Peter Angelos: Love him or hate, but he is one of Baltimore’s very best
Back in the late 50s, I use to regularly attend the Baltimore City Council hearings on Monday night at City Hall with my political mentor – Michael “Iron Mike” McHale.
He was one of the three council members from South Baltimore. William Donald Schaefer sat on that Council representing West Baltimore. The Mayor was Tommy “The Elder” D’Alesandro. Like today, when a member of the council squares off with another over a hot political issue, it’s the best darn free show in town.
It was at one of these public slugfests that I noticed a feisty City Councilman from the then-Irish-dominated 3rd District of Baltimore – Peter Angelos – a Greek-American. He was the first of his heritage to hold such a post. For whatever reason, Angelos and Sol Liss, now deceased, a councilman from West Baltimore, were engaged in a no-holds-barred-verbal donnybrook.
Liss was an accomplished public speaker who later went on to a distinguished career as a state jurist. I felt fortunate to have had him as one of my adjunct professors at the University of Baltimore Law School. In the debate, Angelos, then a budding young lawyer, held his own and refused to back off. He was more than equal to Liss’ keen verbal skills – central to that robust give-and-take kind of arena. And, why shouldn’t Angelos have been darn good at the art of rhetoric? His Greek ancestors invented it, along with politics, philosophy and democracy.
Angelos only served one term in the Baltimore City Council (1959-63). He later made a bid for the office of mayor in 1964, but lost. I recall that contest. Losing that race finally rid Angelos of his political bug. Although a native of Pittsburgh, PA, his family had moved and he had grown-up from an early age in the Highlandtown neighborhood on Eastern Avenue, where his dad owned a bar. It was within walking distance of his primary school and church in Greektown.

Today, everyone knows Angelos mostly as the majority owner, since 1993, of the Baltimore Orioles. Prior to the 2012 season, they were big losers on the field. As a result, Angelos was harshly demonized by the fans. Mercifully, in 2012, the situation changed and the Orioles made it to the playoffs. The City collectively rejoiced. After enduring repetitive seasons of gross humiliation, Angelos suddenly became, “The Man!”
In 2013, they had more wins than losses, but failed to make it to the playoffs. Nevertheless, the Orioles’ future, under Angelos’ helm, is looking promising.
Angelos’ law practice took off. Successful class action lawsuits involving asbestos, tobacco, prescription drugs, and other products, quickly followed. Angelos reportedly has branch law offices in six other U.S. cities. The money has been rolling in.

Bill Hughes is an attorney, author, actor and photographer. His latest book is “Byline Baltimore.” It can be found at: https://www.amazon.com/William-Hughes/e/B00N7MGPXO/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
Ambulance chaser… Sad miserable man..prisoner of his own greed.