Cal Ripken Sr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cal Ripken Sr.
Ripken with the Baltimore Orioles in 1982
Manager / Coach
Born: (1935-12-17)December 17, 1935 Aberdeen, Maryland, U.S.
Died: March 25, 1999(1999-03-25) (aged 63) Aberdeen, Maryland, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
June 13, 1985, for the Baltimore Orioles
Last appearance
April 11, 1988, for the Baltimore Orioles
MLB statistics
Games managed	169
Managerial record	68–101
Winning %	.402
Teams
As manager Baltimore Orioles (1987–1988) As coach Baltimore Orioles (1976–1986, 1989–1992)
Career highlights and awards
World Series champion (1983) Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame

Calvin Edwin Ripken Sr. (December 17, 1935 – March 25, 1999) was an American baseball legend. He was a player, scout, coach, and manager. He spent an amazing 36 years with the Baltimore Orioles team.

Ripken Sr. started in the Orioles' minor league system in 1957. Later, he became a coach and manager for the main team. His sons, Cal Jr. and Billy, even played for him. He was born and lived in Aberdeen, Maryland, his whole life. He helped shape "The Oriole Way," a special tradition of excellence for the team.

Growing Up with Baseball

Cal Ripken Sr. was born on December 17, 1935, near Aberdeen, Maryland. His parents owned a general store. He loved baseball from a young age. In 1946, he was a batboy for a local team. His older brother, Oliver, played on that team.

Ripken Sr. went to Aberdeen High School. He helped his school's baseball team win three county championships. In 1952, they had a perfect, undefeated season. He played as a catcher. He also played and coached soccer in the late 1950s. His soccer team once won 17 games in a row!

Playing in the Minor Leagues

The Baltimore Orioles signed Ripken Sr. in 1957. His first contract was for $150 a month. He started as a catcher for the Phoenix Stars. This was a minor league team in the Arizona–Mexico League. He learned a lot from his manager, Bob Hooper.

The next year, he moved up to the Wilson Tobs in the Carolina League. He played 118 games there. In 1959, he played for two different teams. These were the Pensacola Dons and the Amarillo Gold Sox.

In 1960, Ripken Sr. played for the Fox Cities Foxes. This was his best year as a player. He hit .281, which means he got a hit almost 28% of the time. He also had 100 hits, nine home runs, and 74 RBI. His manager, Earl Weaver, later became a famous Orioles manager. Weaver said Ripken Sr. was very tough and hardworking.

In 1961, Ripken Sr. got a shoulder injury. It made it hard for him to throw well. This injury meant he had to change his plans. He realized he would need to focus on coaching and managing instead of playing. He played for a few more minor league teams. His last games were in 1964.

Becoming a Minor League Manager

As his playing career ended, Ripken Sr. started coaching. His first chance to manage came in 1961. He took over as manager for the Leesburg Orioles. In 1963, at age 27, he became a full-time manager for the Fox Cities Foxes.

From 1963 to 1974, he managed many different minor league teams. He helped develop future baseball stars. These included Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray, and Rich Dauer. Besides coaching, he sometimes even drove the team bus! He also held baseball clinics for his players. His son, Cal Jr., would listen to these clinics and learn from them. Even though he moved around a lot, Ripken Sr. always considered Aberdeen, Maryland, his true home. In 1975, he worked as a scout for the Orioles.

Coaching in the Major Leagues

Ripken Sr. coaching in 1977

In 1976, Ripken Sr. finally made it to the major leagues. The Orioles hired him as their bullpen coach. In 1977, he became the third base coach. He stayed in this role until 1986. During this time, he was always working hard. He would pitch batting practice and hit fungoes before games. He was often the last person to leave the ballpark.

Ripken Sr. was tough but fair with his players. He always took time to answer their questions. Doug DeCinces, a player he coached, said Ripken Sr. taught them to be proud of their appearance and their game. The Orioles were very successful during these years. They reached the 1979 World Series and won the 1983 World Series. Ripken Sr. earned a World Series ring in 1983!

In 1981, his son, Cal Jr., joined the Orioles. Ripken Sr. coached his own son! He always said that on the field, Cal Jr. was just another player to him. He wanted to treat everyone fairly.

Managing the Orioles

Cal Ripken Sr.

After the 1982 season, the Orioles' manager, Earl Weaver, retired. Ripken Sr. hoped to become the new manager. But the team chose Joe Altobelli instead. In 1985, Altobelli was fired. Ripken Sr. finally got his chance to manage, but only for one game. On June 14, 1985, he managed his son, Cal Jr., for the first time. The Orioles won that day, and Ripken Sr. was very happy.

After the 1986 season, Weaver retired for good. This time, Ripken Sr. was named the manager of the Orioles. The team had finished last in 1986. But Ripken Sr. believed in his team. He said, "I know these guys can get the job done."

The 1987 season started slowly for the Orioles. But they improved in May. In June, they fell out of contention. Their pitching was a big problem. In 1987, Ripken Sr. made history. He became the first father to manage two sons at the same time in the major leagues. His son, Billy, joined the team at the All-Star break. On July 11, Ripken Sr. managed Cal Jr. and Billy together for the first time.

On September 14, 1987, Ripken Sr. made a big decision. He took Cal Jr. out of a game. This ended Cal Jr.'s amazing streak of 8,243 consecutive innings played. Ripken Sr. said he wanted to take the pressure off his son. The Orioles finished the season in sixth place.

Ripken Sr. preached "patience" for the 1988 season. He said the team couldn't go from last to first overnight. But the Orioles lost their first six games of 1988. Because of this, Ripken Sr. was fired. He said it was very hard to accept. Cal Jr. was also very sad about it. Billy Ripken even changed his jersey number to honor his dad. After Ripken Sr. was fired, the Orioles lost 15 more games in a row. This set a record for the longest losing streak to start a season. Ripken Sr. finished his managing career with 68 wins and 101 losses.

Managerial Record

Later Years and Legacy

After being fired as manager, Ripken Sr. returned to being the Orioles' third-base coach. He stayed with the team until 1992. The Orioles wanted to give younger coaches a chance. They offered him a new job, but he wanted to keep coaching on the field. He never coached professionally again, but he always said he wasn't retired.

Grave of Ripken at Baker Cemetery

In 1996, Ripken Sr. was honored. He was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame. He passed away on March 25, 1999, at age 63. He was buried in Baker Cemetery in Aberdeen. The Orioles wore a special number 7 patch on their sleeves in 1999 to remember him. A plaque in the Orioles dugout at Oriole Park at Camden Yards also honors his long career. The Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League is named after him.

Ripken Sr. spent 36 years with the Baltimore Orioles. He was a player, scout, coach, and manager. He is remembered for helping create "The Oriole Way." This was the Orioles' special way of playing baseball with excellence and respect. Many people who knew him said he lived and breathed baseball. Even though he was only manager for a short time, his impact on the team was huge. No Oriole wore his number 7 until Jackson Holliday in 2024.

Family Life

Vi and Cal Ripken Sr. in 1996

Ripken Sr. was married to Violet, who everyone called "Vi." They met in high school. They had three sons: Cal Jr., Fred, and Billy. They also had a daughter named Ellen. They lived in Aberdeen, Maryland.

Two of his sons played in the major leagues. Cal Jr. became very famous for breaking Lou Gehrig's record for playing the most consecutive games. He also had over 3,000 hits in his amazing career. Billy also played in the major leagues for 12 years. Cal Sr. also had two older brothers, Oliver and Bill.