Cal Ripken Jr.

There are three words which aptly describe Cal Ripken, Jr., both as a player and as a person: excellence; dependability; and consistency. On the field and off, he has built a strong reputation as a leader who cares enough to get things done.

Cal recently surpassed the milestone of most consecutive games played in baseball history. On September 6, 1995 he broke the longest streak in Major League Baseball history, surpassing the record held by Lou Gehrig of 2,130 games played. He most recently achieved the world record of 2,216 consecutive games played on June 14, 1996, a record formerly held by Sachio Kinugasa, former third baseman for the Hiroshima Carp of Japan's Central League.

Cal has been named to the Associated Press Major League All-Star Team six times, the American League All-Stars thirteen times, and The Sporting News American League All-Star Team seven times. He has received nine Silver Slugger Awards from Hillerich and Bradsby for being the most productive offensive shortstop in baseball; and he has been named Orioles' MVP four times. The 1990 season was the year of the glove for Cal. His string of 95 consecutive games without an error set a major league record for shortstops. That streak helped Cal to set nine major league fielding records, including fewest errors by a shortstop (3) and highest fielding percentage by a shortstop (.996).

In 1991, Cal became the second player in major league history to be named the league's Most Valuable Player, Major League Player of the Year (Sporting News, Associated Press, and Baseball Digest), All-Star Game MVP, and winner of a Gold Glove in the same season (the only other player to accomplish this was Maury Willis, shortstop for the L.A. Dodgers, in 1962). He became the first shortstop ever to hit 20 or more home runs in ten consecutive seasons, and led American League shortstops in fielding percentage for the second straight year.

1995 was a special year for Cal. On September 6th, Cal played in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking the record established by Lou Gehrig in 1939. Cal's remarkable feat has been recognized by organizations all over the country. Most notably, Cal was acknowledged by the Associated Press and United Press International as Male Athlete of the Year; by The Sporting News as Major League Player of the Year; and by Sports Illustrated as Sportsman of the Year. Most recently, Cal was honored by the New York Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America with the Joe DiMaggio Toast of the Town Award. Cal was also included as a Newsweek Magazine 1995 Newsmaker, and as one of People Magazine's 25 Most Intriguing People of the Year.

Ripken's history of community involvement exemplifies the same type of dedication and commitment he's famous for on the field. In 1989, Cal and his wife Kelly, donated $250,000 to help Baltimore's adult literacy campaign. Locally, the Ripkens continue to support adult literacy through Baltimore Reads, Inc. and events like Winterfest '91, a memorabilia show which raised more than $200,000. In addition, the Reading, Runs, and Ripken program was developed, which challenges local businesses and residents to donate money based on the number of RBI Cal hits during a season.

The Kelly and Cal Ripken, Jr. Foundation was established in 1992 to expand upon the Ripkens' charitable and personal giving. The Foundation has supported The Johns Hopkins Children's Center, the Kennedy Krieger Institute, the Baltimore School for the Arts, and various other charities. In addition, the 'Because We Care' program has supplied over $50,000 worth of Orioles tickets to needy children and adults throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Cal has been the recipient of Major League Baseball's "Bart Giamatti Caring Award" and "Roberto Clemente Award" in recognition of his standing as a unique citizen and an outstanding player.

The Cal Ripken, Jr./Lou Gehrig ALS Research Fund at Johns Hopkins was established in September, 1995 in commemoration of Cal's record-breaking feat. Through the efforts of the Orioles and a core group of Baltimore businessmen, start-up funding of $2,000,000 was raised by the sale of special on-field seats for the September 6, 1995 game. The Research Fund, administered by the world-renowned Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, will be used toward finding a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS, or 'Lou Gehrig's disease,' as well as other neuromuscular disorders. Cal has also been instrumental in helping to raise funds for ALS Association chapters throughout the United States and Canada.

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