By Steve Robinson | April 29, 2010 - 10:21 pm
Posted in Category: Pekin Daily Times

Cal RipkenNORMAL – Given his choice of people he most would like to have a one-on-one dinner with, former Baltimore Orioles third baseman and Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken said he would like to sit across a table from the man whose record for consecutive games played he broke: New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig.

“I never set out to break Gehrig’s record,” admitted the 49-year-old former slugger. “My job was just to go out there and play. (Breaking Gehrig’s record) just kind of happened.

“But everything I heard and read about Gehrig was that he was a man of character,” Ripken said in response to an opening question at a meeting with Illinois State University Baseball and Softball players, fans, and the media in ISU’s Redbird Arena Thursday.

Ripken said he would like to see what common approaches to the game he would have with Gehrig.

Gehrig played 17 seasons, from 1923 until 1939, after contracting the condition known as Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. ALS is now commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

In 1995, Ripken broke Gehrig’s consecutive games played record of 2,130 games, and voluntarily ended his streak on Sept. 20, 1998, after appearing in 2,632 straight games. Although he may be best known for being a third baseman, many will recall his prowess at shortstop, as well.

Ripken said sports gave him an appreciation for developing a good work ethic so that he could apply himself – not just while he played baseball, but after his career ended and he began working as a businessman. Currently, Ripken is president and CEO of Ripken Baseball, Inc. which hosts tournaments in the spring, summer, and fall.

“I played baseball for 21 years in the big leagues (retiring in 1998),” Ripken told the student athletes. “Prior to that, I spent a lot of that time in preparation for that in trying to fulfill a dream. But now that I’m out, I apply that work ethic to continue to get better.”

His company, Ripken Baseball, owns three minor league teams, including one in his hometown of Aberdeen, Md. “In order to have to have success in your operations, you have to know how to outwork your competition.”

“Try to find something you really enjoy,” was Ripken’s advice for anybody seeking their way in the world. “Don’t be satisfied with just trying and then settling. Look for something that is your passion that will drive you to want to keep coming back.”

He added “the love of what you do will push you toward wanting to find answers in bad times, and will keep bringing you back.”

American Red CrossRed Cross Benefit Headliner: Ripken was in town to be the keynote speaker at the 17th annual “Evening With The Stars” fundraiser benefiting Bloomington-based Red Cross of the Heartland. This year’s annual event was held at the Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Normal.

Overly windy conditions caused the afternoon news conference leading up to the event to be moved from Illinois State’s baseball home, Duffy Bass Field, to Redbird Arena, where nearly 200 people gathered to hear the Hall of Famer, inducted in 2007, take questions from Redbird Baseball and Softball players, fans, and the media.

6th Sports Figure Appearing At Benefit: Ripken is the sixth sports figure in the event’s 17-year history this annual event’s previous keynote speakers. Basketball commentator Dick Vitale was the first sports figure to speak at the event, in 2003. Others have (and the years they spoke) included: NBC Sports host Bob Costas (2005), Indianapolis Colts quarterback Payton Manning (2006), former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka (2008), and Duke head basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski (2009).

Previous speakers at the event have included: Actors Tony Randall (1996) and Mike Farrell (M*A*S*H) (1998); former Kansas Sen. Robert Dole (1999); astronaut James Lovell (2000), and Scott O’Grady (2001).

A total of 760 people were expected to attend the dinner at which Krzyzewski would be speaking, held at Bloomington’s DoubleTree Hotel and Conference Center, with the event expecting to net $160,000 to benefit the Bloomington-based Heartland Red Cross.

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