The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce announced that Cal Ripken, Jr., a member of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, and holder of the major league record for the most consecutive games played, will be the featured speaker at the Chamber’s Annual Banquet and Membership Meeting, Wednesday, January 23, 2008. (Biography below) It will begin at 6:30pm in the arena of the Bicentennial Center. A membership networking reception will be held from 5:15-6pm in Heritage Hall of the Center.

"We are thrilled to have Cal Ripken, Jr. as our 2008 Annual Meeting speaker," stated Scott Bergkamp, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chamber. Cal is a great athlete, leader and role model for not only young children, but adults as well. He has a great message about leadership, perseverance and achieving success in whatever you do. We’re excited to have him coming to Salina and look forward to a fun and entertaining evening. We expect that his message of ‘give back to the community that has helped you succeed’ will be very appropriate for the Chamber’s Annual Banquet.

Since retiring from baseball, Ripken has begun a successful business career. He is expected to discuss what he considers to be the keys for success in business.

Tickets for the event are $40 per person for Chamber members and $80 per person for non-members. Reservations can be made by Chamber members now through October 31 by stopping by the Chamber office, 120 W. Ash, calling the Chamber office, (785) 827-9301, or email. Round tables of eight will be reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis. If available, tickets will go on sale November 1 to the general public.

The evening will consist of a plated dinner, remarks by outgoing Chairman Scott Bergkamp and incoming Chairman Karen Hoeffner, a review of the Chamber’s accomplishments in 2007, and the address by Mr. Ripken.        

For more information: Email

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 Cal Ripken, Jr
Baseball’s Most Consecutive Games Played Legend

Cal Ripken is baseball's all-time "Iron Man." He retired from baseball in October 2001 after 21 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. His name appears in the record books repeatedly, most notably as one of only eight players in history to achieve 400 home runs and 3,000 hits. In 1995, Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played (2,130), and he voluntarily ended his streak in 1998 after playing 2,632 consecutive games. Although he finished his career at third base, this Hall of Famer is still best known for redefining the position of shortstop.

Ripken's name has become synonymous with strength, character, endurance, and integrity. His philosophy of working hard, playing with passion, and enjoying the game has made a tremendous impact on the sport, and on fans everywhere. In 1999, Babe Ruth League, Inc. changed the name of its largest division (5-12 year-olds) from Bambino to Cal Ripken Baseball. Presently, over 700,000 youths play Cal Ripken Baseball worldwide.

Now, Ripken is using the platform that baseball has provided him to help grow the game he loves at the grassroots level. This next phase of his life includes the construction of a one-of-a-kind baseball complex in his hometown of Aberdeen, MD. The Aberdeen Project currently consists of Ripken Stadium, a state-of-the-art 6,000-seat minor league ballpark that is home to the hugely successful Class A Aberdeen IronBirds. Adjacent to the minor league ballpark is the Ripken Youth Baseball Academy that consists of several youth-sized fields that are modeled after famous big league ballpark Camden Yards, which is called Cal Sr.'s Yard, and is owned and operated by the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, Memorial Stadium, Wrigley Field, and Fenway Park.

Other amenities include batting cages and a synthetic training infield. Hundreds of teams and ballplayers from all over the country visit Aberdeen each year to participate in tournaments and camps.

The academy is also the permanent home of the Cal Ripken World Series played each August. It includes 15 teams of 11 and 12 year-olds from all over the world, and crowns the champion of the Cal Ripken Division of Babe Ruth League, Inc.

In April 2004, Cal and Bill Ripken collaborated on a book, Play Baseball the Ripken Way. The book, which was a national bestseller, serves as a comprehensive baseball instructional book for parents, coaches, and kids, and covers all aspects of the game, including how to run an effective practice, and the Ripken philosophy of fun and good sportsmanship. Ripken’s newest book is on the subject of sports parenting, Parenting Young Athletes the Ripken Way: Ensuring the Best Experience for Your Kids in Any Sport (2006).

Ripken has always placed a strong focus on giving back to the community. In 2001, he and his family established the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, in memory of the family's patriarch. The Foundation helps teach life lessons through baseball to disadvantaged youth from all over the country, and gives them a life-changing experience. The foundation has refurbished fields throughout Maryland, donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Boys & Girls Clubs across the country, and helped thousands of kids enjoy baseball experiences that they would otherwise never encounter. Additionally, the foundation has teamed up with NikeGo, the non-profit arm of Nike, to donate baseball and softball equipment worth over $1 million to school systems across the country.

Among his many on-field accolades are: AL Rookie of the Year ('82), two-time AL Most Valuable Player ('83, '91), two-time Gold Glove recipient ('91, '92), two-time All-Star MVP ('91, '01), a world record 2,632 consecutive games, and 19 All-Star Game selections. In 2001, Ripken was honored when fans named his 2,131st consecutive game Major League Baseball's "Most Memorable Moment" in history through a program run by MLB.

Ripken resides in Maryland with his wife, Kelly, and their children, Rachel and Ryan.