Topic: Cal Ripken Jr.

Can't let his induction into Cooperstown go unmentioned. The Ripkens are local heroes. I watched his whole career and always felt great pride.(His mother and mine are 2nd cousins, along with about 40 others). Ethics matter and he quietly let his speak for themselves. He is a true symbol of all that is good in baseball and really all sports.    Cathy

Re: Cal Ripken Jr.

Cal is a class guy, I wish more players would conduct themselves as Cal did during his playing career. However I went to high school with Kiko Garcia who stepped up to fill in for Mark Belanger when he went down with an injury in '79. Kiko helped the O's get the World Series only to lose to Pittsburg. Unfortunately for Kiko the O's brought up rookie Cal Ripken Jr. the next season. Kiko got traded to the Phillies and got a world series ring as the Phil's won the series in 1980.

                                                                                                   Go Tribe,

                                                                                                   J Dawg

What is success? Is it do yo' own thang, or is it to join the rest?   -Allen Toussaint

Re: Cal Ripken Jr.

You know those were some great years for the O's. It's funny but folks here never hated the Pirates or the Phillies. How could you not like Willie Sturgill? ( I hope I got his name right). And for it all to come down to 2 teams so close, like some of the California Series. But '83 was the last time I loved it.

Re: Cal Ripken Jr.

Ah yes, the "Ironman" of my life time, classy, you bet, respected, without question. How about his last allstar game, A-Rod steps aside for his hero to play. Cal homers, and I believe he was the MVP. I'd put him in my top 10 favorite players to step on the diamond. There are players that are in the hall of fame that are "maybe" in my book, but him and Tony Gwynn belong without question. Congrats B-More you can put him next to " Brooks", the baddest cat to ever field 3rd base.

Shred

P.S. The Orioles are the only team to have four 20 game winners in a season, hey Dawg, can you name em?

Re: Cal Ripken Jr.

cathysiler wrote:

You know those were some great years for the O's. It's funny but folks here never hated the Pirates or the Phillies. How could you not like Willie Sturgill? ( I hope I got his name right). And for it all to come down to 2 teams so close, like some of the California Series. But '83 was the last time I loved it.

Close Cathy, it's Willie Stargell or Pops as he was known by his team mates. Willie's a local hero here in the East Bay having gone to school at Encinal High in Alameda, a small island town almost connected to Oakland. Dontrelle Willis is from there and Jason Kidd played high school ball there even though his family lived in Oakland.

                                                                                            Think East Bay Grease,

                                                                                            J Dawg

What is success? Is it do yo' own thang, or is it to join the rest?   -Allen Toussaint

Re: Cal Ripken Jr.

Shredit wrote:

Ah yes, the "Ironman" of my life time, classy, you bet, respected, without question. How about his last allstar game, A-Rod steps aside for his hero to play. Cal homers, and I believe he was the MVP. I'd put him in my top 10 favorite players to step on the diamond. There are players that are in the hall of fame that are "maybe" in my book, but him and Tony Gwynn belong without question. Congrats B-More you can put him next to " Brooks", the baddest cat to ever field 3rd base.

Shred

P.S. The Orioles are the only team to have four 20 game winners in a season, hey Dawg, can you name em?

Let's see...Jim Palmer,  Mike Quellar, Dave McNally and Pat Dobson. and seriously, I knew that one!

"Rock ON & Keep the Faith"

Re: Cal Ripken Jr.

Bill S wrote:
Shredit wrote:

Ah yes, the "Ironman" of my life time, classy, you bet, respected, without question. How about his last allstar game, A-Rod steps aside for his hero to play. Cal homers, and I believe he was the MVP. I'd put him in my top 10 favorite players to step on the diamond. There are players that are in the hall of fame that are "maybe" in my book, but him and Tony Gwynn belong without question. Congrats B-More you can put him next to " Brooks", the baddest cat to ever field 3rd base.

Shred

P.S. The Orioles are the only team to have four 20 game winners in a season, hey Dawg, can you name em?

Let's see...Jim Palmer,  Mike Quellar, Dave McNally and Pat Dobson. and seriously, I knew that one!

Bingo!  You know your baseball Bill, you were probably following Ferguson Jenkins back then, I think he one 20 or more 6 years in a row

Re: Cal Ripken Jr.

Shredit wrote:
Bill S wrote:
Shredit wrote:

Ah yes, the "Ironman" of my life time, classy, you bet, respected, without question. How about his last allstar game, A-Rod steps aside for his hero to play. Cal homers, and I believe he was the MVP. I'd put him in my top 10 favorite players to step on the diamond. There are players that are in the hall of fame that are "maybe" in my book, but him and Tony Gwynn belong without question. Congrats B-More you can put him next to " Brooks", the baddest cat to ever field 3rd base.

Shred

P.S. The Orioles are the only team to have four 20 game winners in a season, hey Dawg, can you name em?

Let's see...Jim Palmer,  Mike Quellar, Dave McNally and Pat Dobson. and seriously, I knew that one!

Bingo!  You know your baseball Bill, you were probably following Ferguson Jenkins back then, I think he one 20 or more 6 years in a row

Yeah,
That 1969 Cubs team may have been the best never to win anything. Jenkins was a machine...a true stopper. Kenny Holtzman was another starter (saw him pitch 2 no no's with the Cubs. Then there was Bill Hands and Rich Nye, who were both pretty capable pitchers.
We ran into a team that had Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman and I forget the fourth guy. Wow! What a rotation that was.

"Rock ON & Keep the Faith"

Re: Cal Ripken Jr.

Even though I live in upstate NY, in the heart of Yankee country, I have been an O's fan since the late 60's. A lot of ups and downs but Cal Jr. is definitely one of the best and classiest players ever. Did you hear the story from Cooperstown about the night before he was inducted, at 1:00 a.m. fans on Main Street were chanting his name outside the Otesaga where the players stay. Cal comes out and walks up and down Main street signing autographs..........don't think anything else needs to be said !!!!!!!  Now if only they can get their act together to get back to that glory !!!!!       Larry G