Baseball Guru
02-14-2002, 05:53 AM
By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer
ABERDEEN, Md. (AP) -- Cal Ripken found the perfect venture to blunt the feeling of withdrawal he might have experienced when the Baltimore Orioles begin spring training this week.
On a blustery winter afternoon ill-suited for baseball, Ripken on Wednesday formally launched operations for the New York-Penn League team he purchased last week -- an Orioles' minor league affiliate that will begin play on June 18.
Poised in front of the yet-to-be completed stadium in his hometown, the former Orioles' star said he was content to run a team instead of play for one.
"As busy as I've been, this is one way for me to make the transition from one life to another,'' said Ripken, a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer who retired in October after a 21-year run with Baltimore.
"I've really thrown myself into all this. Maybe it's a way to protect myself from missing being a player. I'm not sure,'' he said. "I know spring training is going to open soon, but I've made myself very busy. I like what I'm doing now.''
By buying the Class A Utica (N.Y.) Blue Sox franchise and bringing it to tiny Aberdeen, Ripken set in place the first phase of his grand plan to construct a vast facility that would teach the game to children, host the Ripken (youth league) World Series and perhaps serve as the home of U.S.A. Baseball, which plans to move from its current base in Arizona.
Ripken hopes that money generated from the minor league team will enable him to bring the rest of the concept to fruition.
"This is a very important component in allowing us to do some things on the other side,'' said Bill Ripken, Cal's younger brother and a key member of Ripken Baseball, the firm headed by Cal.
Groundbreaking on the stadium began last April, long before it was determined if Ripken Baseball could land a team.
"Even if it meant I had to play Cal 1-on-1, there was going to be baseball in this stadium this year,'' Bill declared.
The Ripkens got their team, and best of all, it's an affiliate of the Orioles.
"Being an Oriole fan growing up in Aberdeen, to be associated with a baseball team in my home town, it had to be an Orioles team,'' Cal said. "I couldn't picture it happening any other way.''
As a player, Ripken started 2,632 straight games from 1982 to 1998. He showed the same kind of dedication in getting this project underway.
"I've seen him throw himself into this enterprise personally, not delegating any of it to other people,'' said Joe Foss, chief operating officer of the Orioles. "Baseball is Cal's passion. This is a dream for Cal and Billy, using the team and this stadium as a foundation for the youth complex to be built around it.''
Cal Ripken voiced appreciation to Orioles owner Peter Angelos adding a seventh affiliate to accommodate Ripken.
"We wouldn't want Cal being affiliated with another major league team,'' Foss said.
Ripken plans to be a visible, hardworking owner. But there will be time for play, too.
"I'd like to have fun with it,'' he said. "I'd like to put a uniform on every once in a while and throw batting practice or something like that. First and foremost, I want to deliver a great family experience to anyone and everyone who comes to the games.''
AP Sports Writer
ABERDEEN, Md. (AP) -- Cal Ripken found the perfect venture to blunt the feeling of withdrawal he might have experienced when the Baltimore Orioles begin spring training this week.
On a blustery winter afternoon ill-suited for baseball, Ripken on Wednesday formally launched operations for the New York-Penn League team he purchased last week -- an Orioles' minor league affiliate that will begin play on June 18.
Poised in front of the yet-to-be completed stadium in his hometown, the former Orioles' star said he was content to run a team instead of play for one.
"As busy as I've been, this is one way for me to make the transition from one life to another,'' said Ripken, a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer who retired in October after a 21-year run with Baltimore.
"I've really thrown myself into all this. Maybe it's a way to protect myself from missing being a player. I'm not sure,'' he said. "I know spring training is going to open soon, but I've made myself very busy. I like what I'm doing now.''
By buying the Class A Utica (N.Y.) Blue Sox franchise and bringing it to tiny Aberdeen, Ripken set in place the first phase of his grand plan to construct a vast facility that would teach the game to children, host the Ripken (youth league) World Series and perhaps serve as the home of U.S.A. Baseball, which plans to move from its current base in Arizona.
Ripken hopes that money generated from the minor league team will enable him to bring the rest of the concept to fruition.
"This is a very important component in allowing us to do some things on the other side,'' said Bill Ripken, Cal's younger brother and a key member of Ripken Baseball, the firm headed by Cal.
Groundbreaking on the stadium began last April, long before it was determined if Ripken Baseball could land a team.
"Even if it meant I had to play Cal 1-on-1, there was going to be baseball in this stadium this year,'' Bill declared.
The Ripkens got their team, and best of all, it's an affiliate of the Orioles.
"Being an Oriole fan growing up in Aberdeen, to be associated with a baseball team in my home town, it had to be an Orioles team,'' Cal said. "I couldn't picture it happening any other way.''
As a player, Ripken started 2,632 straight games from 1982 to 1998. He showed the same kind of dedication in getting this project underway.
"I've seen him throw himself into this enterprise personally, not delegating any of it to other people,'' said Joe Foss, chief operating officer of the Orioles. "Baseball is Cal's passion. This is a dream for Cal and Billy, using the team and this stadium as a foundation for the youth complex to be built around it.''
Cal Ripken voiced appreciation to Orioles owner Peter Angelos adding a seventh affiliate to accommodate Ripken.
"We wouldn't want Cal being affiliated with another major league team,'' Foss said.
Ripken plans to be a visible, hardworking owner. But there will be time for play, too.
"I'd like to have fun with it,'' he said. "I'd like to put a uniform on every once in a while and throw batting practice or something like that. First and foremost, I want to deliver a great family experience to anyone and everyone who comes to the games.''