Baltimore Orioles

51 Pages·2014·8.015 MB·English

by  Ray Frager

BALTIMORE
ORIOLES
by Ray Frager
An Imprint of Abdo Publishing
www.abdopublishing.com
www.abdopublishing.com
Published by Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO, PO Box 398166,
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55439. Copyright © 2015 by Abdo Consulting Group,
Inc. International copyrights reserved in all countries. No part of this book
may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
SportsZone™ is a trademark and logo of Abdo Publishing.
Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota
052014
092014
Editor: Matt Tustison
Copy Editor: Nicholas Cafarelli
Interior Design and Production: Christa Schneider
Cover Design: Christa Schneider
Photo Credits: Gail Burton/AP Images, cover; Tom Olmscheid/AP Images,
1; Roberto Borea/AP Images, 4, 32, 43 (middle), 47; Denis Paquin/AP Images,
7; AP Images, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 20, 22, 25, 42 (top, middle, bottom), 43 (top);
Bob Daugherty/AP Images, 19; Ron Frehm/AP Images, 26; Mark Duncan/AP
Images, 28; Ted Mathias/AP Images, 31; Mark Lennihan/AP Images, 35, 43
(bottom); Nick Wass/AP Images, 36; Charles Krupa/AP Images, 39; Charles Rex
Arbogast/AP Images, 41; Dave Hammond/AP Images, 44
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014932908
Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Frager, Ray.
Baltimore Orioles / by Ray Frager.
p. cm. — (Inside MLB)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-62403-462-6
1. Baltimore Orioles (Baseball team)—History—Juvenile literature. I. Title.
GV875.B2F73 2015
796.357'640975271—dc23
2014932908
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
Chapter .............T he Iron Man, 4
2
Chapter .............Return to the Majors, 8
3
Chapter .............Breakthrough, 14
4
Chapter .............Seasons of Glory, 20
5
Chapter .............The Magic Is Gone, 26
6
Chapter .............Brief Comeback, 32
7
Chapter .............Waiting to Win Again, 36
Timeline, 42
Quick Stats, 44
Quotes and Anecdotes, 45
Glossary, 46
For More Information, 47
Index, 48
About the Author, 48
1
CHAPTER
THE IRON MAN
D
uring the Baltimore Orioles’ 1995 sea-
son, the most important number was
a countdown. Fans followed this more
than the team’s win total or any player’s
number of home runs. And, actually,
the countdown was a count-up.
There was a banner hung cheer. Ripken was on his way
on the side of the B&O ware- to breaking one of baseball’s
house, way past the right-field most “unbreakable” records—
wall at Oriole Park at Camden the 2,130 games in a row played
Yards. The banner was keep- by New York Yankees Hall of
ing track of how many games Famer Lou Gehrig.
in a row the Orioles’ All-Star Ripken did more than just
shortstop, Cal Ripken Jr., had show up for work every day.
played. He won the American League
During each home game, (AL) Rookie of the Year Award
the number would change. Fans in 1982. He was named the
would have another reason to league’s Most Valuable Player
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5
THE IRON MAN
(MVP) in 1983 and 1991. He manager. He had taught Cal Jr.
even caught the last out when how to play. Cal Sr. had been
the Orioles won the World Cal Jr.’s coach and even his
Series in 1983. manager with the Orioles.
On the night of Septem- “The Streak” did not stop
ber 6, 1995, he played in his that night. Ripken ended up
2,131st straight game. This playing 2,632 games in a row
broke Gehrig’s record. When before he finally sat out a game
the game became official in the near the end of the 1998 season.
middle of the fifth inning, the By the time he retired after the
banner changed to the magic 2001 season, Ripken had lots of
number. The fans cheered like other impressive numbers too.
never before. Ripken came out He set an AL record by mak-
of the dugout to wave to them. ing 19 All-Star teams. And he
But that would not be enough. became just the seventh major
Urged on by teammates, Rip- league player ever to get at
ken took a lap around the field least 400 home runs along with
at Camden Yards. He shook at least 3,000 hits.
hands and exchanged high fives But, most important, Rip-
as he went. ken is remembered as baseball’s
One person watching in all-time “Iron Man.” His 2,632
the stands was his father, Cal consecutive games just might
Ripken Sr. He had been a pro be an unbreakable record.
baseball player, coach, and
Cal Ripken Jr. gets ready to speak to the crowd after the Orioles’ 4–2 win
over the Angels on September 6, 1995. Ripken had just broken Lou Gehrig’s
record for games played in a row.
6
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
7
THE IRON MAN
2
CHAPTER
RETURN TO THE
MAJORS