyone I offended," Olson said. "I'm really sorry it happened and I won't do it again, but I don't think it's anybody's business what I do to myself in the dugout during a frustrating moment. I don't think the cameras should be in there."

Congratulations again to Gregg on his great day. Same to traveling Secretary Phil Itzoe and the late "Wild" Bill Hagy, who also will be honored during tonight's pregame ceremony.