Latest Gamble - Ripken BP hat

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Re: Latest Gamble - Ripken BP hat

In 1996 I was attending the Orioles game in Texas in April. The Rangers cleaned up on the Orioles. I think they scored 29 runs and I was there to get Billy Ripken items. The Orioles were disgusted after being killed so I got Billys cap, Cals cap and many others as i think they wanted to get rid of everything from that aweful game.

Can you guess Cals cap size? 7 3/8

Doubt he changed cap sizes at that part of his career.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=199604190TEX

That's incredible. Texas Rangers scored 16 runs in the 8th inning and won the game against the Orioles 26-7. Billy Ripken pinch-hit in the game and of course Cal was still working on his streak!

What a dreadful ending to the game if you are Orioles. Orosco comes in relief and gives up 8 runs in that 8th inning!

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Re: Latest Gamble - Ripken BP hat

For those interested, these were Troy at MEARS comments:
When it comes to the Ripken cap in question, I remember the cap. I have several caps in my personal collection, both from impeccalbe sources, one of each size, 7 1/4, 7 3/8.
Remember, a size 7 1/4 cap is also a size 7 2/8's. So the difference is only 1/8, and not enough for us to reject the cap due to size. In additon, we inspected the formation of the 8 in the brim, and was very comfortable with it. I have seen dozens of fakes, and a few good Ripkens, and I put your cap in the good category. I am 100% confident in your Ripken. One of the size 7 1/4 caps I had was his All Star game cap which I had him sign and verify at the Cleveland National some years ago. He confirmed during our conversation that he did indeed wear the size. ……[/font]
Troy[/font]
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Sure, that sizing is within the realm of sizing but this is from the latter part of Cal's career, possibly 1997.

What year did he wear a size 7 1/4 in an All Star game that Troy eluded to? I know he wore 7 1/4 early in his career. If that All Star cap was from the 1990's then that is significant, but regardless, the only thing that ties this cap to Cal is he wore #8 in 1997 which is written on the brim of the cap. If I was looking at this particular cap, the only positive sign is the formation of the #8 in the brim, but that doesn't take a lot of skill to replicate that #8 in black Sharpie.

Also, what is up with 7 2/8 as we know the progression is 7 1/4 to 7 3/8. Is that a lesson in fractions?

I have seen dozens of fakes, and a few good Ripkens, and I put your cap in the good category. I am 100% confident in your Ripken.

Dozens of fakes? How can someone be 100% confident in a cap that only ties it to Cal by that #8?

I went to one of the Baltimore/Washington's best sources on Orioles and Ripken and got the following response on the cap:

I'd have to fall back to my standard "Ripken rule": assume it's fake then work to prove otherwise...