Every word out of this man’s mouth is gold. The absolute best there ever was at adapting, making adjustments, and interpreting the game. Just on a next level
When he talked about adjusting his defense based on the count my jaw dropped. It sounds so simple when he says it but that's next-level adaptability and the sort of thing that lets a 6'4" 200lb guy play a position like shortstop. He and Ernie Banks paved the way for the big power-hitting shortstops we see in baseball today.
Had the privilege to watch Cal play in Camden against Griffey Jr in Baltimore when I was in 8th grade and took a trip to DC. One of our trips was to Camden yards Baltimore and it was amazing.
I am not sure what it was, late at night on the MLB network when I was a kid they would have like Home run contests with Micky Mantel and like Hank Arron and A lot of good old school ball players t was in black and white. I am sure you can find it anyway they would talk all the time on those.
Born and raised in Baltimore. This dude here was my idol growing up for real. I’ve watched many of his games at the Camden yards. Had him autograph my SI magazine with him on the cover.
100% can relate! This man was my idol and I did everything I could to emulate him growing up. So many amazing memories at Camden yards with the family. We had a tradition of going to Sabatinos in little Italy before every O's game. I was lucky enough to be at the game where he broke the record for most consecutive games played and was able to get my tickets autographed by him a few years later at a meet and greet... Those tickets could be worth 1 million dollars some day but I would still never sell them.
Me too dude, I’m 40 and Cal was my hero as a kid…worked at Ripken Stadium for a bit and talked to Mr.Ripken many times…dude is AWESOME….you know he beat Kevin Costner up in the early 90s? Caught Kelly cheating on him and gave Costner a BEATING…
When Cal played his 2nd to last game, I went to see him play. After the game he spent the entire night until 2:30-3am in the morning going up and down the the stands signing autographs. I remember getting so close to getting his autograph and I turned into a little school girl. I was also an introvert so I didn't know how to handle being around someone so famous that I loved to watch play, let alone deal with all the other excited fans. Sometimes fans got too excited and started to push and shove and bunch up, and Cal didn't like that so he would move away from that group to separate them. Cal always had his fans best interest at heart. Cal was a class act to fans.
I went to go see him play in ‘97 and again in ‘98 he was eating breakfast in the lobby of my hotel incredible guy off the field to I was young back then. Orioles were stacked back then they had Mussina and Roberto Alomar along with Palmeiro and Brady Anderson
He was being humble about the autograph signing by implying it was a Spring league thing; he did that all the time, all throughout the season. He was incredible for the game of baseball, in so many ways. That 22 minute ovation and break in the game when he broke the consecutive games played record was maybe the greatest moment in professional sports history.
As a Yankees fan, I hated him for breaking Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played streak. But after watching this I can listen to him talk about hitting for hours. Talking baseball in general.
Cal’s public persona was leadership by example as many HOFers of his era. I grew up in Memorial Stadium and Camden Yards. In 2008 he came out to an Augusta Greenjackets game (he owned the single A team). He came out and made his way down the 1st base side of the stands signing memorabilia and chatting everyone up as he’d always done in Charm City. My wife and our first two very young kids couldn’t get close to the field as we were anxious about them getting squashed by the crowd. Well, one of the stadium workers came to us sometime in the second inning and told us Cal noticed us holding one of his children’s books up in the air “The Longest Season” about the devastating 1988 season start. He asked the Greenjackets worker to see if we would be willing to step aside and stop watching the game in order for HIM to meet us. It’s still one of the coolest memories I have of him. A true class act and a role model of how to be a servant leader.
DC native. Grew up an Os fan because of this man and Eddie Murray. Haven't been to a game since he retired *and since the Nats came to DC) but he was worth the price of admission every time. Both at Memorial Stadium and Camden Yards
My sons and I were at Yankee Stadium for Cals last appearance there. He hit a home run and the Orioles won the game. There are certain players who are so classy that if you don't like them you are not really a baseball fan. Al Kaline, Sandy Koufax, Tony Gwynn, Steve Garvey, Don Mattingly and ,of course, Cal are among that group. I am a Yankee fan since 1956( Mantle's Triple Crown year) and always enjoyed watching Cal Ripken Jr. play baseball.
