Iron Man

One of the baseball players I admire most is Cal Ripken, Jr., who was recently enshrined into the baseball hall of fame.

Cal, who spent all his 20 playing years with the Baltimore Orioles wasn’t as spectacular as long-hitting Barry Bonds or as volatile as pitcher Roger Clemens, nor was he a star like Babe Ruth or maybe the disgraced Pete Rose.  He did not also hobnob with the glitterati like Derek Jeter nor did he marry a superstar like David Justice the ex-husband of Halle Berry.

Cal Ripken, Jr. was simply the person who came to work everyday and did not allow any minor health problem or any injury to stop him.

He is best known as the iron man of Major League Baseball and after his retirement from the MLB, he did not spend all his time playing golf or fishing, but he bought a minor league team and went straight to work.

Cal, who stands 6-feet and 4-inches tall, was among the first of the bigger shortstops and his record of 2,632 straight games from May 1982 to September 1998 is perhaps one of the hardest to break.

The previous record was held by Lou Gehrig, who played 2,130 consecutive games.  That record of Gehrig, who was known as baseball’s “Iron Horse,” stayed for 56 years.

I actually miss writing about Cal Jr. and I find this an opportune time to write about the man again.

Well coincidentally, I was aiming for a record of sort myself in the office of going to work everyday, but this streak was broken last Tuesday when I had to head to a doctor due to sinusitis and severe back pains.

Dr. Eduardo Yu told me to rest for three to five days, which explains why I had no column last Thursday.

With age catching up, I guess I really have to take it a bit slow, but I was actually back at work after only a full day of rest.

Cal Jr. of course is a breed apart.  He was an all-star in all but one season of the 20 years he spent in the Major League.  What a feat!

I guess it will take a few more generations to see his record of consecutive games broken, or maybe it will just forever be there.  We’ll probably never know.

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The 4th Matias H. Aznar Memorial Cup tees off on August 11 and 12 at the Alta Vista Golf and Country Club.

This tournament is held in honor of the patriarch of the Aznar family.

The two-day, 18-hole event will be using the strokeplay format and entry fee is pegged at P2,500 only.

There are limited tournament slots so don’t wait for the last minute to sign up.  Giveaways will be TCL DVD players.

Deadline for registration is on August 8 and the participant must pay or sign for the entry fee to be given a tournament slot.

The men’s division will have three handicap classes and there will also be competition in the ladies, seniors’ and guest divisions.

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All alumni of UP are reminded to attend tomorrow’s homecoming activity at the Cebu Grand Convention Center along Arch. Reyes Ave.

The event starts at 6 p.m. and tickets are sold at P500 each.  This is the opening salvo for next year’s centennial of our school.

All Iskolar ng Bayan from all campuses and all levels are invited to join.

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MILESTONE: A very happy birthday to The FREEMAN sports editor Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Villaruel.

Manny was a skinny kid, when I asked him to join the sports section ten years ago.  Ten years surely make a lot of difference in the size hehehe.

Happy birthday and more power!