Frazier O’Leary, an English teacher and baseball coach at Cardozo High School, remembers three years ago when the District’s 13 youth baseball teams could not shout a single “batter up.”
“We were in danger of not being able to have a league that year,” Mr. O’Leary said.
Back then, there were zero dollars earmarked for athletics in the school system’s busted budget, even though then-Mayor Anthony A. Williams focused all his energy and his entire administration on granting Major League Baseball a billionaire’s bonanza off South Capital Street.
Into the breach stepped the Cal Ripken Foundation to salvage the District Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s season. The organization, founded by retired Baltimore Oriole Cal Ripken Jr., donated a half-million dollars in baseball equipment to save the day: baseballs, bats, catcher’s mitts, batting machines, helmets — in all, an estimated $30,000 of equipment for each of the city’s 13 baseball and softball teams, Mr. O’Leary said.
“It was a wonderful gesture. Everything, except uniforms, that you can imagine saved the league three years ago. And [Ripken] didn’t have to do it,” Mr. O’Leary added. “It was a godsend for us.”
The dedicated D.C. coach pointed out that Ripken already quietly helped high school teams in the Baltimore area. Now, even more, “he is trying to helping as many kids and adults as he can through baseball.”
No doubt that Ripken, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, deserves all the accolades he has received, most especially for “the Streak,” in which he played 2,632 consecutive games over 16 seasons (for the same team) during his 21-year major-league career. (How many hours of forfeited sick leave is that?)
Yet it appears that Ripken may be honored just as much, if not more, for the social contributions he has made off the field. He has enriched the lives of children primarily through his Ripken Baseball Academy and the Cal Ripken World Series championship games.
“It took me awhile, but I did come to realize that baseball is just part of my life,” Ripken said during his induction speech in Cooperstown, N.Y. “Games are important, but people and how you impact with them are most important. Whether we like it or not, as big leaguers, we are role models. The only question is, will we be positive or negative?”
His winning character and humility may account for why a record number of fans (75,000) and 53 former Hall of Famers, including former Oriole and unceremoniously ousted Washington Nationals manager Frank Robinson, formed what Mr. Ripken called “a sea of orange” in Cooperstown on Sunday.
In an unscientific America Online poll, 77 percent of respondents said Ripken will be remembered most for his character and loyalty over his on-field achievements.
During several Hall of Fame commemorations, he was honored for his perseverance and work ethic during a look-a-like contest at a retirement community in Charlestown, Md.
Make no mistake: Ripken’s financial contributions are much needed. But the Aberdeen, Md., native provides an invaluable community gift through his public persona.
No one knows for sure what anybody does behind closed doors, but this so-called “artisan” athlete — in the honorable old-school meaning of the word — is a role model worth emulating.
Juxtapose Ripken’s wholesome manner with today’s Bad-As-I-Wanna-Be lot of athletes.
You’ve got to tip your cap to a mature man who sees “showing up every day and going to work” as his unquestioned responsibility.
Hallelujah for a humble man who realizes his talent does not really set him so far apart from others, that each individual can use his or her God-given gifts to improve the lives of others.
“As I look out at this audience, I see thousands of people who do the same thing. I’d like to salute all of you for working hard … and making the world a better place,” Ripken said.
Mr. O’Leary said he watched the inspiring speeches delivered by Ripken and retired San Diego Padres outfielder Tony Gwynn, who also was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday.
“When you sign your name on the dotted line, it’s more than just playing baseball,” Gwynn said. “You have a responsibility to make good decisions and show people how things are supposed to be done.”
“People in the public eye are role models whether they want to be or not. People are watching them all the time,” Mr. O’Leary said.
He tends to stress the positive role models to his students and ignore the “bad apples” who are “a reflection of society.” (No need to name them. You can take your pick during this Bad Boyz of Summer season.)
Clearly, Ripken did not have to depend on strangers for his role model. More fathers like his would surely counter some of the Bad Boyz Behavior that repulses us today.
“Imagine how lucky I am to have called the man whose memory I revere to this day by so many important names — teacher, coach, manager and especially Dad,” Ripken said during his 14-minute speech.
Mr. O’Leary plans to show his team copies of the Ripken and Gwynn speeches.
“This is just what we tell our players, dedication to the sport, reaping the rewards of hard work and that the team is more important than the individual,” said Mr. O’Leary. “Hearing it from ’the greats’ reinforces the message.”
Congrats to the “Iron Man.” No doubt this is one ballplayer who will step up to the plate time and time again to save many more seasons as a role model for children and adults everywhere.
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