Justice Scalia Attended O's Games With Md. Del. Sandy Rosenberg

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Few Marylanders may be aware that Justice Scalia made annual visits to Camden Yards at the invitation of Baltimore State Delegate Sandy Rosenberg.

Political reporter Pat Warren spoke to Rosenberg, who says it wasn't the Orioles Scalia was rooting for.

It was the Yankees, and he wasn't afraid to wear the hat.

In 1993, Delegate Sandy Rosenberg meets Justice Antonin Scalia and invites him to an O's game.

"You know, baseball's a great leveller. There's a reason I guess why it's our national pasttime," Del. Rosenberg said.

It was a 20-year tradition that started with Rosenberg's request to sit in on oral arguments in a case the court was hearing. A request granted and a trip to Camden Yards followed.

Warren: "So did you feel as if you were sitting next to a Supreme Court justice at those ballgames?"

Rosenberg: "We talked about the law. He's such a distinctive personality. There was no getting around it."

"He was not a stuffed shirt at the ballpark. He was there sometimes with his Yankee hat on," continued Rosenberg. "His opinions were very strong and very critical, but that's not how he was in person."

Scalia's death on Saturday at a Texas ranch during a hunting trip was unexpected.

"Nothing that I... would lead me to think, 'Well gee, this might be the last time we see each other.' Absolutely not," said Del. Rosenberg.

Justice Scalia apparently died of natural causes.

Del. Rosenberg says even though they disagreed on most of Justice Scalia's opinions, they were still able to be friends.

Antonin Scalia is survived by his wife and their nine children.