[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 138 (Thursday, September 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1719-E1720]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       TRIBUTE TO CAL RIPKEN, JR.

                                 ______


                      HON. ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR.

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 6, 1995
  Mr. EHRLICH. Mr. Speaker, a Member of Congress is often called upon 
to acknowledge the noteworthy achievements of his or her constituents. 
Today I have the unique privilege of recognizing a constituent whose 
achievement is the talk of the nation .
  Tomorrow the quiet town of Aberdeen, MD will pay tribute to its 
favorite son--Cal Ripken, Jr. West Bel Air Avenue--the normally quiet 
street running through the heart of downtown Aberdeen--will become a 
focal point of national attention as the people who know Cal best come 
together to convey their collective affection for a man baseball fans 
across the Nation have begun to call the Iron Man. To the citizens of 
Aberdeen, Cal Ripken is--in the words of Roy Hobbs, the character 
played by Robert Redford in the movie The Natural--``the best there 
ever was.''
  Last night Cal Ripken played his 2,130th consecutive game as a 
Baltimore Oriole, tying a longstanding record originally set by the 
legendary Lou Gehrig. Today Cal will break that record--a feat once 
thought impossible, so much so that Lou Gehrig's Hall of Fame plaque at 
Cooperstown states that his record should stand for all time. It is 
both fitting and 

[[Page E 1720]]
appropriate that Cal Ripken is the only player to surpass the great 
Gehrig in this regard. He alone represents the qualities for which Lou 
Gehrig will always be remembered--sportsmanship, character, fair play, 
and sheer love of the game.
  In order to appreciate fully the magnitude of Ripken's achievement, 
we must look at what else happened in baseball during Ripken's 13-year 
streak. Since May 30, 1982--the day the streak began--more than 3,600 
players have gone on the disabled list. More than 500 players have 
played shortstop for other major league teams. Endurance, however, is 
only one aspect of Cal Ripken's success. He was Rookie of the Year in 
1982; MVP in 1983 and 1991; and has played in 13 consecutive all star 
games. He has also hit more home runs than any shortstop in major 
league history.
  Cal's greatest moments have come off the field. He is a tireless 
advocate for children's literacy programs and, along with his wife 
Kelly, has worked to broaden awareness of Graves' disease. He has shown 
an uncommon willingness to give back to the community which has so 
warmly embraced him. Cal is as much a most valuable person as he is a 
player.
  When I think of Cal Ripken, Jr., I think of a quiet, unassuming man 
who takes precious time before and after every game to sign autographs, 
pose for pictures, or to chat with his fans--the way Babe Ruth, Lou 
Gehrig, and Jackie Robinson once did. I think of a man for whom 
contributing top the team--not rewriting the record books--is the 
primary motivation. I think of a man who tied one of baseball's 
greatest records on a Tuesday night and drove his daughter to her first 
day of school the following morning. At a time when many fans are 
disillusioned by the corporation of baseball, Cal's unvarnished passion 
for the sport evokes a time when baseball was what it was always meant 
to be--a game.
  The people of Aberdeen are right to take such pride in their local 
hero. Cal Ripken shares their time-tested values--hard work, community, 
family. His success; he is of them as much as he is one of them. He 
personifies what is best about our national pasttime. His graceful 
modesty reminds all of us that nice guys often do finish first.
  My sincere congratulations go out to Cal Ripken, Jr., his wife Kelly 
and their two young children; his parents Cal, Sr. and Vi; and to the 
entire community of Aberdeen on this happy and historic occasion. May 
the streak continue long into the future.


                          ____________________