The grudging optimism in the Baltimore Sun's editorial on the Orioles' 2011 season was much appreciated ("In praise of long shots," April 4). Six decades ago as an elementary school kid in Queens, I was a devout follower of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Now I am an Orioles fan. Not much has changed. America is filled with wonderful things, not the least of which is hometown baseball.

Hal Holzman, Columbia