Cal Ripken Jr.
Former Professional Baseball Player
Birthdate: Aug 24, 1960
High School: Aberdeen High School
Yearbooks: 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978
Yearbook photos of Cal Ripken Jr. from Aberdeen High School
Calvin Edwin “Cal” Ripken Jr. (born August 24, 1960), is a former professional baseball player who spent 21 seasons as a Baltimore Oriole. He graduated from Aberdeen High School, in Aberdeen, MD, in 1978, where he played both varsity baseball and varsity soccer. In his senior yearbook, Ripken was described as “a professional prospect” in baseball. He was a star pitcher who had the best ERA and the most strike-outs on his team, which also ended up winning the state championship that year. The same year that he graduated, Ripken was drafted by the Orioles, and he moved up to the majors in 1981. After playing third base during that first major league season, he was shifted to shortstop, where he remained for the majority of his career. He is perhaps best known for being the player who broke Lou Gehrig’s record for consecutive games played (in 1995). He was also one of the best shortstops and third basemen in MLB history, becoming a 19-time All-Star. Ripken retired in 2001 and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of fame in 2007, in his first year of eligibility. A side note: While playing Triple-A ball in 1981, Ripken played in all 33 innings of the longest professional baseball game in history (which was played over three days).
Awards (partial list):
- American League Rookie of the Year. 1982
- American League Gold Glove Award. 1991 and 1992
- American League Most Valuable Player. 1983 and 1991
- MLB All-Star Game Most Valuable Player. 1991 and 2001
- Roberto Clemente Award. 1992
- Sports Illustrated magazine’s “Sportsman of the Year.” 1995
Source: Wikipedia
