physical strength of, 117
pitcher vs. shortstop dilemma, 44–46
as player/coach, 213
playful personality, 114–15
on positional demands, 218
positioning abilities, 117
post–baseball career life, 269–70
pragmatism of, 2
record-breaking game, 1–3, 6, 7–14, 224–28
record-tying game, 22–23, 222–24
rookie season, 70
and Sachio Kinugasa, 241–43
scrutiny for consecutive game play, 177–79, 217
shortstop vs. third base dilemma, 70–72
slumps, 4–5, 81
on statistical analysis, 257
streak integrity, 218
support of team, 183, 200
talents of, 3
tape ball games at Metrodome, 114
team respect for, 180
toughness of, 118
tying of Scott’s record, 146
victory lap, 1–3, 7–14, 226
WAR (wins above replacement), 245
withdrawal from public eye, 178–79
work ethic of, 6, 11, 43, 76, 111
Ripken, Cal Sr., 2, 3, 12–13, 37–42, 119
at Cal Jr.’s 2,130th game, 223
and Cal Jr.’s consecutive-inning streak, 80–83
Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, 252
death of, 251
on earnings, 76
firing of from Orioles, 109–10, 176
influence on Cal Jr., 119–20
Orioles’ management, 72, 79
as Orioles’ third-base coach, 143, 150–51
player-to-management transition, 39–42
work ethic, 40–41, 43
Ripken, Ellen, 38, 40–41
Ripken, Fred, 40–41
Ripken, Kelly, 13, 175, 179, 182, 249
Ripken, Violet, 38, 39
Ripken Baseball, 269
The Ripken Way: A Manual for Baseball and Life (Ripken Sr.), 38
Roberts, Brian, 264
Robinson, Brooks, 14, 77, 149, 200, 271
Robinson, David, 9, 224
Robinson, Frank, 16, 201
move to general manager, 150
Orioles’ management, 110, 111, 120
on Ripken’s hitting slump, 147–48, 149
and Ripken’s streak, 143–45, 146, 147–48
Robinson, Wilbert, 58, 66
Rodriguez, Alex, 262, 263
Rolfe, Red, 157, 158
Rose, Pete, 137–41
base hits record, 6, 178
career endurance of, 137–38
career games played, 138
full seasons of games, 138
on Ripken’s streak, 179
Rosenthal, Ken, 248
Roussey, Fred, 7
Rowe, Schoolboy, 158
Ruffing, Red, 188–89
Rule 10.24, 173
Ruppert, Jacob, 65–66, 126–27, 129, 159–60, 196
1927 season, 102
and replacement of Huggins, 107, 108
Russell, Bill, 231, 237
Ruth, George Herman “Babe,” x, 4, 18, 108, 121
1915 World Series, 59
1916 World Series, 60
1925-season ailment, 94–95, 99
1926 season, 101–2
1927 season, 103–5
1928 season, 106
1929 season, 106–7
1930 season, 107
acquisition by Yankees, 66–67
character/personality, 60, 93, 102–3, 131
compensation, 102, 105
deteriorating play, 153
on Gehrig, 156
on Gehrig’s streak, 163, 199
home run race with Gehrig, 104–5
home run record, 4, 242, 271
loss of interest in pitching, 61, 62
at Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day, 195–97
managerial aspirations, 159–60
off-field behavior, 60, 93
relationship with Gehrig, 159–61, 165
role in Pride of the Yankees, 20
Yankee Stadium inaugural game, 87
Ryan, Nolan, 5
S
sabermetrics, 257
salaries and contracts, 255–56
“salariman,” 242
Saltzgaver, Jack, 157, 158
Salvon, Ralph, 77, 110
San Diego Padres, 181, 230, 237
1983 season, 234–37
1984 season, 237–38
in 1984 World Series, 238
2007 season, 264–65
Sanford, Jack, 172
San Francisco Giants, 141, 181, 201, 234, 272
Santo, Ron, 202
Schaefer, William Donald, 113
Schang, Wally, 67, 94, 96
Schu, Rick, 111–12
Schultz, Kristen, 226
Schwarz, Alan, 52
Scott, Everett “Deacon,” 17, 58–65, 101, 137, 169
1,000-straight-games milestone, 112, 121, 123, 135, 233
1915 World Series, 59–60
1917 season, 61
1918 World Series, 61
acquisition by Yankees, 67–68
background of, 59
consecutive-game streak, x, 61–65, 68–69, 84–89, 93–95, 124, 133, 146, 165–66, 198, 199, 271
contrasts to Gehrig, 129
on Gehrig’s streak, 163
on Gehrig’s decline, 194
integrity of, 60–61
missed innings, 80
press on, 62–64
similarities to George Pinkney, 58–59
skin condition, 61–62
tying of record by Gehrig, 128
work ethic and integrity of, 68–69, 89
Seagar, Kyle, 272
Seattle Mariners, 174, 220–21, 240, 248
Segar, Charlie, 197
Selig, Bud, 183
Selleck, Tom, 9, 224
Sewell, Joe, 121–25, 128, 135, 138, 198, 206, 233
Shanks, Howie, 96
Shapiro, Ron, 7, 12, 23, 110, 119, 152, 246
Shaver, Bud, 158
Shawkey, Bob, 107
Sheets, Larry, 44, 45, 82
Shelby, John, 45, 46, 47
Showalter, Buck, 271
Simmons, Al, 106
Simmons, Bill, 252
Simmons, Ted, 209–10
Simon, Paul, 16
Singleton, Ken, 47, 48, 71, 73, 74–75, 117
