Earlier this month on the weekend of September 5th & 6th, I especially missed not being able to go to Orioles games this year- my first year of not going to games since 1982. The weather was amazing. Beautiful, crisp September weather. The Yankees were in town playing the surprisingly competitive Orioles. And most notably, it was the 25th Anniversary of Cal Ripken breaking Lou Gehrig’s hallowed consecutive games record, on September 6, 1995. There would have been special ceremonies and events all weekend at The Yard. Still, the Orioles have done a great job of recounting and celebrating this historical time. I wanted to let my mind and emotions take me back to that special time and reflect on the impact of 2131, to me personally and to sports fans collectively. Thanks to those of you who will join me.
2131. There are some words or sayings in sports that stand alone. Something that most sports fans instantly know what it refers to. 2131 is not only one of the most widely known and celebrated sayings among Baltimore area and especially Orioles sports fans, but worldwide sports as well. Historically, when sports fans consider what are vastly considered the most unlikely and un-breakable records to eclipse, a few come to mind. I think that Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hit streak is certainly near the top of that list. Or perhaps Nolan Ryan’s 7 no-hitters. Maybe Wilt Chamberlain averaging 50 points a game in one season, OR scoring 100 points in a single game! Maybe Wayne Gretzky’s all-time points total. There was absolutely a time when Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games streak of 2030 was considered not only improbable, but likely even impossible! When one considers the physical, mental and circumstantial grind of a 162 game baseball schedule, to play every game over one season is daunting. It can also be considered lucky. To play consecutive games for 5 years is unheard of. And then there’s the Iron Man, Cal Ripken and 2131.
My first Baltimore Orioles game I attended was in May of 1983 at the age of 7. A young shortstop and rising star named Cal Ripken, Jr. hit a home run that night and the Orioles won. I can remember the buzz about Cal Ripken that summer from things my Dad and others around us talked about. He was the hometown kid who had just won the Rookie of the Year in 1982. And now he was in the middle of what would be his M.V.P. season, and eventual Orioles World Series Championship season. And he is still the only player in MLB history to win ROY and MVP in his first 2 seasons! Around the time of that first game, Dad took my brother and I to “House of Cards” which was located in Wheaton, MD at the time and I got my first pack (1983 Topps) of baseball cards and to my amazement, Cal Ripken was in that pack! I vividly remember being surprised and saying that I didn’t think he was supposed to be in there because I saw that card displayed separately in the store for sale! But there it was in back of my pack, and it was an instant treasure.
In my first pack of baseball cards. Personally signed by Cal a few years later.
My brother and I were both big Cal fans from the very beginning of our fan days. In fact, as I think about beloved and most impactful sports figures in my life personally, if I had to pick one, I think Cal is that player. We went to several games with Dad during that glorious world championship season of 1983. And in every one of those games, there was Cal Ripken at shortstop. And amazingly in all the years that followed as we continued growing up and going to games, there was Cal Ripken, being introduced by longtime Orioles PA announcer, Rex Barney. Ripken was the constant and team pillar. We talked about this as we got older and grew in amazement that Cal Ripken in the lineup and his incredible endurance and consistency accompanied our formative yeas and became such a big part of our lives.
During the 1990’s as “The Streak” started gaining steam and becoming more of an actual possibility, there was a defining moment that immediately stood out to me when it happened, and was a remarkable demonstration to me of Cal’s toughness and how difficult this feat really was. I was at the game, on June 9, 1993. Cal was drilled on the wrist and appeared to be in immediate pain, but in his tough and typical way, he trotted down to first base and stayed in the game. Then, to take his toughness to another level, he bulldozed Oakland A’s catcher Terry Steinbach as he rounded the bases on a hit and tried to score. Steinbach was knocked out of the game. Ripken stayed in. I immediately turned to my brother in shock and awe and remember saying, “That’s why he’s the ‘Iron Man’!”
Cal Ripken obliterates Oakland A’s Catcher Terry Steinbach- June 9, 1993
As incredible as that first-hand witnessed moment was to the durability and borderline invincibility of the Iron Man, what we didn’t know at the time was the full extent of how badly Cal had been hurt going into that game! Just 3 days before, Cal would be in the middle of one of the worst brawls baseball has ever seen. I was at this game as well, when Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina plunked catcher Bill Hassleman (in retaliation to Mariners pitcher Chris Bosio throwing at Orioles), and the mayhem ensued. It wasn’t until a couple years later around the time of 2131, that I recall Cal telling stories about how bad his knee was twisted during that brawl and how he woke up the next morning unable to walk on it and was convinced the streak would end! It was remarkable that he continued playing. Here is Cal talking with Tom Verducci about it.
That summer of 1995 there was so much buildup and excitement with each passing game leading up to September 6. And it was amazing to witness how Cal handled the fanfare and onslaught of media frenzy. Rather than keeping to himself and dismissing the warranted attention The Streak brought, he engaged with all people with class, enthusiasm and a display of selfless generosity unlike anything I have ever witnessed from athletes in my lifetime. After each game for quite some time leading up to 2131, he would stay and sign autographs…for hours. Long lines that stretched from the field and aisle, all the way out into the lower level concourse. Everyone wanted a moment with the Iron Man, and Cal would graciously oblige. The incredible love displayed between fans and Cal Ripken during that time will always stand out to me.
Though I had just moved away to Tennessee for school in late August 1995, there was no way I was going to miss 2131. My brother and I got tickets for 2130, the record-tying game. And not to be forgotten was that incredibly, Cal also HR’d in that game! He was completely locked in. We were just mesmerized at how Cal seized the opportunity to take the dramatic to the next-level. And during the longest fan ovation we had ever witnessed when 2130 game became official, we just said, “Man, what will tomorrow be like?!” Fittingly, the Orioles won 2130, 8-0. The stage was set. It was time for the long anticipated and seemingly impossible, record-breaker.
2130 Game Ticket
So we did not have tickets for 2131. And I have always been someone who embraces ticket bargaining with scalpers, dealing with hustlers, and buying and selling. I love open negotiating! I have so many stories from games over the years. We talked to fans and scalpers at 2130 in hopes of 2131 tickets. We searched high and low on local Washington Post ads and from the limited secondary market ticket offices that we had to call. Keep in mind there was no StubHub and “online” sites back then! It was unquestionably the most difficult ticket to obtain that I have ever encountered. My brother and I went with some friends down early to Camden Yards, hoping a ticket opportunity would emerge.
I have never, and I mean NEVER seen such a frenzied, high demand of fans looking for tickets to gain access. Hundreds and hundreds of people. I can count on one hand how many people that I actually saw selling. And when a seller emerged, they were swarmed and a bidding war ensued. It was a ticket scalpers paradise. I remember one guy paying $250, which was actually a good deal on that night. But still more than I had brought. Amazingly, my friend Kevin found someone who sold him a ticket for $100! But the rest of us were still looking. As it got closer to game time, the more desperate the many without tickets would get. I witnessed some fans who didn’t have tickets, somehow get included to squeeze onto an elevator into the warehouse exclusive access and gain entry. How did this happen? But what happened next is something I have never seen at a game in my life, and I’m sure something I will never see happen again. Fans were finding spots all around the stadium to climb in. In one particular spot, fans were piling on each other’s shoulders to climb in! It looked like an invasion of a fort under siege.
This was spot where fans were piling on shoulders in droves to gain access on ramp. Right across street from Pickles Pub.
Fans were shaking the gates near the warehouse entrance and chanting, “Let us in! Let us in! Let us in!” I saw fan after fan find a spot and jump unattended areas around the stadium. Absolutely unreal, and unlike anything I have ever seen before. My friend Jason found a spot and went for it. He climbed up an area of the gate, then scaled over to the left to enter the stadium where he could then climb in where the ramps were. Jason was a very experienced rock climber so it was actually a very impressive feat done quickly- much harder than it looked.
Spot (also on Pickles Side- off Greene St) where Jason climbed up wall and scaled over to enter on left, onto ramp going up.
After I witnessed Jason make it in, what was I going to do? Time to make a public confession and share my story. I was emboldened. I wanted so badly to get into the stadium for this historic game. And hey, I wasn’t the only one doing these unthinkable things, right? All these emotions flooded my 20 year old mind. In a moment of adrenaline and motivation, I also quickly climbed up the gate and began to slide over to scale the wall. But, I then heard someone yell from inside, “Hey! Get down! Or you’re going to jail!” I immediately jumped down and took off. I will never forget how that felt as I had a moment of panic. After I calmed down and collected my emotions, I resumed my quest in pursuits of a ticket…or access somehow.
The game started, and along with the many hundreds of people, I continued to hope I would gain access. Then a few innings in, it happened. I found a gated spot that looked perfect, with no one on the other side that I could see. I got close, evaluated and prepared for the moment. Several fans behind me saw what was coming, and they started encouraging me: “GO, GO, GO, GO!”, they chanted. Then in a moment, I pulled myself up, and quickly got to the top- and jumped over. No one was on that inner side. I was in, at 2131. Other fans followed after me. Now let me also make very clear that this is something I would not condone now, and will absolutely never do again. I was young, more arrogant and risky, and quite frankly, foolish!
To the right of gate “F” access on the Camden Street (across from what is now the Hilton hotel), I jumped in at this secluded gate access point.
I went over to the “standing room” area behind the left field bullpen and picnic area to watch the game and to my amazement- but also not surprising given how many fans I witnessed climbing in- it had to be at least 15-20+ rows deep, packed with people. Way more fans than the usual amount of 300 or so extra SRO tickets they sold at the time. So many people clearly in without tickets. But I was in and even though I never sniffed the front row to see better the entire night, I got to experience the game live. And on a pretty cool side note, I came across this tweet about 2131 that only enhanced how special it was.
Seriously, whoever initiated the idea to put the streak game numbers on the warehouse and mark the moment when each game became official, was brilliant. It was a pure stroke of genius. Then there was the accompanying ceremony music. Every time I watch the 2131 game and ceremony and hear this moving and emotional song that will forever be fixed with Cal and 2131, I am affected- sometimes to tears- as my memory immediately takes me to that sweet season of time in my life. And not only these particular game moments with the streak, but also a time that connects as a bridge to childhood memories of those games with my Dad and brother leading up to 2131. This is what Cal Ripken meant to us. These are the kinds of things that Cal Ripken also means to many Orioles fans, and sports fans. Cal was a great example and inspiration to me of what it means to work hard, grind, hustle, not give up, persevere, and give it your 100% best. During that time, he became an iconic symbol of these things to people all over the world as well. To many, Cal was credited for “saving baseball” with 2131. So many factors and “untold tales” from this year, right after the devastating strike of 1994, contributed to the massive contribution that Cal made to baseball, and the sports world. His work ethic and sacrifices to keep himself prepared, engaged and keep in great physical shape was not to be overlooked. He was, and remains to this day an incredible baseball legend, and a universally embraced ambassador to the game. He is and forever will be the Iron Man.
