cal ripkin
The Baltimore native, born August 24, 1960 in Havre de Grace, Maryland, is known as one of the finest shortstops to ever play the game. He spent his entire 18-year MLB career with the Baltimore Orioles, primarily at shortstop and third base. He was a 19-time All-Star and, at 6’ 4″/1.93 m, pioneered the way for taller and larger shortstops.
In 1995, Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s 56-year old record by playing in 2,131 consecutive games. On September 6, 1995, at Camden Yards, fans nationwide tuned in to ESPN to watch Ripken break the record in front of a sellout crowd and, later, complete a lap around the warning track as he left the field in his uniform.
While he was never the most prolific home run hitter, his unrivaled work ethic and sense of responsibility to his teammates, fans and the game made him an inspiration to players throughout the world. Ripken’s character was modeled after his father, who taught him the value of working hard and being a team player.
Today, Cal is a best-selling author and President and CEO of Ripken Baseball, Inc. The company’s goal is to grow the love of baseball from a more grassroots level and focuses on several subsidiaries, including Ripken Management and Design; Youth Camps and Clinics; Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation; Ripken Professional Baseball, with three minor-league teams (Aberdeen IronBirds, affiliated with the Orioles; Augusta GreenJackets and Charlotte Stone Crabs); and Ironclad Authentics. cal ripkin
