New Oriole Albert Belle has decided to extend Christmas wishes to Baltimore in the form of this poem. Belle informs us that this is his second published holiday poem -- the first ran in the Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal in December 1995, addressed to Cleveland fans.

Belles are ringing

Christmas Belles are ringing again we can hear

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

To the Windy City I know and lived in a while,

And to the one where I'll go this spring in style

To the friends and fans in Chicago I know,

In Shreveport, to my family, friends, and Galilee and so.

To Baltimore where I'm going real soon.

Merry Christmas, I hope Santa brings you a boon.

For it's a time to be thankful for having such things

As I thank God for the grace of a powerful swing.

But for every season, there comes a time.

The time to move on has come and it's fine.

For those days that were happy, I can say thanks

And goodbye to my teammates and all of their pranks.

I'll miss all my fans that came to see me play

And had faith in the song I sang them each day.

Of how I played baseball and not a "silly" game,

But played with a passion and not for the fame.

I wish you all well and a Christmas so Merry,

And a good year to come and games that are cherry.

Good luck to the Windy City's team that gave me a chance

I hope you win all the games at the dance

Except when you come to the Mary-old-land,

I will be aiming for the fences, how grand.

'cause then the team with the name of a bird

Will be winning all the games, you have my word.

Merry Christmas, Baltimore, the present I bring

Is my love for baseball when it comes each spring.

All is all

I know how to give.

It's the code by which I've chosen to live.

To the Man made of Iron, Cal Ripken, my friend,

I wish you a Season of Greetings and then

The classy tradition of a city so great

Of Eddie, Jim, and Brooks whose fates

Were tied to a field of baseball dreams

That came true for the Orioles, it seems.

Baltimore fans, I have a fever, and it's catching, I hope

Come and see me play and you'll see the scope

Of what great players we'll be when we do better than best

And give you great baseball with never a rest

Thanks to Peter Angelos and his belief, in my kind

Of baseball, what a relief.

To Frank Wren, Congrats, and I hope our times will be good

Together we'll go for the wins as we should.

I look forward to playing with new friends and new fans

As they watch my homers land in the stands.

Merry Christmas to you all and Happy New Year

I'll see you in the spring and bring lots of good cheer.

-- Albert Belle

Pub Date: 12/25/98