Baseball Honored Cal Ripken Jr.

BASEBALL HONORED CAL RIPKEN JR. at the 2001 All-Star game with the Commissioner’s Historical Achievement Award, recognizing a lifetime of exploits. But the 21-year veteran also showed he had plenty of highlights left in his bat.

Although the Baltimore Oriole was voted the game’s starting third baseman, shortstop Alex Rodriguez and American League manager Joe Torre pulled a switch in the first inning. Unknown to Ripken, Rodriguez, the starting shortstop, shifted over to third and allowed the future Hall of Famer to open at his original position.

In the third inning of a scoreless tie, the 18-time All-Star hammered Chan Ho Park’s first-pitch fastball deep over the left-field wall. At age 40, Ripkin surpassed Stan Musial as the oldest player to homer in an All-Star contest. The 47,364 fans at Seattle’s Safeco Field stood and showered their applause.

When Torre replaced Ripken with Angels third baseman Troy Glaus in the sixth inning, commissioner Bud Selig stopped play to award Ripken and Tony Gwynn lifetime achievement awards.

And following a 4–1 American League victory, Ripken captured his second All-Star MVP award—the only American League player ever to do so.

EXTRA < < < < < < < < < < < < < <

POINT What would Cal Ripken have said if a reporter had asked him more than 20 years earlier what he hoped to accomplish in his baseball career? Perhaps his response might have been, “I want to earn a living playing the game I love.”

But on July 2, 2001, when Cal Ripken Jr. announced his retirement effective at season’s end, he had accomplished much more. He had appeared in 2,632 consecutive games, played in 18 All-Star games, and earned the record for most career hits by an Oriole.

At the beginning of Solomon’s career as king of Israel and Judah, God asked him what he hoped to accomplish. When Solomon asked for wisdom, God granted the request and also added riches and honor.

Often when we seek to do our best, our Lord adds the extras we could only dream about.

GOAL! Read more about Solomon in 1 Kings 3:5-14. If you could ask God for one thing, what would you choose? Praise God for all his gifts.