Cal Ripken, Jr.

TURNER SPORTS

Cal Ripken will serve as a TBS studio analyst for TBS’ exclusive coverage of the 2010 MLB Division Series and American League Championship Series. He has been an analyst for TBS' coverage of the MLB Postseason since 2007.
Ripken has also appeared in-studio for TBS’ exclusive coverage of the MLB All-Star Selection Show since 2007.

CAREER

A 19-time MLB All-Star, Ripken was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 29, 2007. Ripken received the highest percentage of votes ever for a position player.
Known as the “Iron Man”, Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s record for consecutive games played (2,130) in 1995. He voluntarily ended his streak in 1998 after playing 2,632 consecutive games.
The only team Ripken ever played for, the Baltimore Orioles, retired his uniform number in 2001.
Ripken won numerous awards throughout his playing career, including American League Rookie of the Year (1982), AL Most Valuable Player (1983, 1991), eight-time Silver Slugger Award winner (1983-86, 1989, 1991, 1993-94) and two-time AL Gold Glover (1991-92).
A member of the 3,000-hit club, Ripken reached the milestone on April 15, 2000 when he singled off Hector Carrasco in a game against the Minnesota Twins.
In 1995, Ripken was named Sports Illustrated "Sportsman of the Year" and was elected to the MLB All-Century Team in 1999.
Ripken holds the MLB records for most MLB All-Star Game appearances at shortstop (1983-1996, 2001) and most consecutive MLB All-Star Game starts (16). On two occasions, Ripken was named All-Star Game MVP (1991, 2001).

PERSONAL

In 2001, Ripken established the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation in memory of his father. The Foundation helps teach life lessons through baseball to disadvantaged youth from all over the country and gives them a life-changing experience.
In an effort to share their teaching philosophy with coaches and parents everywhere, Cal teamed up with his brother, Bill Ripken, to release their first instructional book, Play Baseball The Ripken Way.
In 1999, Babe Ruth League, Inc. changed the name of its largest division (5-12 year-olds) from Bambino to Cal Ripken Baseball. Currently, over 700,000 youths play Cal Ripken Baseball worldwide.