Autism Acceptance Night: Jacob Nupp's unbreakable bond with the Baltimore Orioles?

If you have ever sat in or around section 78 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards over the last several years, you and Jacob Nupp are probably on a first-name basis.

Jacob, who has long dreamt of being a broadcaster for the Orioles, and his family are Birdland Members. The season-ticket plan was a Christmas present from his parents, John and Kim, because of how often Jacob asked to attend O’s games.

“He was asking to go to games weekly,” said Kim Nupp. “Finally, the Orioles started reaching out to us and said, ‘Hey, you can just go with a plan instead of just buying all these individual tickets.’”

Jacob Nupp blends right in with the Birdland faithful as he calls out the action as it happens, while often grabbing a crab mac & cheese hot dog, a staple at Camden Yards. However, Jacob and his older brother, Ben, process Orioles games and their surroundings differently than the average fan because of a rare genetic condition the two boys were born with.

Jacob and Ben Nupp were both born with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, named after the three doctors that first discovered the condition in 1964. The syndrome, which affects around one in 20,000-60,000 newborns, can cause developmental delays, medical limitations such as low levels of cholesterol, and often comes with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis (ASD).

“It’s more a description of differences and the way that people interact with their world,” said John Nupp. “The differences are important, but they don’t define who the person is. Each person with autism is different.”

In Jacob’s case, he is super social and in constant search of community and connection to other people. Being an Orioles fan has provided him with that sense of community, whether that be going to games, seeing other O’s fans out in public, or building relationships with members of the broadcast team.

One of Jacob’s main connections to the Orioles is his relationship with Orioles radio broadcaster Geoff Arnold, whom Jacob first met at a Birdland Caravan event at Wilde Lake High School a couple of years ago. As someone who aspires to be an Orioles broadcaster, Jacob is constantly finding ways to listen to the broadcasts, whether at home or at Oriole Park, even if that means leaving his seat in Section 78 and going to the concourse to a find a TV to listen to.

Jacob and Arnold’s relationship has blossomed since their first interaction, with Arnold often making time to say hi to the family when they attend a game. Arnold met up with Jacob in Sarasota when the family flocked south to catch some Grapefruit League action, and Jacob has even gotten the opportunity to visit the radio booth and try on the headset.

Arnold’s kindness toward the Nupp family is one of the many ways the Orioles community looks out for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Orioles broadcasters Jim Palmer and Rob Long also have family members with an ASD, and John says it’s great for these people to share their experiences so that more people can learn about these disorders.

“It helps promote some of the values that we need in our society in terms of respecting people with differences and getting along,” explained John. “So, to have someone like Jim Palmer advocate or other folks help promote that understanding is important.”

In addition to members of the Orioles community sharing their experiences with ASDs, the team also installed a sensory room in 2024 that allows individuals a quiet space to get away from some of the sights and sounds that might be overwhelming.

Although the Nupp family hasn’t gotten a chance to use the sensory room just yet, they know how important it is for places like Oriole Park to have a space like this for fans to utilize if they begin to feel overwhelmed.

“The Orioles, as an organization, care about people with special needs, and autism especially, and know that they may need a place to have it be quieter, and they can still be a part of watching the games live at the yard,” Kim Nupp said.

It is still early in the season, but Jacob and the rest of the Nupp family are optimistic that Postseason baseball will once again return to Camden Yards for the third consecutive season. It would be the perfect present for Jacob, whose birthday is in early October.

Even if there is no baseball being played that day, the kindness and hospitality from the Orioles organization still feels like a wish come true for the Nupp family.

“There’s so many challenges and things that are discouraging when you are raising a child with special needs, and this is a bright spot in our lives,” Kim Nupp said.