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...
best card everywhere hours playing room sitting spending stories table talking
To me, Kirby is at his best sitting at a card table playing cards, talking to him, stories being shared, spending hours and hours with him. He's the same in that little room as he is everywhere else.
dad emotional might touch wish
It was an emotional night, an extraordinary moment, ... I wish Dad was there to touch and feel the stadium, but I think he might be with me now more than ever.
couple found interest last teaching
Baseball's in my blood... I've found out the last couple of years I've got a big interest in teaching baseball.
hope reason
shocked, surprised, just like everyone else. I hope there's a reason or an explanation.
aside career certainly direction hitting talent time took
When you play for so long, you see it's going to come to an end and you wonder, Is your talent diminishing? Is it a slump? ... He took me aside and told me there was a time in his career when he thought he'd never get another hit. He's certainly one of the better hitting instructors I've ever been around. But psychologically, he started me in the right direction again.
believe common compete connection courageous desire game great heart highest humbled linked love name names passion played spoken stand strongest team true truly
Tonight, I stand here, overwhelmed, as my name is linked with the great and courageous Lou Gehrig, ... I'm truly humbled to have our names spoken in the same breath. Some may think our strongest connection is because we played many consecutive games. Yet I believe in my heart that our true link is a common motivation-a love of the game of baseball, a passion for our team and a desire to compete on the very highest level.
amazed approach became everywhere games people relate school shape streak whether
Everywhere you go around the country, people relate to the consecutive games streak in one shape or form, whether it's school or how they approach their job. I'm still pretty amazed that it became a symbol. I didn't think it was that big a deal.
ball baseball camden champion chance feels gets green hit kids life plays remember series
This World Series isn't about crowning a champion. I think the kids will remember this as a life experience, ... Not everyone that plays baseball gets the chance to play in a big-league ballpark, but these kids get a feel for what it's like to play in Wrigley Field, what it's like to hit a ball off the Green Monster, how it feels to play at Camden Yards.
against challenge grown league measure percent plenty success trying
We're not trying to measure our success against the Little League, ... but we have the only league that has grown at a 7 percent clip. Our challenge is to keep on growing, and if that happens, we will have plenty more success and get plenty of attention.
alex almost batting buying letting next parents seeing service talented
Parents see their pretty talented 7- or 8-year-old, and they immediately want to make him out to be the next Alex Rodriguez. They're seeing an end, and they think they're doing him a service by making him practice, buying a batting cage, not letting him play other sports. It's almost like the parents are seeing that as an investment, and I think that's counterproductive.
energy field game run
They said we'll never get this game going if you don't run around the field, ... I said I didn't have the energy to make it. They said, 'Then walk.'
anyone baltimore figure tremendous
This is a tremendous shock. Elrod has been such a big figure in Baltimore for so long. He was as much a mainstay in the Orioles organization as anyone I can think of.
building found momentum series third year
This is our third year here, and we're building momentum each time, ... I think our World Series has found a home.
friend
He's a real person. He was genuine. He was considerate. He was everything a friend should be.