Ripken Breaks Record.

Ripken Breaks Record. The following report is from an October 1995 article in the Encarta Yearbook. . Baseball's Consecutive-Game Record Broken Setting a new standard for stability in a sport that has recently suffered from a noticeable lack of it, Cal Ripken Jr. trotted out to his position at shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles on September 6 and broke a record that had lasted for more than 50 years. It was the soft-spoken star's 2131st consecutive game, one game more than the "untouchable" streak of the legendary Lou Gehrig. Ripken's streak transfixed baseball fans across the country for weeks, as he doggedly pursued one of the sport's most hallowed records. Gehrig, the Hall of Famer and New York Yankees first baseman known as the "Iron Horse," ranks among the biggest heroes in baseball history. His remarkable record for durability ended in cruel irony when he was forced into retirement followed by a premature death at age 37 due to a rare neurological disease. Gehrig's incredible story was immortalized in the 1942 film Pride of the Yankees. For many years it was thought that no one would even come close to Gehrig's record for consecutive games played. Before Ripken came along, no one had come within 800 games of the Iron Horse's streak, which lasted from June 1, 1925, to April 30, 1939. Like Gehrig, the 35-year-old Ripken played for just one team during the entire streak. For more than 13 years, beginning May 30, 1982, if the Baltimore Orioles were playing, Ripken was on the lineup card. Through it all, he played in more than 99 percent of the club's innings, started every game, and watched more than 200 teammates come and go at the other field positions. After Ripken's streak--which continues to lengthen--the next-longest consecutive-game streak among current players is just above 200, held by Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox. Ripken has been more than just an everyday player for the Orioles during his streak. Like the man whose record he eclipsed, Ripken is a feared hitter and perennial All-Star. He has appeared in 13 All-Star games and has won the American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) award twice, in 1983 and 1991, matching Gehrig's two MVP awards. Gehrig and the Yankees were known as winners, and Ripken has also led his team to a World Series title, the same year he won his first MVP award. Manning a position that commonly features light-hitting, defense-minded players, Ripken holds the record for most career home runs by a shortstop. Ripken is no slouch with the glove, either. In 1990 he set major league records for the highest fielding percentage and fewest errors by a shortstop (he committed only three errors during the entire season, for a fielding percentage of .996). Indeed, some observers believe that the fact that Ripken has played almost the entire streak at shortstop makes the record even more incredible, because of the constant pounding that position takes. But Ripken has had only three minor injuries in his major league career. Like his streak, the home run record is still a work in progress. He added to the latter during the game that broke Gehrig's record, hitting a fourth-inning home run, the 324th of his career. The homer, Ripken's third in three games and 15th of the season, was an almost scripted dramatic flourish to an evening that was already magical. Those in attendance included baseball home run king Henry Aaron, former Yankee great and Gehrig teammate Joe DiMaggio, United States President Bill Clinton, numerous members of Congress, and other government officials. Shortly after Ripken's home run sent the crowd into further delirium, Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina retired the California Angels in the top of the fifth, making the game official. The sellout crowd in Baltimore's Camden Yards stadium immediately erupted in cheers. The ovation went on for more than 20 minutes, and Ripken was prodded to take a victory lap around the field. He stopped to share the moment with his family, which included brother Billy and father Cal Sr. The two men played a big part in the streak and in Cal Jr.'s career: Billy played alongside his older brother as part of a Ripken-to-Ripken double play combination for more than five seasons in Baltimore; and Cal Sr. not only taught his boys the game, he also managed them for part of his 29-year career with the Orioles. In 1987, Cal Sr. became the first manager in major league history to coach two sons simultaneously. That kind of family and team unity typifies Ripken's life story. He grew up in a nearby Baltimore suburb, hanging around with his father at baseball games. He knew early on that he wanted to be a pro baseball player and got his wish when the Orioles drafted him out of high school in 1978. Four years later, he was in the majors for good. And after 13-plus years of a remarkable career, he has become a part of the city itself. Ripken and his wife have two small children, who threw out the first pitches before the record-setting game. Ripken's achievement and his accompanying modesty, combined with his clean-cut image and avowed passion for the sport, have caused many in and out of baseball to hold him up as a welcome positive in a year of negatives. Attendance at major league games has dropped this season, a fact generally attributed to a backlash by fans after a players' strike ended last year's season in August and canceled the playoffs and World Series. After a tension-filled spring training in which baseball team owners hired replacement players for the striking big leaguers, an injunction was filed, and the season started several weeks later than normal. Many fans found it difficult to sympathize with either side in the dispute, with the average salary of a major leaguer soaring to more than $1 million per year and ultra-wealthy owners claiming poverty. Ripken's feat provided a welcome reminder for many of the joy and history of the sport, and baseball fans everywhere applauded as the record streak continued to grow, one game at a time. Source: Encarta Yearbook, October 1995. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.