National Pastime Series: #1 The Ironman
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This is the 1st cache in our 'National Pastime' series.
As American as apple pie and also as obscure. Asking why is baseball the national pastime is like asking why apple pie is so popular (there are probably better tasting pies out there).
1. History- No other sport has had such a following for so long, in any country, ever
2. The large number of games- There are 162 games in the MLB season, almost double that of basketball and more than 10 times that of football. This allows more people to see games More often.
3. Farm clubs- There are many semi-pro or minor league teams that not only increase opportunities to see games but also opportunity to play. There is also a pride factor in that nearly every small town in America had someone at sometime who was involved in the baseball experience.
4. The Yankees – Red Sox rivalry- This is one of the oldest, most famous and fiercest rivalries in professional sports. For more than 100 years, Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees of the American League have been intense rivals.
5. It's always close- Games are never over until the final out. In football and basketball the majority of games end with someone running the clock out, not so in baseball.
Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. (born August 24, 1960), nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles (1981–2001). Ripken is perhaps best known for breaking New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig's 2,130 record for consecutive games played, a record many deemed unbreakable. Ripken played in an additional 501 straight games over the next three years, and his streak ended at 2,632 games when he voluntarily removed his name from the lineup for the final Orioles home game of the 1998 season. His record 2,632 straight games spanned over seventeen seasons, from May 30, 1982, to September 20, 1998.
Shortstop / Third baseman
Born: August 24, 1960 (1960-08-24) (age 51)
Havre de Grace, Maryland
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 10, 1981 for the Baltimore Orioles
Last MLB appearance
October 6, 2001 for the Baltimore Orioles
Career statistics
Batting average .276
Hits 3,184
Home runs 431
Runs batted in 1,695
Teams
* Baltimore Orioles (1981–2001)
Career highlights and awards
* 19× All-Star (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)
* World Series champion (1983)
* 2× Gold Glove Award winner (1991, 1992)
* 8× Silver Slugger Award winner (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994)
* 2× AL MVP (1983, 1991)
* 1982 AL Rookie of the Year
* 2× MLB All-Star Game MVP (1991, 2001)
* 1992 Roberto Clemente Award
* 1992 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award
* 1991 Home Run Derby winner
* Baltimore Orioles #8 retired
* Major League Baseball All-Century Team
* Other awards and records
Baseball Hall of Fame:
Induction 2007
Vote 98.53% (first ballot)
This is a unique shaped cache container. You will need a TOTT for log retrieval.
This is the location of the Paris Hill Baseball field. ZewNew has spent many, many hours here. As kids playing ball, with OUR kids playing ball, and as adults playing softball. The town has taken over upkeep of the field and seem to be doing a great job!!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Pnpur vf ybpngrq 'va' gur ohvyqvat...ohg lbh QBA'G arrq gb tb VA gur ohvyqvat gb svaq vg!!