Overview

• Before the Dodgers game in Baltimore, the Orioles held a Camden Yards ceremony honoring Cal Ripken Jr., who reflected on the night his streak surpassed Lou Gehrig’s mark.
• The 1995 game became official in the fifth inning, triggering a 22-minute ovation and a full victory lap that teammates Bobby Bonilla and Rafael Palmeiro urged Ripken to take.
• Ripken extended his run to 2,632 consecutive games and voluntarily ended it in 1998, cementing a record widely viewed by current players and executives as out of reach.
• Modern load management and medical practices are cited as key reasons the feat is unlikely to be approached, even as the league’s longest active streak belongs to Atlanta’s Matt Olson at more than 760 games.
• Commentary revisits how Ripken’s moment helped baseball reconnect with fans after the 1994 shutdown, with some writers cautioning the sport cannot count on a similar lift if future labor strife returns.