Cal Ripken Sr.

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Ripken's journey began in a general store near Aberdeen where he was born on December 17, 1935. He entered baseball early as a batboy in 1946 before playing catcher at Aberdeen High School. Signed by the Orioles in 1957 for $150 a month—a contract signed with a borrowed pen—he started his tenure with the Phoenix Stars. His best minor league season came in 1960 with the Fox Cities Foxes, batting .281. A shoulder injury in 1961 forced him to shift from catching to coaching and managing. As a manager in the minors from 1963 through 1974, he won 964 games across various teams like Fox Cities and Rochester Red Wings. He was known for his toughness; teammate J. Robert Hooper noted they couldn't win a soccer championship because "Rip was in spring training." His philosophy emphasized appearance and pride, with Doug DeCinces recalling Ripken dictating how to wear socks.

In Their Own Story

In June 1985, after Joe Altobelli was fired, Ripken finally got his chance to manage the parent club, though only for one game in the absence of Earl Weaver. On June 14, he managed his son Cal Jr. as the Orioles defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 8–3. The Baltimore Evening Sun noted Ripken had "a Christmas-morning look on his face." However, after 1986, when Weaver retired for good, Ripken was named full-time manager. The team struggled immediately, falling to 28–36 by June 1987. A historic moment occurred on September 14 during a 17–3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, when Ripken substituted Cal Jr. after the eighth inning, ending the Iron Man's record streak of 8,243 consecutive innings played. Ripken explained, "I wanted to take the monkey off his back." The Orioles finished sixth with a 67–95 record. After losing six consecutive games to start the 1988 season, he was fired.

Reader's Guide

Cal Ripken Sr.'s management style was defined by patience and an insistence on discipline. He served as the Orioles' bullpen coach starting in 1976 before becoming third base coach in 1977, a role he held through 1986. During this time, he pitched batting practice and hit fungoes, often being one of the last to leave. He coached Cal Jr. upon his arrival in 1981 but insisted there was "no father-son relationship" on the field, stating, "my son is just another ballplayer." In 1987, he achieved a unique milestone by becoming the first and only father to manage two sons simultaneously in the majors when Billy Ripken was called up. Despite his tough exterior, using terms like "lunkhead," he always made time for player questions. His legacy includes winning 68 games and losing 101 as the major league manager, but more significantly, developing a system that produced multiple Hall of Famers.

Did You Know?

• Ripken signed his first minor league contract for $150 a month using a pen he borrowed from a spectator because the scout had none.
• He managed both of his sons, Cal Jr. and Billy, in the same game on July 11, 1987, becoming the first father to do so in major league history.
• Ripken made the decision to end Cal Jr.'s consecutive innings streak on September 14, 1987, stating he wanted to "take the monkey off his back."
• As a minor league manager from 1963 to 1974, he won 964 games before compiling a 68–101 record with the major league club.
• He was known for driving the team bus and even fixing it while managing in the minors.