Cal Ripken Jr.
On May 30, 1982, the rookie Ripken started a game and simply never stopped, beginning what became baseball's most famous endurance record. He became a true star in 1983, winning AL MVP and a World Series in only his second full season. From that point he was the face of the Baltimore Orioles and redefined the shortstop position with his size and durability.
The Iron Man Begins
Cal Ripken Jr. grew up in a baseball family, the son of longtime Orioles coach Cal Ripken Sr. Drafted in 1978 out of Aberdeen High School, he reached the majors in 1981 and won Rookie of the Year in 1982. That same year he began a streak that would define his legacy.
Rewriting the Record Books
On September 6, 1995, Ripken played his 2,131st straight game, breaking Lou Gehrig's 56-year-old record that many believed unbreakable. He kept going until voluntarily sitting in 1998, finishing at 2,632 games. A two-time MVP, he also redefined what a big-bodied shortstop could be.
Legacy and Honors
Ripken retired in 2001 with 3,184 hits and 431 home runs. In 2007 he was elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot with 98.53 percent of the vote. He remains one of baseball's most respected ambassadors through his youth-baseball foundation.
Career Timeline
- 1978Orioles draft him in 2nd round from Aberdeen HS
- 1982Named American League Rookie of the Year
- 1982Begins consecutive-games streak on May 30
- 1983Wins AL MVP and World Series title
- 1991Wins second AL MVP award
- 1995Plays game 2,131, passing Lou Gehrig
- 1998Voluntarily ends streak at 2,632 games
- 2001Retires after 21 seasons with Orioles
- 2001Named MVP of his final All-Star Game
- 2007Elected to Hall of Fame, 98.53% of vote
Biggest Hits
- Ripken's 2,632 consecutive games span more than 16 years without missing a single one.
- He played his entire 21-year MLB career for one team, the Baltimore Orioles.
Portrait: Joe Shlabotnik · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons