Russ S. and RITM post your Ripkens please :)

benmoss84 · Nov 6, 2010

Guys I seen that you both have some awesome Cal Ripken stories and collectables! Post your best stuff and tell us about why you started collecting him! I've always had alot of respect for Cal! There will never be another one like him!!

Russ S. · Nov 6, 2010

Thanks for the shout out, but my collection without a doubt pales in comparison to many.
Including BIGALBERT & EXCEL_B.
Have a wife, 3 kids, and military paycheck, alot of the times I can't hang with the big dogs on super high end stuff.

I started collecting in 1987 with my father. Putting together Topps sets every year.
I was born in Baltimore, but grew up in Ohio, but Orange and Black is in my blood.
Cal was and always will be an inspiration due to his determination, integrity, hard work, and family values.
Not only was he a great ball player, dedicated and loyal, but he didn't miss a day of work in 14 years. What's not to admire about that?

I have yet met Cal, but with my relocation to the DC area. I hope to make that happen in the next 3 years.

My wife and I did however attend the double header before his final game. Which ended up being his final hit of his career in the night game.

Here's a few of my favs:

Russ' Cal Goodies
(Bucket still and always is a work in progress)

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1/1 & 8/8

benmoss84 · Nov 6, 2010

Bro very nice collection! For not being able to keep up with the big dogs what you have is not too shabby at all

lol... What's the story on the personalized auto if you never met him? Was it through the mail?

Russ S. · Nov 6, 2010

benmoss84 said:
Bro very nice collection! For not being able to keep up with the big dogs what you have is not too shabby at all lol... What's the story on the personalized auto if you never met him? Was it through the mail?

Back on the BMB boards, a member hooked me up during a Ironclad signing he attended.

RITM · Nov 6, 2010

My collection is nowhere near as large as some of the other collections. However, I do appreciate the nice comments. I started collecting Cal in 1992. That would've put me in the 8th grade. My mom purchased me a box of UD basketball cards the year of the Shaq trade UD. I asked her for permission to trade the box for a raw Ripken '82 Topps RC I had coveted for quite awhile.

In 2004 I added a 1980 Charlotte O's WBTV Ripken minor league card to my collection. Two years later I added a 1980 Charlotte Police minor league card, Cal's "holy grail". After grabbing the Police issue I got to know a very well known Ripken collector. He asked for a scan of my WBTV card and I learned it was a fake. In the days following I saw fake after fake selling at auction and decided to act. ripkenintheminors.com was born. That winter I had the opportunity to meet Cal. I had always said that if I could meet Cal I would thank him for the great example he has always set. I had that opportunity and Cal signed a program to the event for me. I also was able to talk to him about my site which was really amazing.

Fast forward a few years and Cal has been gracious enough to let me interview him for my site. Hopefully I will be able to get a third interview next year in regards to what will be the 30th anniversary of Cal's 1981 Rochester issues.

Here are a few of my favorite Ripken items and an explanation of them:

These are a completed set of tickets to the longest game in professional baseball history. Cal and Rochester played 32 innings on the night of April 18, 1981, until after 4:00 a.m. and the game was completed June 23. The person I received them from inherited them from his grandfather who attended the games.

This jersey was not worn by Cal but it was worn during the 1980 Couthern League championship season. When I acquired the jersey it was signed by Cal and Jim Palmer. Last year I was interviewing Cat Whitfield about his days in Charlotte when he offered to take it to the 30th anniversary reunion of the Charlotte O's and get it signed by the 1980 league championship players.

This was completed after someone gave me the idea on another message board. They asked if it would be possible to get the card signed by all of the guys and I gave it a shot. As cool as it looks, my favorite aspect of this card was getting to know Bobby and Jeff and hear their stories. Both interviews were posted on my site. The interview with Bobby was unreal.