They're calling it the Ghost Game.
As the Baltimore Orioles take the field against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday afternoon, the only ones there to root for the home team will be journalists who snagged one of the in-demand seats in Camden Yards' crowded press box. Mashable reporter Colin Daileda has a center-field view... from a hotel across the street.
The game is closed to the public -- a precaution due to the recent riots there -- but the teams are playing ball nonetheless.
Reporters inside the stadium are sharing photos of the eerie and strange scene, while fans left outside the gates tell Mashable of their frustration at being shut out. Foul balls that fall in the seats stay put -- there are no fans to scramble to pick them up.
"The MLB is filled with oddities and twists, but what we’re going to see today is without precedent," said the MLB's Official Baseball Historian John Thorn in an interview with Mashable.
"It's unprecedented. We’ve had low attendance figures in history, but never have fans been kept away intentionally, and never was the attendance at a baseball game zero," he said.
Stick with Mashable for the best pictures from inside and out stadium.
The lucky few inside the stadium
A handful of journalists inside the Orioles stadium have shared photos that show just how empty it is in there. Hot dog stands are shuttered, bathrooms are free of any lines and the best seats in the house are up for grabs.
My view into Camden Yards at the moment where it's eerily quiet for #ghostgame against orioles, closed to the public pic.twitter.com/tUxedhoLHf— Megan Specia (@meganspecia) April 29, 2015
"It doesn't feel like I'm actually at a baseball game," James Searls, a photographer for Fox Sports, told Mashable. "It's only the media here so the only noise is us and the music."
#barring at an empty O's game.... #anyseatiwant A photo posted by James Searls (@jimmythephotog) on Apr 29, 2015 at 9:50am PDT
"Beautiful day," tweeted MASNsports Orioles beat writer Roch Kubatko. "Heavy media presence. And yes, we really will outnumber the crowd." He added: "When I say heavy media presence at OPACY, I'm talkin' more requests than seats in the press box. Will be packed in here."
Beautiful day at OPACY. Heavy media presence. And yes, we really will outnumber the crowd. #orioles pic.twitter.com/Z0rCcbeJub— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) April 29, 2015
1/2 hour before game time and it won't look any different during the game. pic.twitter.com/mFjcBA99bs— Craig Heist (@cheistsports) April 29, 2015
One hour to game time, and all is quiet. @GuardianUS pic.twitter.com/2qXYO3feN6— Jonathan Bernhardt (@jonbernhardt) April 29, 2015
Orioles players warming up by playing some football in right field. No fans will be in attendance for today's game between the White Sox. #Orioles #baltimore #history #OPACY A video posted by FAN-I (@fanisports) on Apr 29, 2015 at 9:14am PDT
There will be no fans in the stands at today's @Orioles game. But all 92 press box seats at Camden Yards are filled. pic.twitter.com/BDWim3Mrst— Dan Gelston (@APgelston) April 29, 2015
No line at the bathrooms today. pic.twitter.com/MV16d72dCu— Noah Bierman (@Noahbierman) April 29, 2015
Outside the stadium
Garrett Baldwin, a 34-year-old Towson resident and die-hard Orioles fan found a way around the public ban: He watched the game from a balcony in the Hilton that overlooks the park across the street.
“I care about Baltimore, I care deeply about restoring the structural problems within the city but baseball is kind of our tonic to our problems,” said Baldwin. "This our two to three hours a day that we are away from our jobs, away from our problems and this is a very important team to us."
Adam Attinello, who was having a drink at Sliders Bar and Grill with friends Andrew Ding, who lives and works in Baltimore, and Justin Hall, who lives in Baltimore County told Mashable, "It's a little bit weird, but I could see where it's warranted. If there were people there, that takes other police away from other parts of the city. It's just less they have to worry about patrolling."
"I'm not angry, just more depressed than anything," added Hall. "I think it's weird that they would close the game. Nothing's really happening down here."
Some people hanging around the gate outside Camden Yards. #Baltimore pic.twitter.com/Cs0w13cDLl— Colin Daileda (@ColinDaileda) April 29, 2015
At front gates of Camden yard which are closed while the outside vacant. Fans trying to get money back #ghostgame pic.twitter.com/OFbDQyNhx4— Megan Specia (@meganspecia) April 29, 2015
Taxi driver in front of Camden yards tells me #ghostgame hurts his business, "worst day" he can remember for profit pic.twitter.com/PDfltCAjHV— Megan Specia (@meganspecia) April 29, 2015
Gates closed for today's Orioles game. The game will be played with no fans in the stands. A photo posted by Ben Garbarek (@benwsyx6) on Apr 29, 2015 at 9:42am PDT
MASN cameras will be bringing you live coverage from Camden Yards beginning at 1:30 p.m. #IBackTheBirds A photo posted by MASN Orioles (@masnorioles) on Apr 29, 2015 at 9:38am PDT
There are about half dozen @Orioles fans watching BP from the street through the CF fence. One yelled out, let us in! pic.twitter.com/qOKQ80WElu— Dan Gelston (@APgelston) April 29, 2015
Gorgeous day in #baltimore for a ballgame but no fans will be attending the game played today #birdland hear why 1-3p @robertsmsnbc A photo posted by Thomas Roberts (@thomasaroberts) on Apr 29, 2015 at 8:54am PDT
Unfortunately, they will remain @EmptySeatsPics all day long. A true @OriolesFanProbz A photo posted by Brian Edwards (@edwa9086) on Apr 29, 2015 at 10:01am PDT
Baltimore Orioles Executive Vice President John Angelos told reporters the stadium experience would go on interrupted: A fully-functioning scoreboard, announcers, a national anthem and a seventh inning stretch.