Few people realize that Cal Ripken, Jr.'s historic consecutive games played streak almost came to an untimely end at 1,495 straight. It was July 14, 1991, and Cal and the Orioles had just lost a 3-2 heartbreaker in 11 innings in Oakland. Trying to get his mind off of an 0-5 day at the plate, the shortstop agreed to an impromptu photo shoot with Score. He was still preoccupied, however, and didn't think it odd when the photographer led him to the defunct 16th Street train station. Lost in his own thoughts, Junior failed to hear the giant old-timey locomotive that was bearing down on him, seemingly from nowhere. The photographer (who would be fired shortly thereafter) claimed that he tried to warn the player of his impending doom, but that his shouts were drowned out by the loud, shrill whistle of the train. Luckily and mysteriously, the original "iron horse" stopped inches short of squashing Baltimore's native son. But after everyone had recovered their wits and checked the train, there was not a single living soul to be found inside.Strange but true.*
*=Not actually true
I have this card...good stuff. Actually, rumor has it Kevin Costner almost ended his streak; but we know that to be fake as well. Few people remember that Roberto Hernandez accidentally broke Cal's nose before the 1996 All-Star Game, but it was popped back in place and His Iron Horseness played.
ReplyDeleteWilliam - I'd forgotten about that! Didn't Hernandez fall off a riser during the group photo, and his wayward elbow cracked Cal in the nose?
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