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American Morning

Cal Ripken Produces More Magic at All-Star Game

Aired July 11, 2001 - 09:51   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: So many magic moments from last night's All-Star game but one in particular, I think, will be remembered for a long time.

LAURA OKMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, it was just an amazing evening, again, for Cal Ripken, just another one, because there are just certain people who have a flair for the dramatic. Cal Ripken Jr., as reluctant as he is, is one of those people. Back in '91's All-Star game, Ripken homered on his way to being named MVP. In '95, he also went deep, the night he tied Lou Gehrig's consecutive games played streak and the night he broke it.

So what could we expect for his 19th and final All-Star game? What do you think? A home run in the first pitch he saw off Chan Ho Park on his way to a second All-Star MVP.

Ripken reflected on his very special evening with CNN's Sports Illustrated's Tom Rinaldi.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM RINALDI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The MVP of the 72nd All-Star game here in Seattle, Cal Ripken Jr. You hit a home run in the game when you broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive game streak. You hit another home run in your final All-Star game appearance. What is it about you being able to hit home runs in such games, Cal?

CAL RIPKEN, 2001 ALL-STAR MVP: Well, you know, I guess when you go to the plate enough times, every once in a while you're going to do something at the right time. It was very important in the celebration for the consecutive games streak for me to play well and do well and coming off the first half of this year, I hadn't had the best first half. I hadn't got things online. I made a huge decision but coming into the game I felt pretty good about where I was baseball wise and I wanted to play well. I wanted to do well here.

And going to bat the first time, I just really tried to put a nice swing on it and make good contact and good things happen.

RINALDI: You refer to yourself over and over, Cal, as just a ball player. You're not that comfortable with all the fanfare. How do you catalog all of the memories that have happened, including this one? RIPKEN: Well, it is hard. But I mean all I wanted to be was a ball player my whole life. I grew up in a baseball environment. I dreamed of having the opportunity and to live it and play it every single day, you know, was enough for me. And I've had some special things happen to me and I've had some opportunities to discover the relationship between the players and the fans and really understand the whole big picture. And I feel very grateful and thankful for that.

I don't know, I just, I'll sit back after it's all over and I'll feel that, you know, I've had a good run. You know, I can't describe it any other way. It's been a really great run. I've gotten to still be a kid for all this time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OKMIN: Again, what else can we say? We're out of adjectives. It was a wonderful night and I have a feeling that's not the last we'll hear from Cal as he continues his farewell tour.

KAGAN: Very good.

STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: What a great season.

OKMIN: Yes.

KAGAN: Congratulations to him.

OKMIN: Yes.

KAGAN: Laura, thank you so much.

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