He's the Iron Man, the successor to Lou Gehrig in the title. He
set the new record for consecutive games played, and did it at the
physically demanding position of shortstop. He won two MVP awards,
years apart. He was never recognized as a flashy shortstop, not
acrobatic, but his powerful arm let him play deep enough to take away
hits on balls most shortstops couldn't reach. That defensive ability
puts him this high, along with a powerful and productive bat. He
appeared in three postseasons, and got one World Series ring, in
1983.
He was the ballplayer who carried a lunchpail, came to work every
day, and followed in his dad's footsteps, playing beside his brother.
A lot of fans related to him and his work ethic. He became a hero for
the multitudes. He may still be the most recognizable baseball player
alive. And he was one of the greatest of all time. Ripken's appeal is
that, like Batman, it seems like we could BE him, if we were only
willing to work as hard as he did.