I used to marvel at him playing shortstop. The ball was in and out of his hands so quickly- it looked like he never touched it and the ball just deflected from him to the second baseman. Class act and an all-time great.
Neat to see the respect the guys have for Cal. He was never dominant at the plate, but career 276 with over 3,000 hits and over 400 bombs, is damn good. He was NOT respected by sports writers for his defense, because of his size and not fitting the prototype of a SS. He may have been slower than Ozzy Smith, but he (and Billy) were students of the game and learned from Cal Sr. and therefore, Cal was typically in the right place to make a play so he didn't need the speed to cover the same range. He should have won more golden gloves. There may have been a year he made only one error and still didn't win. The moment when he broke Lou Gehrig's record was one of the most amazing sports moments ever. A 22 minute totally spontaneous ovation from his home fans. When I rewatch it today, I still get moved. People love him in part because he carries himself like a regular guy who just showed up and worked, and people identify with that.
just naturally "hormonally bloated", evidently, from the looks of these disturbing images on my screen ...his noggin as well as his gut have undergone some extensive 'bloat', sadly.
Cal Ripkin is the consummate professional. I grew up in NoVa and therefore by default an O‘s fan. I loved going to Memorial and Camden Yards just to watch him play.
5:50 - Great advice. That's exactly what I did as an amateur scrub pitcher. A batter blasts a line drive off a fastball he won't see a fastball strike, he'll see one off the plate just to keep him honest but not anywhere in the zone that he can drive.
I was a right handed hitter that drove everything to right field no pop up no groundballs just line drives and coaches never told that is good they told me I needed to stop waving the bat and drop my shoulder. It was crazy probably why I stopped in 5th grade. I hated to watch csl hit but obviously all those 200 hit seasons speak for themselves he us a g
Went to the last game he played at Tropicana Field. Had an SI for him to sign and at the end of the game I went to the Orioles dugout and got right toward the front of the line. Then noticed 2 lines were forming, then my line started breaking down, and when I realized the other line was gonna be THE line, I looked back and that line was halfway around the stadium. Said screw it and just watched him sign for about ten minutes maybe 10-15' away.
Back in the day I mailed a poster to The Orioles for Cal to sign and included return postage even, never saw that poster again. Sent things to other big stars and got letters and free stuff back, not from Cal... I guess my luck ran out! Mark McGwire was super nice, sent me a few things! The best was Matt Biondi!
Really?! Man, you've sure set the bar low. Compared to this dude , I resemble an embryo and am only a year or so younger. No gut, naturally muscular and hair still atop my head.
Cal with those amazing Blue Eyes. Fricken Guy had/has it all. 😏😉 Salute OG. 1 of The GOAT SS’s Cal & 11 Barry Larkin are my All Time fav SS Those were my top SS and now Jeter as well.
funny i thought he was overhyped when he played it was not until after he was out of the game when i started to like him as a player and im from baltimore and kinda grew up watching him play
Damn, what happened to Cal? Looking like hes retired, getting older and enjoying life???? Oh wait...what? He IS retired? Nevermind...Ripper! Watched him play against the Jays, qhen i was a kid..class act..
They say it’s a different game today. You are right. It is. But not necessarily for the better. You can take all the analytics you want and pluck any number you like that fits your agenda. Great. There is simply no substitute for experience. For feel. For seeing it with your own eyes. They may be better athletes today. But don’t tell me Tatis Jr is a better SS or hitter than Cal. Maybe in 10 years. Put in the work. Put in the years. Put in the grind. Then we will talk.
How are they better athletes today? The guys playing in Ripken’s era were absolute juiced up freaks. But yeah Tatis Jr. is a better athlete than ARod 🤦♂️.
You realize the reason they do that is because most left handed hitters are left eye dominant meaning that if they stand open it helps them feel more comfortable and see the ball better
Can't stand the dude. There were times he couldn't bat his own weight and had no business being in the lineup but because of his precious STREAK they wouldn't take him out. Real team player he was.
