15 Years Ago Today; Cal Ripken Gets His 3000th Hit..My Special Piece From That Game
Ironmanfan
Posts: 5,488 ✭✭✭✭
Entering the 2000 season, Cal Ripken Jr. was nine hits shy of reaching the 3000 hit milestone and I really wanted to be there, no matter where it happened. It wasn't quite like the 2131 quest in that he actually needed hits, not just playing in a game. Anyways, my off season research showed that for his career, on average he got his 9th hit of the season in his 9th game which would put the Orioles in Kansas City. Well, Cal started slow that season and it was getting obvious that it wasn't going to happen in KC, but perhaps on their next stop in Minnesota. I had to eat the expense of airline tickets to KC, but I fortunately had a buddy whose brother worked for USAir and when I was telling him this, he got his brother to get me on an USAir flight using a "buddy pass" to Minneapolis.
I arrive in Minneapolis with Cal needing four hits in the weekend series. On Friday he got one hit....On Saturday night he made an out his first time up and fortunately for me, he got a hit the next three times up for #3000! As it turned out, with the streak being over he had no intention of playing Sunday (which he didn't) and that the Orioles would have preferred to have him get #3000 in Baltimore (which I couldn't go to due to a work commitment). So in other words, if it wasn't for those THREE hits that Saturday night I would have missed seeing it in person...
OK Flash Forward like 5-6 years and I tell Cal this story of my trip (taking days off to fly to Minnesota in April, etc.). Shortly after that, he was cleaning out his office and came across a grocery bag (yes, a grocery bag) of memorabilia that the Twins had given him from that night, which included 8-10 game used baseballs from that game.
Cal, being the kind of guy he is, remembered me telling him this story and gifted me one of these balls with a special inscription. I have a lot of neat things in my collection, but I'm not sure I have anything that means as much to me as this:
IMF
I arrive in Minneapolis with Cal needing four hits in the weekend series. On Friday he got one hit....On Saturday night he made an out his first time up and fortunately for me, he got a hit the next three times up for #3000! As it turned out, with the streak being over he had no intention of playing Sunday (which he didn't) and that the Orioles would have preferred to have him get #3000 in Baltimore (which I couldn't go to due to a work commitment). So in other words, if it wasn't for those THREE hits that Saturday night I would have missed seeing it in person...
OK Flash Forward like 5-6 years and I tell Cal this story of my trip (taking days off to fly to Minnesota in April, etc.). Shortly after that, he was cleaning out his office and came across a grocery bag (yes, a grocery bag) of memorabilia that the Twins had given him from that night, which included 8-10 game used baseballs from that game.
Cal, being the kind of guy he is, remembered me telling him this story and gifted me one of these balls with a special inscription. I have a lot of neat things in my collection, but I'm not sure I have anything that means as much to me as this:
IMF
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LUCKY!
https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/pdub1819/othersets/6204
Seriously, that is an awesome item that he gave you. I know you will cherish it. ENJOY!
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
great story, nice piece
Lets go O's!!!
collecting RAW Topps baseball cards 1952 Highs to 1972. looking for collector grade (somewhere between psa 4-7 condition). let me know what you have, I'll take it, I want to finish sets, I must have something you can use for trade.
looking for Topps 71-72 hi's-62-53-54-55-59, I have these sets started
Congrats on a nice piece!
For Sale
<< <i>That's it Bill? I figured with the relationship you have with him that you would have his uniform from that night!
>>
Doug:
The funny thing is that his entire uniform he wore that night was in that bag as well!
I appreciated all the positive comments from everyone! I had such a memorable expereince that one weekend at the Metrodome that when they closed it a few years back, I asked Cal to sign a commemorative ball with a couple of his career accomplishments there (as an aside, he told me also hit his longest HR there back in '85 or so):
IMF