Baseball

The Baltimore Orioles (Oriole Park at Camden Yards, 333 W. Camden St., West Baltimore, 21201. 410/685-9800 general information; 410/481-7328 for tickets. www.theorioles.com) play in their beautiful ballpark from early April until early October. Think twice about settling on a hot dog and Budweiser for your meal: the stadium also sells lump-meat crab cakes, former Orioles first baseman Boog Powell's barbecued pork loin and beef, and local microbrews, such as Clipper City's Ft. McHenry Lager.

Football

The Baltimore Ravens (1101 Russell St., West Baltimore, 21230. 410/261-7283. www.baltimoreravens.com) play in state-of-the-art M&T Stadium from August to January.

Horse Racing

On the third Saturday in May the prestigious Preakness Stakes, the second race in the Triple Crown, is run at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course (5204 Park Heights Ave., Northwest Baltimore, 21215. 410/542-9400. www.marylandracing.com). The course has additional Thoroughbred racing. Call ahead for days and times.

Lacrosse

The Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays (Homewood Field, Charles St. at University Pkwy., Charles Village. 410/516-7490. hopkinssports.cstv.com) are a perennial favorite.

The Loyola Greyhounds (Charles St. at Cold Spring La., North Baltimore. 410/617-5014) play on their college's campus.