2130

I attended the game that Ripken tied Gehrig's streak in 1995 on a lark. I was living in NYC and my boss knew I was an O's fan. He had a business contact in Baltimore who asked him to pick a game from the firm's season tickets. He figured the game that Ripken broke the streak would be too difficult so he went for the game before that one: 2130. No one at the firm had realized that this game was important. Their offices were located in the warehouse that defines the space beyond the right field wall. My boss had four tickets and I invited my Dad to attend. Driving down from New York, I stopped in the rest areas and checked my bags to ensure that the tickets were still there. I remember walking into the ballpark and feeling a playoff-like atmosphere of hushed anticipation. Our seats were in the club level behind home plate. Flashbulbs rippled around the park. When the game was official, fireworks exploded. Hank Aaron and David Robinson were there, and a host of others. The Orioles won the game handily against the Angels and Cal had tied the streak. He hit a home run to show that he could do more than just show up. It was one of the greatest nights of my life.

Tonight is the eve of his induction into the Hall of Fame. I watched him play for most of his career and remember some amazing feats in the early years like the time he threw out a runner at home with a strike from center field at the cavernous Tiger Stadium. He knew how to play the game better than the veterans from the moment he arrived. Caught in a rundown, I saw him duck under a tag and safely reach base as the fielder lost concentration. He was a new breed of shortstop, tall and rangy, not an acrobat like Guillen or Ozzie Smith, and he made difficult plays look effortless. He acted like a coach on the field, setting defenses, and positioning those around him. There did not exist an aspect of the game that he hadn't mastered, including the bunt sacrifice and hitting behind the runner. He didn't take any shortcuts to the Hall of Fame and he carried himself with class during his entire career. He drank alot of milk growing up. If he went 0-4 at the plate, he would have done at least three things to help the team win in the field that went unnoticed in the box score. He was the Captain. He was from my home town. He played for my team: The Baltimore Orioles.