Smith, Lee, 181, 237
Smith, Mark, 223
Smith, Roy, 144
Smith, Willie, 204, 205
Smoltz, John, 42
Sosa, Sammy, 254
Sotomayor, Sonia, 184
Spalding, Albert, 28
Spalding’s Base Ball Guide (Spalding), 28
Speaker, Tris, 59, 122–23, 124
Sporting Life, 28, 32
Sporting News, 28, 51, 88, 128, 131, 170, 171
Sports Illustrated, 94, 110, 179, 192
Sports Illustrated Kids, 215
Sportsman’s Park, 128
sports medicine, 256–57
“starting lineup” loophole, 170–71, 173
statistical analysis
career statistics recognition, 63–64
consecutive games. See consecutive-game play
consecutive innings, 80–82
inconsistencies, 50–52
increased use of, 257
Steadman, John, 215
Steinbach, Terry, 176
Stengel, Casey, 167
steroids. See performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs)
St. Louis Browns, 30, 35, 49, 50, 84, 187
St. Louis Brown Stockings, 27
St. Louis Cardinals, 101, 162, 204–5, 210
in 1926 World Series, 102
in 1928 World Series, 106
curfew game, 172
Stan Musial and, 169–73
Strauss, Joe, 249
strike. See major league baseball strike of 1994–1995
Suhr, Gus, 134–35, 165, 169, 171
Sullivan,
Henry, 26
Surhoff, B. J., 239, 248, 254
Sutcliffe, Rick, 115
Sutton, Don, 233
Suzuki, Ichiro, 258
T
Tanner, Chuck, 209, 210
Tejada, Miguel, xi, 261–67
1,000-straight-games milestone, 263
allegations of PED use, 266
comparisons to Ripken, 267
end of streak, 264–65
as a teammate, 266
Templeton, Garry, 237
Terry, William “Adonis,” 33, 35
Tettleton, Mickey, 111, 117, 143, 181, 226
Texas Rangers, 252, 260
Thompson, Chuck, 22
“thrown” World Series, 68, 69
Toronto Blue Jays, 71, 78, 81, 120, 143–44, 151–52, 182, 239, 244, 246, 254
1991 All-Star game, 149
gift to Ripken, 251
interest in Ripken, 113
Total Baseball, 56, 168
Trammell, Alan, 221
Traynor, Pie, 134
Trembley, Dave, 263, 264, 266–67
Tri-City Atoms, 40
Twitchell, Eleanor. See Gehrig, Eleanor
Tyler, Ernie, 43–44
Tyler, Fred, 43–44, 228
Tyler, Jimmy, 43–44
U
umpires, during victory lap, 11
Unitas, Johnny, 14, 224
University of Alabama, 121
V
Verducci, Tom, 179
Vidmer, Richard, 197
W
Wade, Ed, 266
Wagner, Honus, 164
Walker, Harry, 169–70
Wanninger, Paul, 95–96
Ward, Aaron, 94, 96, 101
Ward, Gary, 77
Washington, Ron, 82
Washington Park, Brooklyn, 33
Washington Post, 179, 197
Washington Senators, 52, 54, 87, 94, 96, 99, 104, 128, 130, 155–56, 161, 190, 200
decline to acquire Scott, 59
gift to Ruth, 159
Eddie Yost and, 166–69
Weaver, Earl, 15–16, 39, 41, 70–72, 79, 257
Webb, Matthew, 25–26
Welch, Bob, 176
Welke, Tim, 144–45
Wells, David, 265
Whisenant, Pete, 170
White, Frank, 48
White, Ray, 155
Whitted, George “Possum,” 54, 55
Wiggins, Allan, 237
Williams, Billy, x, 136, 137, 173, 271
1,000-straight-games milestone, 233
on-base percentage (OBP), 167
best decades played, 138
comparisons to Ripken, 214
consecutive-game streak, 198–99, 201–8, 235–36
National League consecutive-game record, 132–33, 204–5, 214, 234
Williams, Dick, 234, 236
Williams, Edward Bennett, 78, 109, 113, 142
Williams, Gary, 224
Williams, Jimmy, 47
Williams, Matt, 181
Williams, Ted, 166, 181
Wilson, Hack, 271
Winfield, Dave, 152
Witt, Whitey, 94
Wood, Sam, 20
World Series
1915, 59–60
1916, 60
1918, 61, 69
1919, 62–63, 68, 69
1920, 123
1921, 67
1922, 86
1923, 92, 93
1926, 102
1927, 105
1928, 106
1935, 161–62
1936, 161
1938, 188
1966, 239
1969, 205
1970, 41
1974, 232
1975, 139–40
1976, 140
1977, 232
1978, 232
1979, 72, 75
1980, 140–41
1982, 72
1983, 8, 74
1984, 75, 238
1986, 239
1995, 229
Wright, Teresa, 20, 21
Wrigley Field, 202
Y
Yankee Stadium, 215
commemorative plaque to Gehrig, 22
construction of, 67
inaugural game, 87, 89
monument to Gehrig, 17
Yomiuri Giants, 259
Yost, Eddie, 166–69
Yost, Ned, 259
Young, Cy, 4, 64, 271
Z
Zachary, Tom, 104
Zito, Barry, 262
About the Author
John Eisenberg was an award-winning sports columnist for the Baltimore Sun for two decades and is the author of The Ten-Gallon War, That First Season, My Guy Barbaro (cowritten with jockey Edgar Prado), and The Great Match Race. He has written for Smithsonian, Sports Illustrated, and Details, among other publications, and currently contributes columns to BaltimoreRavens.com. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
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