Cal Ripken's 2131 celebration w/ HR - original broadcast

Sept 1, 1995 MLB game at Camden Yards in Baltimore the night when Cal Ripken officially broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive games streak record with his 2131st straight game. Hall of Famers Hank Aaron & Joe DiMaggio in attendance. Includes Ripken's HR prior to breaking record after 5 1/2 innings and the 20+ minute celebration that followed.

[Sasfoot]

MLB got this one right. They made sure it was a scheduled home game and aired on national television instead of a regional network. Even better was Cal hitting a homerun and the Orioles winning. Everything went perfectly that night.

[ethandraught]

My tears reek of Old Bay right now. God bless this era of Cal.

[tomguthrie]

The on-air broadcasters were very smart to not try and narrate the moment, but to just let it play out.

[cliffcartwright]

I was there for this. The man is a class act. I grew up 20 min from Cal’s hometown. I’m from Harford Co. Maryland. To this day he still gives back. Baseball needed this, he wasn’t the greatest or most talented player but the man showed up every damn day to play. And play he did, his STREEK NEVER HURT THE TEAM!

[Sasfoot]

22 years later and I still get chills watching this.

[ktok]

Hard to believe it's been 25 years! A great player, and a good man. He represents class and humility.

[copelandtenn]

I took off my second job to stay home and watch this game live. When the game became official, the magical response of the crowd was incredible. When Cal took his victory lap, I cried like a baby. It was the purest moment I've ever seen in the MLB - an accomplishment which took years and years, and the hometown crowd applauded it for everything it was.

Very likely the most epic baseball moment I will see in my lifetime. Ripken was always class, through and through.

[JerseyAcoustic]

Tears in my eyes. Truly, one of the greatest moments in baseball.

[nsjacinto]

To put this in perspective... imagine your kindergarten year in school, then year after year, no absences, no days sick, just every day going to school... people begin to notice, but no big awards, just appreciation from the teachers. Then, you make it all the way to high school graduation, your senior year. Still, no absences. Then at commencement, after the senior class president and the valedictorian give their speeches, the high school principal and the boy's kindergarten principal go up to the podium and announce the boy's feat... 13 years... never missed a day at school. That's what Cal Ripken did.

[mloftus]

This is just an unbelievable record that he broke. Anyone who has ever played baseball knows just how hard it is to play SS/3b for 162 days a year almost every day with very few days off. Actually, closer to 190 games with spring training and occasional extra playoff games. And as a big guy, even harder on the body. Cal Ripken is a legend. A throwback player, who grew up in Baltimore area, made it to MLB for his hometown team, and played his entire career there. And playing with his dad and brother on the team as well…how cool, is that!? His story is just so awesome and unreal. We will, never see this record broken I believe.

[frab_br]

It won't be repeated. The day baseball was reborn.

[RevansHalo]

For me, every time I watch this video I legitimately cry not just because it's such a sad moment but how it meant to us is Baseball fans. He never complained, he played hurt he showed up and did his job. And I will forever consider this to be the greatest moment in sports history.

[teamhelman]

I feel this is the best moment in baseball ever, it's just amazing

[jacktheripper]

People dont realize how great Ripken was to the fans. I grew up going to games at memorial stadium and back then the player just parked where you could walk with them to their cars after the game and every night after a game Cal would walk with 50 people to his car wanting autographs and he would wait till he got to his car put on the ac on and sign autographs for ever person that was there for over an hour every night.

[roycox]

I remember my friends and I, as native baltimoreans, watched this game and the tears were rolling when he got ahold of that long ball during the 2131 game. The sense of pride Baltimore felt for cal and still feel for cal is unlike anything I can remember!

[TheBatugan]

DiMag was there for Gehrig's streak.And he saw it surpassed.
A lot of history in that ballyard that night. Baseball is great.

[richardlorith]

The sign " Cal
Thanks for saving Baseball" is more accurate then people remember, coming off the lost season and World Series being cancelled due to a work stoppage a season earlier, one of the moments that brought baseball back

[nwtraveler]

Cal did it the way it should be done. A true sportsman with class and hard work. A true role model. Thanks Cal.

[joeyclemenza]

the unbeatable record... the iron i watched this live on tv when i was 16. it still brings tears to my eyes.

[mike]

I was 14 and a a kid from Baltimore who grew up, like most boys my age, wanting to BE Cal Ripken Jr. In a city that seemingly always has so much going against it, we always had Cal going for it...for us, for the kids and adults alike. An unforgettable night.