#8, Cal Ripken Jr.
These kids are apparently Tampa Bay Rays fans, but they got their picture taken next to the #8, in honor of Cal Ripken Jr.
Visible in the background upper left is #5, in honor of Brooks Robinson (My alltime favorite 3rd baseman).
A little history on "Junior"...
Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. (born August 24, 1960), nicknamed "The
Iron Man", is an American former baseball shortstop and third baseman
who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore
Orioles (1981â??2001). One of the position's most offensively productive
players, Ripken compiled 3,184 hits, 431 home runs, and 1,695 runs
batted in during his career, and he won two Gold Glove Awards for his
defense. He was a 19-time All-Star and was twice named American League
(AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP). Ripken is best remembered for breaking
Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played, a record that had
stood for 56 years and many deemed unbreakable. In 2007, he was elected
into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of
eligibility.
Born in Maryland, Ripken grew up traveling around the United States
as his father, Cal, Sr., was a player and coach in the Orioles'
organization. After a fine career at Aberdeen High School, Ripken, Jr.
was drafted by the Orioles in the second round of the 1978 MLB Draft. He
reached the major leagues in 1981 as a third baseman, but the following
year, he was shifted to shortstop, his long-time position for
Baltimore. That year, Ripken also won the AL Rookie of the Year Award
and began his consecutive games played streak. In 1983, he won a World
Series championship and his first AL MVP Award. One of Ripken's best
years came in 1991, when he was named an All-Star, won the Home Run
Derby, and was recipient of his first All-Star Game MVP Award, his
second AL MVP Award, and first Gold Glove Award. He broke the
consecutive games played record on September 6, 1995, in his 2,131st
consecutive game, which fans voted as the league's "most memorable
moment" in an MLB.com poll; Ripken voluntarily ended his 17-year streak
at 2,632 games in 1998. He switched back to third base for the final
five years of his career. In 2001, his final season, Ripken was named
the All-Star Game MVP and was honored with the Commissioner's Historic
Achievement Award.
Ripken is considered one of the best shortstops and third basemen in
baseball history. At 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m), 225 lb (102 kg), he pioneered
the way for the success of taller, larger shortstops. He is a member of
the 3,000 hit club and is behind Derek Jeter and Honus Wagner for most
hits by a shortstop. Ripken is a best-selling author and the President
and CEO of Ripken Baseball, Inc., whose goal is to grow the love of
baseball from a grassroots level. Since his retirement, he has purchased
three minor league baseball teams. He has been active in charity work
throughout his career.
W1, PS-CS6, SPM, IrfanView.
Cheers,
Brian
My Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ur4chun8/
My photos according to "Interestingness"...
http://fiveprime.org/hivemind/Tags/Brian,Wallace,3d
Capture Maryland: http://www.capturemaryland.com/users/Starg82343