Trivia

Shortstop/third baseman for the American League's Baltimore Orioles. Holds major league record for consecutive games played: 2632 (30 May 1982 - 19 September 1998).

His brother Bill and father Cal, Sr. both played for the Baltimore Orioles organization. Cal Sr. managed the team while Bill played second, and Cal Jr. played shortstop. Only three other families have had 3 members on the same major league team at the same time.

Son of Cal Ripken Sr. and Vi Ripken. Brother of Bill Ripken and Elly Ripken.

Owner of the Aberdeen Iron Birds, a minor league franchise, that play out of Ripken Stadium in Maryland

Baltimore Orioles Career Games Played Leader(3,001).

Baltimore Orioles Career At Bats Leader(11,551).

Baltimore Orioles Career Runs Leader(1,647).

Baltimore Orioles Career Hits Leader(3,184).

Baltimore Orioles Career Doubles Leader(603).

Baltimore Orioles Career Homerun Leader(431).

Baltimore Orioles Career RBI Leader(1,695).

Baltimore Orioles Career Total Bases Leader(5,168).

Baltimore Orioles Career Walks Leader(1,129).

Father was former baseball player and Orioles manager Cal Ripken Sr..

Made major league debut on 10 August 1981.

Named to Baseball Digest magazine's 1982 Rookie All-Star Team.

19 time American League All-Star (1983-2001).

1982 American League Rookie of the Year.

2 time All-Star Game MVP (1991, 2001)

2 time American League Most Valuable Player (1983, 1991).

2 time Gold Glove Award winner (1990, 1991).

8 time Silver Slugger Award winner (1983-1986, 1989, 1991, 1993-1994).

Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2nd round of the 1978 amateur draft.

Selected as one of Major League Baseball's All-Century Players in 1999

Selected to Major League Baseball's All-Century Team as a Shortstop (SS) in 1999.

On 6 September 1995 Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive baseball games played . "No. 2,131" was ranked #5 in TV Guide's list of the "25 Most Awesome Sports Moments (of the last 15 years)". [17 July 2005 issue]

Elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. Selected by 537 voters and appeared on 98.53 percent of the ballots, to finish with the third-highest percentage behind Tom Seaver (98.84) and Nolan Ryan (98.79).

Ripken played in a major league-record 2,632 consecutive games to break Lou Gehrig's iron-man mark of 2,130.

Inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2003.

Attended Aberdeen (Md.) High School.

Is a big fan of the soap opera, The Young and the Restless (1973).

At his personal request, Joan Jett sang the national anthem at the game in which he tied Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played.

Good friends with Don Diamont.

Retired as a player following the 2001 season. (October 2001)

Release of the book, "Get in the Game" by Greg and Donald Phillips. (2007)

Inducted into the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.

His number 8 was retired by the Orioles in 2001, the same year he retired from baseball.