Baltimore Sun · Sep 3, 2020
Remembering 2,131: Cal Ripken’s victory lap for the ages
As the 25th anniversary of Cal Ripken Jr.’s monumental achievement of playing in 2,131 consecutive major league games approaches, The Baltimore Sun takes a look back at Ken Rosenthal’s column for The Evening Sun the day after the Orioles shortstop broke Lou Gehrig’s record.
It was a victory lap for the ages. Rafael Palmeiro and Bobby Bonilla pushed Cal Ripken out of the Orioles’ dugout, and off the game’s all-time Iron Man went.
Down the right-field line, shaking hands with fans in the front row. Into the outfield, greeting the grounds crew and police officers. Above the center-field wall, where fans tumbled out of the bleachers as he leaped to slap them five.