1981 TCMA Cal Ripken

This is from the 'My Favorite Orioles Cards' page. To repeat what I said on that page:

This is an early 80s version of a lucky 'pull'. I ordered this Rochester set through the mail. When I opened it I found that I had a complete set and one dupe, Yes, I got two Ripkens. I should have sold one off at the height of the Ripken craze but that was also the beginning of the 'graded' card craze and since neither was in a slab with a grade, and I was too cheap/stubborn to pay to get it graded, I still have both. And I'm glad.

As I type/paste this entry I'm struck by two things... 1) Cal wore #5.... and 2) I bet I've looked at this card a hundred times and that fact never dawned on me.

I just checked Cal's minor league record. He had nice numbers before he made the majors but he sure wasn't knocking anyone's socks off.

Once a friend and I (he was a huge O's fan as well) were among the first to enter the old Arlington Stadium when the gates opened in the late afternoon for an Orioles-Rangers game. We went down behind the Orioles dugout and found Cal Sr. sitting in the box seats near the field, smoking. We asked him a few questions and he talked with us for quite awhile. I don't recall what the conversation was about but I do remember he said something funny about Earl Weaver.

That's all I have.