Orioles, White Sox Set to Play Game in Empty Stadium

(AP Photo/Nick Wass)

The Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox will participate in a first for Major League Baseball on Wednesday afternoon.

Due to the unrest throughout Baltimore, which led to the cancellation of the games on Monday and Tuesday, MLB announced that Wednesday game would be scheduled for 2:05 PM and be closed to the public. This will mark the first time in Major League history a game will be played in front of no one in the stands.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said, “After conversations with the Orioles and local officials, we believe these decisions are in the best interests of fan safety and the deployment city resources.” He added, “Our thoughts are with all those that have been affected by the violence in Baltimore, and everyone in our game hopes for peace and the safety of a great American city.”

Even though it will mark the first time a game has been played in front of no fans in the stadium, the game will still air on television and radio allowing to be seen by more fans than the lowest attended game in MLB history had. Official league historian, John Thorn tweeted that the previous record for lowest attended game was set on September 28, 1882 in Worcester, MA, between the Worcester Ruby Legs and the Troy Trojans, with six fans in attendance for that matchup.

Thorn, had sent out another tweet saying that he Charleston, SC, Riverdogs, in the South Atlantic were actually the first professional baseball team to play in front of zero fans, when they held a “Nobody Night” promotion on July 8, 2002 in attempt to set a record for lowest paid attendance in baseball. On that night the Riverdogs, barred everyone except the employees and media from entering the stadium for five innings.