They look a bit like a barbershop quartet sitting side by side down the first base line, but the matching all-white outfits aren’t for singing. They’re for mooing — an homage to Orioles left fielder Colton Cowser.
Sean Molony, Jared Taylor and brothers Cameron and Casey Brinks had the idea last week to dress up like matching milkmen, crediting TV broadcaster Ben McDonald with the creation of Cowser’s nickname. While throngs of Oriole fans “moo” with each Cowser plate appearance or leaping grab — a practice that picked up steam when he hit two home runs in three games against the Boston Red Sox — the four Catonsville natives take it a step further. They rise from their seats in old-fashioned milkman costumes and tip their caps to their namesake, making it onto the MASN broadcast during Friday night’s game against the Oakland Athletics.
“We just took the milkman thing to heart,” Molony said, looking to his pals beside him. “And four Amazon purchases later, I think we’re all looking like the milkmen.”
Assembling the ensemble was a collective effort in the group chat, coming together before the Orioles’ most recent road trip to Anaheim. The milkman hats and black ties were a package deal on Amazon (you can buy them too). Each other piece was a mad dash around town, a group effort for white button-downs and matching pants, scrounged up from Nordstroms and various thrift shops.
They were down closer to the field well before the game started in upgraded seats (thanks to the unique outfits) while Cowser was stretching in right field. He noticed the group costume and gave a smile. Cowser tossed up a peace sign. They immediately placed wagers on him to hit a home run.
“We’re feeling the vibes,” Casey said. The group also has a few dollars on Cowser to win American League Rookie of the Year.
Now, this isn’t the first time the foursome, now in their mid-30s, has shown up to Camden Yards in matching attire for an Orioles game.
While they were in high school, the group used to paint themselves orange for every summer Friday night home game when the upper deck tickets were $5. Like their allegiance to Cowser, back then they were all-in on Jeff Fiorentino, who played three seasons in Baltimore between 2005 to 2009. They spelled out his full name on their chests one game and Fiorentino’s friends came up to find the guys.
“They were like, ‘Dude, this awesome,’” Casey recalled. “[Fiorentino] was up with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to potentially win the game. He struck out and it was terrible. But we made it on ESPN.”
Casey called the “SportsCenter” cameo a top-five moment of their lives. “But that was a long time ago,” he said. “It’s all about bringing the energy to the ballpark.”
Cameron is credited with the idea to dress up but they all loved it immediately. There’s talk of doing it at least once a month. “We may have to reprise this role,” Casey laughed.
Cowser is officially the Orioles’ Milkman. Molony, Taylor and the Brinks brothers might just be the Milkmen.