Thursday, September 24, 1998

'Streak' of showing up for work is over

Cal Ripken finally took a night off, and that made this exceptional baseball season even more extraordinary.

On Sept. 6, 1995, Ripken almost single-handedly salvaged baseball's reputation, badly begrimed by the canceled 1994 season, just by - as he put it - showing up for work every day. On that night, the Orioles infielder broke Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130 consecutive games, a record that had stood since 1939.

Now, with Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa happily hammering home runs into the record book, Ripken thought it safe to end what is universally known as "The Streak." After 2,632 straight games - going back to May, 1982 - he sat out Sunday's game. He did it with characteristic modesty, telling the manager, "I think it's time."

Ripken can stroll into the Hall of Fame whenever he's ready. He's a two-time MVP and has been in 16 straight all-star games. At 38, he's beginning - finally - to show his age, but he has no plans to retire. Like McGwire and Sosa, Ripken has the endearing quality of really enjoying baseball. And he's within a season or two of that magic 3,000 hits.

The Streak is safe; maybe forever. The active player with the next longest number of consecutive games, Albert Belle, with 325, would have to play nonstop for 14 years to get within range.

They say records are made to be broken; this one may never be. What a season.