Cal Ripken, JR.: Play Ball


Book Description

An easy-to-read autobiography of Cal Ripken, Jr., third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles. 30+ photos & illustrations.




Play Baseball the Ripken Way


Book Description

Features illustrated guidelines on baseball fundamantals as drawn from the late Cal Ripken, Sr.'s years as a coach and manager and Cal Ripken Jr.'s record-making career, in a primer with complementary information for parents and coaches.




Get in the Game


Book Description

Baseball's all-time Iron Man, Cal Ripken, Jr., retired from baseball in 2001 after breaking countless records, including Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played. Now, in Get in the Game, he gives us his insights on hard work and success that can be applied on and off the field, based on stories from his exhilarating career in baseball. Get in the Game includes Ripken's 8 Elements of Perseverance: 1. The Right Values 2. A Strong Will to Succeed 3. Love What You Do 4. Preparation 5. Anticipation 6. Trusting Relationships 7. Life Management 8. The Courage of Your Convictions Ripken is admired not only for his relentless perseverance but also for his unparalleled integrity. From his numerous public-speaking engagements each year to his weekly "Ask Cal" column for the Baltimore Sun, Cal Ripken, Jr., is a sought-after advisor and role model to fans from all walks of life.




Coaching Youth Baseball the Ripken Way


Book Description

Coaching young players, developing their skills, and cultivating a love for the sport may be the most rewarding experience baseball can offer. Cal and Bill Ripken understand this like few others. From their father, Cal Sr., a legend in the Baltimore Orioles organization for 37 years, they learned to play the game the right way. Those lessons, paired with their combined 33 years of big league experience, helped develop the Ripken Way, a method of teaching the game through simple instruction, solid explanations, encouragement, and a positive atmosphere. In Coaching Youth Baseball the Ripken Way, Cal and Bill share this approach to coaching and development. Whether you're teaching your children at home, managing the local travel team, or working with high school-level players, Coaching Youth Baseball the Ripken Way will help you make a difference both on and off the field, with these features: More than 50 drills covering defense, hitting, pitching, and baserunning Age-specific practice plans for players ranging from 4 to 15+ Strategies for setting goals and reasonable expectations for your players and team Advice on communicating with parents, players, and staff Methods for creating a positive and fun environment in which kids can learn the skills and strategies of the game Bill Ripken was once voted by his peers as one of the big league players most likely to become a manager. Cal Ripken, Jr., known as baseball's Iron Man, is a member of the game's All-Century Team and a future Hall of Famer. Together, they are proof positive that the Ripken Way is the right way to teach the game of baseball.




Spring Training


Book Description

Before the purpose-pitch that zips inches from the batter's head, before greenfly autograph-seekers stalk hotel lobbies, before thousands of fans stand up and boo in 50,000-seat stadiums, before the proverbial dog days of summer and the pressure-packed moments of October . . . there is sweet spring. The long hello. Baseball's early season. The words spring training have long held special power over baseball fans. They signal the arrival of fresh air and sunshine after a long winter devoid of bare feet and box scores. The chance to see the game up close and personal, in beautiful slow motion. No other sport undergoes this slow, glorious unfolding. And no other book captures baseball's rite of passage in all its magic. Come on a wild ride through spring training's many attractions and peculiarities, from Florida to Arizona, the National to the American League, the dugouts to Section D. Glimpse retirees in Hawaiian shirts singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," million-dollar players taking it easy on the field and in the bars, young rookies flashing their skills, grizzled vets going through the motions, wide-eyed children dressed from head to toe in their favorite team's garb. It's all here, from Alligator Alley to Cactus Way, sit-ups to sunblock, home runs to hangovers -- a lively tribute to America's favorite pastime in its purest, most wonderful form.




Count Me In


Book Description

Baltimore Oriole shortstop Cal Ripken tells young readers how the road to success in any field is rarely traveled overnight. Ripken, who stands poised to break one of baseball's most sacred records--Lou Gehrig's 2,130 consecutive games played--shares his thoughts on how success is attained over time, through sustained, day-by-day efforts and victories. More than 50 color photos and illustrations.




The Longest Season


Book Description

The story of how Cal Ripken and the Orioles broke their losing streak of twenty-one consecutive games in 1988.




Just Show Up


Book Description

New York Times Bestseller! Iron Man Cal Ripken Jr.—the 19-time All-Star, World-Series winning legend, American League MVP, and record holder who played 2,632 consecutive games—outlines eight rules for the game of baseball and life, drawn from the lessons he has learned on and off the field. Cal Ripken Jr. is a baseball legend. But legends aren't born, they're made. For twenty-one seasons, Ripken took the field day in and day out, through cold, heat, rain, and sometimes snow, playing in more than 3,000 games for the Baltimore Orioles. In 1983, the revered shortstop helped lead his team to victory in the World Series. On September 6, 1995, Ripken did the seemingly impossible, he surpassed Lou Gehrig's unbreakable fifty-six-year-old Iron Man record, setting a new mark of 2,131 consecutive games—then played another 501 consecutive games. Throughout his career, Ripken was admired for his consistency, hard work, and loyalty. There were successes and failures, but above all was an old-fashioned sense of doing what's right, every single day. Since retiring in 2001, Ripken has enjoyed a successful career as a baseball analyst, entrepreneur, and author. Now, in Just Show Up, he reflects on his life and career to offer lessons for the next generation and those to come. Ripken speaks eloquently about the timeless values he has lived by: Life is a streak,play the long game; Success and money are not the same; Play fair,win fair. And he shares stories of his legendary father, Baltimore Oriole coach and manager Cal Ripken Sr., what it took to keep the streak alive, and what it meant to bring the World Series to Baltimore. Cal Ripken's message is simple yet poignant; wisdom essential to anyone trying to forge a successful life in times that are often chaotic. Blending insights from sports, business, and a life well-lived, Just Show Up is the story of an American legend and the principles he has lived by—standards our time needs.




Cal Ripken, Jr.


Book Description

An easy-to-read autobiography of Cal Ripken, Jr., third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles. 30+ photos & illustrations.




Parenting Young Athletes the Ripken Way


Book Description

Troubled by what he sees as a competitive intensity in youth sports that removes the element of fun, baseball legend Cal Ripken, Jr., draws from his experiences as a father, a player, and a coach to provide insights and advice on playing well while still having a good time.