I just want to say how good it is to see Cal Ripken jr. break Lou's record
the other night.  In  a time of high payed babies in MLB, who have to take
10 days off for a sprained pinky, it is good to see the true spirit of
baseball (the greatest game in America) be exemplified through Cal and his
loyalty to the game.  I think it also helped bring something back to the game
and its loyal fans who felt cheated and used after a much too long strike.

19 responses total.

  It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Cal doesn't complain about
salary, or anything, doesn't cheat on the wife, doesn't make a lot of money,
and exemplifies what the game *should* be about.
  We are lucky to have him.

i agree i wish there were more players like him.

Unfortunately Mary the days of players like Cal are gone.  I hope not, but
.  Well ther are some bright hopes anyway.  I have to admire Travis Fryman.
He has gotten about 212 consecutive games....(i think)...

i'm afraid your right the days of devoted players are long gone...
*sigh* maybe it will return some day when these players get their feet back
on the ground. 

  I went to the game :empty

  I went to the game last week and saw the Orioles beat the Tigers. Cal got
a 40 second ovation, and I thought that he did a decent job that night.

Whoever said Cal does not make alot of money is WRONG! The man makes about
5 or 6 million a year! Hes in the top 5 at least.  I think that just goes to
show that you can have that money and be a class guy. Plus who gives the
athletes the money? The Owners.  I know if I could make 3 mill per year I
wouldnt turn it down.
As for the ceremony or Cal, it was great! I especially liked  how they found
the players from the first day he played in the bigs. I think Cal is one of
the reasons baseball will recover. Too bad we dont have alot more players like
him.

 Well, its 2000, and Cal's had quite a run. Living down here in Florida, I
really miss Baltiomore and the Orioles and Cal. When I was a young kid, back
in the late 70's, my grandmother would take my sister, my brother, and myself
to memorial stadium to see Jim Palmer pitch. We were there Cal's rookie year,
and ever since. He played great last year, before he had to sit. He's coming
up on 3000 hits. I wish I could be there to see it. I know it's only 6 games
into the season, but I'm getting a serious itching to make a road trip up to
Camden Yards. By the way, can you imagine what pro sports would be like if
all (or even most) athletes conducted themselves like Cal? 

Cal Ripken Jr. last night joined the famous "3000 hits" club, and the 
more exclusive "3000 hits and 4000 homers" club at the same time, which 
I think has only 7 members.  Al Kaline missed by *one* home run.

I thought that Hank Aaron had the record for the most home runs, and it 
was nowhere near 1,000, much less 4,000.  But, of course, we may be 
using different stats.

Ripken is in the 3000 hit, 400 home run club, of course.  

Al Kaline finished his career with 399 homers.  One of the classiest 
guys to ever play baseball, Kaline refused to come back for an extra 
year just to get the 400th homer.

Oops, so sue me for an order of magnitude!  :-)

You mentioned Al Kaline.  I'm not going to sue you.  (-:

I don't understand the Cal Ripken worship.

Oh, sure, he's had his accomplishments, such as the season where he ony 
had 3 errors.  (But he got that record by arguing with the official 
scorekeeper whenever he was given an error.  He was at no time the best 
defensive shortstop in baseball.)

He had the consecutive game streak, which was a magnificent effort.  And 
he did it as an infielder, not a 1st baseman like Lou Gehrig.  (But I 
remember when he argued with his father, then the manager of the 
Orioles, and had a fit in the papers because his dad took him out for an 
inning, ending his consecutive innings streak.  And I think there's some 
merit to those who say Cal was keeping the streak alive at all costs, 
and at the expense of his team.)

He has 3000 hits and 400 homers.  (But he's never been all that 
distinguished as a hitter for average or homers; he's just been there a 
long time.)

Ripken is a "me" player, like Wade Boggs, not a team player, like Al 
Kaline.  No question about it, he's been a darned good baseball player, 
and he doesn't have a lot of off-field controversies.  He'll be in the 
Hall of Fame, and he deserves the honor.

If you could choose players from all of history to have on your team, 
would the first be Ripken?  Not me.  He wouldn't even be my #1 choice 
for shortstop.

Jep, I couldn't disagree with you more!  What evidence do you have that Ripken
was a selfish player, motivated by selfish desires?  That's sour grapes
hearsay.  As for keeping the streak alive at the expense of the team, name
me one stortstop the Orioles could have run in there that could have matched
Ripken's play, even when he was hurting!  Ripken's numbers might not have been
"flashy", compared to say a Jeter or A-Rod, but neither were Alan Trammell's.

  Ok. Enough with all this baseball talk. This conference is about hockey.

  You have been warned.

The login information is congratulating the 1998 Detroit Red Wings for 
winning the Stanley Cup.  The hockey contingent has obviously lost 
interest (as anyone would, and should; it's only hockey, a lesser sport) 
and so we baseball fans will now dominate this conference.  Rename it to 
"baseball", please, and either join us or maintain a respectful 
observational attitude.

Thank you.

  Your request has been received and noted. 

  I'll think about your request. Don't hold your breath waiting for an answer.
;)


   (I really harbor no ill will toward you, or any person in this conference.
I hope that you find my attitude toward this subject lighthearted and not
meanspirited as it appears to be.)

(please take drift to item #1)

(Jim, you and I have enjoyed this particular "feud" for at least 5 
years.  We're both sticking our tongues out at each other, sticking them 
right through our cheeks.)

Response not possible - You must register and login before posting.

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss