IV

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 568

Recognizing and congratulating Cal Ripken, Jr.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 2, 1998

Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Mr. EHRLICH) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform and

Oversight

RESOLUTION

Recognizing and congratulating Cal Ripken, Jr.

Whereas Cal Ripken, Jr., the Baltimore Orioles’ All-Star

shortstop and third baseman for 16 consecutive years,

ended his record-breaking consecutive-games-played

streak on September 20, 1998, after having started and

played in 2,632 consecutive games;

Whereas during that time Ripken was named Rookie of the

Year (1982), Most Valuable Player (1983 and 1991), and

1983 All-Star Game MVP, earned 2 Gold Gloves,

achieved the Major League career record for most home

runs by a shortstop (353), and created an amazing

record of 8,243 consecutive innings played without a

break;

Whereas on the day Ripken’s streak began, May 30, 1982,

the following items were in the news: British troops had
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invaded the Falkland Islands; President Reagan was

serving his first term; a fledgling cable station called

MTV was completing its first year in business; Olivia

Newton John was at the top of the pop charts; the movie

Conan the Barbarian was a hit; a 19-year-old college

freshman named Michael Jordan led the University of

North Carolina to the NCAA Championship; and the running of John Riggins powered the Washington Redskins

to victory in Super Bowl XVII;

Whereas upon returning to the lineup the day after his streak

ended, Ripken recorded his 2,874th career hit, moving

him ahead of Baltimore’s other favorite son, Babe Ruth,

on baseball’s all-time hit list;

Whereas baseball fans and historians alike widely credit

Ripken with saving America’s pastime in 1995 when he

broke Lou Gehrig’s legendary consecutive-games-played

record and restored confidence in baseball following a bitter strike that canceled the 1994 World Series;

Whereas on the nights Ripken tied and then broke Gehrig’s

streak, he hit home runs in his home ballpark, Oriole

Park at Camden Yards;

Whereas the player with the next best consecutive-gamesplayed streak on the day Ripken’s streak ended had

played 327 games, meaning that player would have to

play 14 more years without missing a game to break

Ripken’s record;

Whereas baseball fans will always recognize 1998 as one of

the most historic years in baseball history with the setting of Ripken’s record and the shattering of Roger

Maris’ single-season home run record by 2 players, the

St. Louis Cardinals’ Mark McGwire (who was 18 years
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old when Ripken’s streak began) and the Chicago Cubs’

Sammy Sosa (who was 13 years old when Ripken’s

streak began);

Whereas Ripken further endeared himself to the citizens of

the great State of Maryland when he remarked the night

he ended his streak: ‘‘If this is going to end, let it end

where it started—Baltimore’’;

Whereas Ripken and his wife, Kelly, have established the

Kelly and Cal Ripken, Jr., Foundation, which supports

community adult and family literacy and youth recreational programs in the greater Baltimore area;

Whereas in an age when prepackaging and hype have taken

away so much from the true essence of sports and sportsmanship, Ripken quietly ended his streak with little fanfare, informing his manager of his decision a few minutes

before the game; and

Whereas for 16 years Ripken never missed a day of work and

served as a model to the Nation’s children and as a representative of the working men and women of the United

States, who rise each day to do their jobs and provide for

themselves and their families: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog2 nizes and congratulates Cal Ripken, Jr., of the Baltimore

3 Orioles for breaking Lou Gehrig’s consecutive-games4 played streak, establishing a new record of 2,632 games,

5 and playing baseball with unparalleled grace, endurance,

6 and skill, as Ripken said, ‘‘the only way I know.’’

Æ