MLB ALL-STAR GAME

July 10, 2001

Cal Ripken, Jr.

CAL RIPKEN, JR.: You saw it live, right there. Alex came over in the top of that inning and said, "You're going to play shortstop for an inning." I thought at first it was just him but I realized when he pointed into the dugout that everybody else was in on it except me, and at that time, fear ran through my veins, because I didn't think that -- on the world stage that it was the time to go back to shortstop and see if you could play it there for an inning. But when I thought about it more, it was a really neat tribute. It was well thought out. I had played most of my career at shortstop. I was comfortable with looking at the game from that side. At first I kind of mouthed to Roger Clemens, I said, "Okay, your job is a little tougher now. You've got to strike out three people." After the first out I started hoping would I get a ground ball and definitely after the second one I was kind of itchy, just to do it one more time. But it was great seeing the game from shortstop again. I appreciate that very much.

CAL RIPKEN, JR.: Well, I came from a baseball family for sure, and these last few days, having them close by me and around me, maybe they have gotten too much press here the last couple of days, but they have brought the feeling and the memory back of growing up, being around dad. Having Ryan out shagging balls with me brought me back to the time when I was out in the field with my dad. You have special baseball memories and moments. I think everybody does anyway, but being in professional baseball and being around baseball my whole life, it was a real comforting and nice memory, just to think of it in that way. It meant a lot to me for my family to travel all the way out here, be with me, be out here and the intensity of an All-Star Game, because it can be crazy. I'm exhausted; I think I need a week to recover, but it was special having my family so close with me.

CAL RIPKEN, JR.: Gosh, I wish I could explain that. I feel very lucky and fortunate to have been around and played the game. I've always wanted to be a baseball player. No doubt about it. And I've been able to do it for a long time. I've had some special moments in baseball that I'll always cherish and always hold onto, this being one of them. Going to the plate, the first time up -- again, to get a standing ovation and the first thing going through my minds is I'm a little embarrassed is the game is supposed to be going on, thank you very much, I appreciate it, was in my mind, but let's get the game going on. But I get back in there just say, okay, try to stay calm, try to put a good swing on the ball, and when the ball hit and it started to go out to left centerfield there was a certain anticipation of running to first base, and when it hit and it was out and it was official, the shot of adrenaline, the rush, the consistent feeling of goose bumps down the back of your neck, you are running around the bases. I told a few people that I actually felt like I was fast for the first time in my career, running around the bases. Maybe I could have ran a three-minute mile at that point. When you have the chance, just one opportunity in front of a big baseball crowd and feel the moment, feel the electricity, the magic from the moment, that's everything. And shaking the hands and doing the high fives in the dugout with the great All-Stars, all the great players and getting called back out for a curtain call, that's some good stuff. I still get goose bumps just thinking about them.

CAL RIPKEN, JR.: My wife has it. Now I'll never get it back. (Laughter.) Dave Valle came in and said this was the home run ball. I wasn't sure where it landed. He gave it to me, shook my hand. That's a good piece to have. What am I going to do with it? Or what are you going to do with it?

KELLY RIPKEN: It will be a surprise. You'll have to find it in the house somewhere.

CAL RIPKEN, JR.: Treasure hunt. Memorabilia, things like that, they are supposed to make you look at it and replay that memory all over again, so I think the ball will be sitting in a place that you walk by it periodically, look at it, and replay the whole feeling all over again. That will be cool.

CAL RIPKEN, JR.: Well, as it has grown as a form of entertainment, a bigger form of entertainment, some of the other things get discussed a lot. I think there are moments that -- business aside, baseball is just focused on on the field, and there's some pretty special things that happen. There's a cast of characters out there trying to compete. I think we are the same players that you would like to remember when specials are made, like "When Baseball Was a Game." The dedication to your job, pulling for one another, there are great things that happen. And this environment, this All-Star Game, it was baseball crazy, all the way around. I wish I could tell you exactly why. Maybe it the success of the Seattle Mariners in the first half, this brand new beautiful place, this stadium, the people of Seattle, all of the Mariners on the team, Tony Gwynn and myself exiting out of the game. Maybe all of the combinations came together, but I just thought it was a great baseball environment. It was a very festive time. It was a great celebration for baseball. It's one memory that I will cherish forever.

CAL RIPKEN, JR.: Sometimes you take a moment to reflect. Sometimes I found myself, at this particular All-Star Game, trying to soak everything in. I think I'm exhausted for that, because I've been fortunate enough to go to many All-Star Games, but sometimes you come in with a certain mind set and you come in, well, I've got a baseball responsibility, let me do this, let me do that and you take a business-like approach. When you know it's your last one and you know that there will be no more, you tend to look around and try to really take it in and appreciate it. I found myself doing that. So when I came back out on the bench, it would have been easy and I've had other All-Star Games where I've come out of game and showered and dressed and caught a plane and headed out to the next city because we have the second half of the season starting and your mind is on that. I went back out on the bench and I wanted to watch the game. I took Ryan out -- I probably broke a few rules, but I took Ryan out there, and I think he'll appreciate that experience maybe years to come. I wanted to sit out there and just take it in. I just wanted to watch and be part of the moment, and so I was thinking -- I was just thinking this was really cool.

CAL RIPKEN, JR.: I think that's very exciting when you have representatives from different parts of the world competing and competing at the highest level, it's exciting because what that means to me is there's a talent pool, there's an expansion of the talent pool that will make the game better and more experiencing and we'll tap into all of those talent pools and play. To me, part of the excitement that I'm going to have in a few months is that in our youth initiatives and when Babe Ruth named their lower division after me, and there's Cal Ripken Baseball 12 and under, that's worldwide, I have plans to go into different markets and promote baseball in different markets, different world markets and hopefully see baseball at the grass roots level and hopefully have that sort of competition brought to life, like it is in Major League Baseball, at the grass roots level. So I look forward to that challenge. But I think it is exciting to go to different places. I've been to Japan three times on baseball tours, and baseball is hugely popular over there. They might be more crazy about it than we are. It just seems so natural for us all to compete and play together.