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Keppler Speakers President Jim Keppler on Cal Ripken Jr.’s Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

July 30, 2007

Jim Keppler and his brother Tim Keppler with Cal Ripken Jr. and fellow Hall of Famer Tony GwynnThis past weekend I had the privilege of accompanying a man named Cal to a village called Cooperstown. What I witnessed can only be described as a pilgrimage of Americana. Almost 100,000 people descended on this small, charming town to be a part of history and to pay tribute to this man who has been an example to so many. To watch a sea of people walk down Main Street to the Hall of Fame induction site (a field whose set-up and crowd evoked images of Woodstock) was unforgettable.

The induction itself is the culmination of several days of festivities for the inductees (including slugger Tony Gwynn), with activities ranging from golf tournaments to interviews to receptions to ceremonial activities with fellow Hall of Famers clogging the calendar from dawn to late evening. Cal told me he couldn’t remember a time when he was so exhausted!

Ripken’s playing career was marked by many records, and his entry to the Hall of Fame was no different.

- He received the highest number of Hall of Fame votes of any non-pitcher in the history of baseball - a history that includes American legends such as Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Jackie Robinson, and WIllie Mays, to name a few.
- The crowd attending his Hall of Fame induction wasn’t just the largest crowd in Hall of Fame history. It almost doubled the previous record!
- Almost every living baseball Hall of Famer came to join Cal at the induction ceremony, making it the most impressive gathering of legendary athletes ever assembled for any event. Such is the respect they have for Cal Ripken.

The fact that more people came to see Cal Ripken’s acceptance speech five years after he hung up his uniform than ever attended any of his baseball games speaks volumes. It is further evidence that he is revered not so much because of the awe-inspiring numbers he posted during his career, but because he is the personification of every trait that professional organizations seek - teamwork, perseverance, work ethic, class, respect, and making the most of your abilities.

This week, Cal gets a few days off to reflect with pride on his well-deserved honor. Then he hits the road for more speaking engagements to our customers looking to host a legend who is a role model in every sense of the word.

Keppler Speakers congratulates our friend and client, Cal Ripken Jr.



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