Cal Ripken Jr. Continues Streak Of 6,574 Days Of No Games Played

This Monday, Cal Ripken Jr. extended his streak of consecutive days without playing a game to 6,574, further solidifying his status as a living legend. Ripken Jr.’s journey began one day after the Hall Of Famer’s historic streak of 2,632 consecutive games played game to an end, Ripken set his eyes on another of Lou Gehrig’s records: 29,255 days without playing a game.

In a 2,000-word Facebook post, Ripkin Jr. reflected on the milestone and how he managed to reach this point. “Most former players are fat and out of shape, so it’s easy for them not to play games. As someone who’s in great shape and could return to form at a moment’s notice, I don’t have that luxury. That’s why this streak means more to me than any other record,” wrote the former Orioles’ star. 

In order to keep the streak alive, the 58-year-old Maryland Native has dedicated most of his time to recreational activities other than games such as grilling, gardening and ceramic art. 

“I still have the same fiery drive to go out and compete, but I need to bury that urge deep down in order to have any chance of achieving greatness.”

According to Ripken Jr., the closest he came to breaking his streak was in 2007 when his then 6-year-old son asked his father to teach him how to throw a baseball. Although difficult, if there’s one thing Ripken learned during his long, storied career its that sacrifices must be made on the path to making history.