Cal Ripken
Cal Ripken
Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken Jr., nicknamed "The Iron Man", is an American former baseball shortstop and third baseman who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseballfor the Baltimore Orioles. One of his position's most offensively productive players, Ripken compiled 3,184 hits, 431 home runs, and 1,695 runs batted in during his career, and he won two Gold Glove Awards for his defense. He was a 19-time All-Star and was twice named American LeagueMost Valuable Player. Ripken is best known for...
realize
When you are away from the game and busy with other areas, you realize that the world does not revolve around baseball.
certain mind vanilla
I don't mind being described as vanilla in certain ways.
minor
I had trouble with my temper all the way through the minor leagues.
heard inside missed ninth people retire understood
I never understood that when I heard people retire - they said they missed being around the guys. I don't have a need to make a play in the ninth inning of a game anymore. But being on the inside and being part of a team is something that you really do value and you really do miss.
break conclusion sort
I never set out to do this; I never set out to say, 'Can I break this record?' Then all of a sudden, the preparations made for the celebration put pressure on me. I said, 'Okay, I have to get there.' After 2,130, there was sort of a realization it was a foregone conclusion you're going to play tomorrow.
criticism game learn listen might people player understand
You learn as a player not to listen to the criticism. Many of the people who put out that criticism might not be as accomplished, might not understand the game as well from the inside-out.
job park player ready
Your job as a baseball player is to come to the park ready to play every day, and the manager, it's his job to make those decisions about who plays.
asking hall people period project seem until
You don't project yourself in the Hall of Fame as a player. It's only during that five-year period where people start asking about it, and it doesn't seem real until it happens.
considered life looking moment people remember seems step top
Normally, some people think about 50 as a big moment in life. I kind of think 30 because in your baseball career, 30 was considered on top kind of looking at the end of your career. So I remember thinking about 30 in different ways, but 50 just seems like another step right now.
list
The older you get, the things that you thought you wanted to do when you were younger, you're checking them off your list because you no longer want to them.
elected fame hall
Being elected to the Hall of Fame is about your career pretty much and your impact on the game.
bit hope people trying
I'm not trying to be a star on TV. I am who I am, which I hope comes out. I have a little bit of a different sense than most people know, and it takes a while to get used to it.
bit dad flexible life lived opportunity
I lived the baseball life as a kid, with my dad in it. And I lived the baseball life as an adult, because I was in it. When I retired, I wanted the opportunity to be a little bit more flexible and home-based for my kids.