CAL RIPKEN BREAKS LOU GEHRIG'S RECORD

On Sunday, September 20th, Cal
Ripken, Jr. voluntarily sat out the
final home game of the season,
ending his consecutive game streak
at 2,632. The streak spanned
fifteen seasons, beginning on May
30, 1982. Although Cal is known as
a Gold Glove winning shortstop,
the streak both began and ended
with Cal playing at third base.  A
hometown hero who has played his
entire career for the Baltimore
Orioles, he started 17 consecutive
All-Star games (the last three as a
third baseman), hit more home runs
than any shortstop in history and
owns highest single-season fielding
percentage for a shortstop.

Cal Ripken played in his 2,131st
consecutive game -- breaking Lou
Gehrig's 56-year-old record that once
seemed unassailable -- as the Orioles
beat the California Angels, 4-2, before
a sellout crowd of 46,272 on an
unforgettably emotional evening at
Oriole Park at Camden Yards.


During a postgame ceremony in which
he was showered with gifts --
including a 2,131-pound rock for his
yard from his teammates, and a truck
from Orioles majority owner Peter
Angelos -- Ripken singled out his
parents, his wife and former teammate
Eddie Murray for praise.