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Orioles Mark 30 Years Since Ripken’s 2,131 With Camden Yards Ceremony

Ripken reflects on how the streak’s reliability helped restore fan trust after the 1994 strike.

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Cal Ripken Jr. waves to the crowd as he's introduced during a ceremony honoring the 1983 Orioles World Series championship team Aug. 5.
Cal Ripken signs autographs for fans before the game he broke Lou Gehrig's record.

Overview

  • The Orioles will stage a pregame ceremony tonight before their 7:05 p.m. ET game against the Dodgers, with Commissioner Rob Manfred, former players and celebrities expected to attend.
  • On Sept. 6, 1995, Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s record when the game became official in the fifth inning, triggering a 22-minute lap before a sellout crowd of 46,272 that included President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Joe DiMaggio and Frank Robinson.
  • Ripken says teammates Bobby Bonilla and Rafael Palmeiro urged him onto the warning track after multiple curtain calls, turning an unplanned pause into a circuit of handshakes, hugs and thanks around the ballpark.
  • Writers and participants, including Jayson Stark, credit the milestone with helping revive interest in Major League Baseball following the strike and shortened 1995 season.
  • Ripken extended the streak to 2,632 games before ending it on Sept. 20, 1998, and he now appears at Camden Yards as an Orioles ownership partner during the anniversary festivities.