A Day with the Ripken Brothers

[ironmanfan]

While today is indeed Christmas and while our family is taking a break from the day's festivities, I thought I'd share with you my "real" Christmas which actually took place the other day when I was able to meet up with both Bill & Cal Ripken to exchange holiday wishes and for them to examine & sign some of my GU pieces...

The afternoon started in Aberdeen, where Bill Ripken after his XM 175 Satellite Radio show took the time to look through some of the bulkier GU pieces I had of his that I hadn't gotten signed in the past. These items included a GU road hat from his stint with Cleveland in 1995, an Orioles GU Batting Helmet from 1992 and a flannel TBTC GU jersey of the Detroit "Bisons" from 1998..I know I posted the other day that I don't usually prefer my jersey's to be signed, but I made an exception for this item:







From Aberdeen I headed south to Baltimore and was able to spend some time with Cal. He signed some misc. pieces for me, but my main goal was for him to examine the two GU bats of his that I had picked up in 2009 for his thoughts as to authenticity.

You may recall earlier in the month, I posted about a bat I picked up on eBay that had flown out of his hands in Detroit in June, 1995 (bought it from the son of the man who got it). For the first time in over 14 years, this bat returned to his hands and he certainly remembered the incident. He remarked that he was surprised that he lost his grip as there still is a fair amount of pine tar residue left on the handle.

The other bat was one that I picked up through the help of another Forum member in the spring which had originally belonged to the former Orioles groundskeeper, Pat Santarone. The bat was a two tone LS P72 (cracked), and after careful examination of the handle and barrell (including a couple of practice swings), he was convinced that it was indeed a gamer as well..He also showed me some of the small things he did on some of his game bats (which both of these bats exhibited) that I know will help in examining his bats in the future.

The very best part was that when Cal signed them, he included the inscription "GAME USED." People who collect Ripken know that he very rarely EVER uses that inscription, as he is very wary of the game used market (we discussed some of the fake items he has been presented with to sign over the years). He added "1995 Game Used" (which also happens to be the year that he passed Gehrig) to the one bat but since we couldn't pinpoint the exact year of the other, he simply added "Game Used."

Needless to say, I consider myself very fortunate to have this fantastic opportunity and I couldn't have asked for a better holiday present.



Happy Holidays!

[mr.miracle]

Hello Bill:

Happy Holidays, thank you for sharing. What an incredible holiday gift spending time with two of your favorite athletes and having them personally examine your game used collectibles of them. No better validation of game use from Cal Ripken than him signing the items as game used.

Wishing you and your family the very best holiday season.

[indyred]

Great stuff ironmanfan.

[flota89]

I love those bats! Great story.

[markize]

Bill,

some very cools pieces there. I would love to add one of Cal's bats to my collection one day.

Mark

[neverfinished94]

great pieces and story

[tigerdale]

Thanks for sharing that...sounds like a perfect day!!!!

[ironmanfan]

I appreciate all the kind comments I've received from Brett and the other members....Even though aren't game used, I thought these items I also had signed that day were unique enough to show. When I was in Cooperstown last month, at the HOF Gift Shop I saw that there was an Official MLB ball with a "Farewell Metrodome" logo (which I never knew existed) and since two key moments of Cal's career occured there, I thought it would be cool to have him sign it (2000th Consecutive Game & 3000th Hit). The other is a card that Donruss issued a couple years ago (#'d to 100) of him and the Colts' Raymond Berry...I got Berry to first sign the card Thanksgiving weekend at an appearance in Baltimore, then Cal...

[thomecollector]

Ironman,
Those are some pretty neat items. It is awesome that you know them well enough to spend time together. I like that they are comfortable enough with you to sign anything you ask of them. Maybe me, and Jim might be on the same page..