WINNIPEG — Following in the footsteps of baseball legends Mickey Mantle, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Steve Stone and manager Sparky Anderson, Cal Ripken Jr. headlined the most recent edition of Winnipeg’s annual “Y” Sports Dinner.
The famed iron-man played 2,632 consecutive games over 21 years. During this time, he whacked 431 homers, banged out 3,184 hits, made 19 straight all-star appearances, earned two MVP awards and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Ripken limited his time onstage to a presentation that centred around his book, Get in the Game, which he co-authored with Donald T. Phillips.
Ripken appeared to welcome applause by the 1,100 dinner guests assembled at the Rose and Max Rady Jewish Community Centre. His presentation resembled a seminar that might be attended by a group of teachers desperately searching for inspiration.
With remote in hand, Ripken outlined the contents of his book, in which he explained what it took for him to achieve his iron-man status.
During his presentation, he listed his eight steps to success: the right approach and attitude, the will to succeed, passion, competitiveness, consistency and ability to adjust to change, conviction in what you believe, physical and mental strength and proper life management skills, especially with regard to family.
Ripken noted that balance in his own life remains important. The nature of his career necessitated being a good husband and father while being forced to sometimes miss important life events when he was on the road or at spring training.
“Your personal life is a work in progress every day,” he said.
Another significant issue the former Oriole had to deal with was almost daily interviews by journalists who would sometimes paint a negative picture. In the latter part of his career, he said, some of them took umbrage with his never taking a day off as he approached eclipsing Lou Gehrig’s consecutive-games streak, which some believed was hurting his team.
“You develop techniques to handle them,” he said of this coverage.
In response to queries from the audience, he talked about how at age 19 and in AAA ball at the time, he once played in a 32-inning game. He disagreed with baseball commissioner Bud Selig’s decision not to reverse umpire Jim Joyce’s botched first-base call, thereby costing Tigers’ pitcher Armando Galarraga a rare perfect game. Still, he admired both player and ump for their class in a difficult circumstance. And as for the reinstatement of Pete Rose and his chances of entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Ripken laughingly responded: “I won’t go there.”
The event also included fundraising and sports awards such as the Jewish Athlete of the Year awards, which were given to Lauren Sera, starting goalie with the University of North Dakota Sioux women’s soccer team, and Daniel Fainman, standout forward with the St. Paul’s Crusaders hockey team, and recognition to former Winnipegger Nathan Jacobson, a longtime supporter of the Jewish community centre.
Ripken was the 13th pro-baseball player to be summoned to the plate as main speaker since 1973, when the annual fundraiser for the YMHA began. Recent headliners included Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning and sports broadcaster Chris Berman.