Ripken memories made for a wonderful weekend

Before Friday’s media availability with Cal Ripken Jr., I spent some time scanning his BaseballReference.com page, and it’s always amazing.

Ripken is more than just the Iron Man. His statistics other than the consecutive games streak are among the best in baseball history.

He was an American League All-Star an astounding 19 times, a record, Only three others — Henry Aaron, Willie Mays and Stan Musial — had 20 or more seasons as an All-Star, and they were all National Leaguers.

Ripken had 3,184 hits, 16^th in baseball history and more than Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, Rod Carew, Al Kaline and Roberto Clemente.

He hit 431 home runs, and a rarity for a contemporary power hitter, never struck out 100 times in a season. Ripken had seven seasons where he walked more than he struck out.

Ripken was a Silver Slugger eight times and a Gold Glover twice, and though WAR (Wins Above Replacement) wasn’t calculated when he played, he compiled a 95.9 WAR, tied for 35^th all-time.

It wasn’t those achievements that the Orioles celebrated on Saturday. It was his consecutive games streak. Yes, it’s been 30 years since he played in his 2,131^st  game, and then played three-plus years and 501 more before he decided to end it.

When Ripken played, a popular topic among radio talk show callers was his supposed selfishness for insisting on playing every single game. The Orioles would be better if he took a game off every now and then.

Fortunately, he and Oriole managers didn’t pay attention to those callers.

Imagine the vitriol on social media now if a modern-day Ripken had a streak. It would be unbearable.

When Ripken was asked on Friday if he felt his other achievements were overlooked because of the streak, he disagreed.

“I don’t look at it that way,” he said. “Some people say, ‘Is it fair that you’re remembered for the streak? I think I answered it in front of some of you 30 years ago. If you’re remembered at all, that’s pretty good, and your career is what your career is. I don’t worry about how it’s judged, I don’t think.

“I’m proud of being able to play all those years. I’m proud of the accomplishments I had. I wish that I had the chance to play in a few more World Series. We’re talking about this great feeling that happened here 30 years ago. Catching the last out of the World Series is like the best feeling you’ll ever feel, and I would have liked to feel that a couple more times.”

I was fortunate to have covered 2,131 in 1995. I was one of four writers who were there then and also present on Saturday. Peter Schmuck and John Eisenberg, both of whom you read here, and Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. were all at The Baltimore Sun then.

I was doing a sidebar for United Press International, a poorly funded competitor of the Associated Press, and other than briefly chatting with Henry Aaron on the concourse between the clubhouses after the game, I don’t remember what I wrote.

Last Saturday was different. The Orioles surprised us by inviting us to watch the ceremony from the field, and hearing the cheers for Ripken and his invited guests sounded so much different than it does from the press box.

Watching Brady Anderson, Eddie Murray, Mike Mussina, Jim Palmer and Rafael Palmeiro introduced and cheered was amazing.

I was looking forward to the events going into the weekend, and I couldn’t believe how emotional I became on Saturday.

Watching Ripken on those “Junior is now a Senior” commercials makes me smile, and reminds me that I am also a senior, one who’s been fortunate enough to be there for so many important moments of Ripken’s career.

There are two things I’ve never covered, a regular-season no-hitter and an Orioles World Series appearance.

I nearly saw the no-hitter on Saturday night when Yoshinobu Yamamoto came within an out. It was the second time in a year that I missed seeing a no-hitter by an out.

I won’t be covering an Orioles World Series this year. Like Ripken, I never thought it would be 42 years between World Series for the Orioles.

Even if I never get to cover an Orioles World Series, I’ll always have the honor of covering Cal Ripken Jr.

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.