Beloved North Carolina Sports Dog Ripken Dies at 8
Ripken, a black Labrador known for fetching bats and tees at major North Carolina sporting events, passed away from complications of an undiagnosed medical condition.
- Ripken, an 8-year-old black Labrador retriever, passed away on New Year's Day due to complications from an undiagnosed medical condition.
- Trained by the O’Donnell family, Ripken was a fixture at North Carolina sports events, retrieving bats for the Durham Bulls and tees for NC State football games.
- He also participated in high-profile events, including a ceremonial puck drop for the Carolina Hurricanes and appearances at Carolina Panthers games.
- Tributes poured in from sports teams and fans, with the Durham Bulls calling him 'the bestest boy' and NC State thanking him for bringing joy to their community.
- Ripken’s legacy includes a large social media following, a Topps trading card, and his role as a symbol of joy for North Carolina sports fans.
Associated Press 