What’s the first thing you think about upon hearing Cal Ripken Jr.’s name? For most, it’s probably the fact that he’s baseball’s Iron Man. That’ll happen when you play in 2,632 straight games and don’t miss a contest for nearly two decades.
But while that impressive (and likely unbreakable) record is a huge part of Ripken’s legacy, he did plenty more during his Hall of Fame career. And today, we’re shining light on one of the many special days for the right-handed hitter.
On May 28, 1996, Ripken enjoyed his first career three-homer game and collected a career-high eight RBI in a 12-8 road win against the Seattle Mariners.
Related: A Complete Guide to Single-Season (& Single-Game) HR Performances
The Moment
It was a banner day for Ripken in the batter’s box, as this three-homer, eight-RBI performance included a grand slam. That alone would’ve been a noteworthy headline on most days, but in this case, it was a footnote because of everything else he did.
I mean, are you surprised about that? He drove in enough runs to match the entire opposing team’s output. Without Ripken, you can make a case that Baltimore might not have won this barnburner.
The timing of this three-homer game is notable, too. This wasn’t a younger version of Ripken in his physical prime. He was a 35-year-old veteran playing in his 16th big-league season. The Iron Man already had 11 different seasons of 20-plus homers on his ledger, but he hadn’t surpassed that total since 1993.
This was a reminder that in additon to being baseball’s most durable player, he could also put the team on his back and take things over for an afternoon.
This Was Cal Ripken Jr.’s Last 20-HR Season
As usual, Ripken appeared in every game for the Orioles in 1996, suiting up for 163 contests and accumulating 707 plate appearances in the process. With all that playing time, he slashed .278/.341/.466 with 26 home runs, 40 doubles, 102 RBI, and 94 runs scored. He was voted to his 14th straight All-Star Game.
This performance was also the last time he surpassed the 20-homer and 100-RBI plateau in a season. It was the 12th time he hit that many taters, and it was the fourth time he reached the century mark for rib-eye steaks.
His monthly splits show a slow start in April before heating up in May, which ultimately led to his best month in June. Here’s a look at some of his stats throughout the season:
- April: .714 OPS, 1 homer, 13 RBI
- May: .858 OPS, 6 homers, 20 RBI
- June: .1.007 OPS, 8 homers, 27 RBI
- July: .699 OPS, 4 homers, 14 RBI
- August: .761 OPS, 2 homers, 13 RBI
- Sept./Oct.: .799 OPS, 5 homers, 15 RBI
Interestingly enough, Ripken did the majority of his damage during this campaign away from Camden Yards.
He posted a .680 OPS with 10 homers and 42 RBI in 346 plate appearances at home. That was a stark contrast to what he did on the road, which included a .927 OPS with 16 homers and 60 RBI in 361 plate appearances. So, that makes this three-homer day at the Kingdome even less surprising.
Another Look at Ripken’s Hall of Fame Career
Ripken’s career numbers, which include 3,184 hits, 431 homers, and 1,695 RBI, put him in great company among baseball’s elite. Especially when considering he spent a huge chunk of his time in the big leagues playing shortstop.
Those 431 homers all came with the Orioles, which is the franchise’s all-time record. Ripken also slugged 345 taters as a shortstop before moving over to third base to finish out his career, which is an MLB record for the position.
There are plenty of other accolades that need mentioning, as well. The Hall of Famer was a 19-time All-Star, a two-time MVP Award winner, and an AL Rookie of the Year Award winner. He also has two Gold Gloves and eight Silver Sluggers to his name, a Home Run Derby title, and a pair of All-Star Game MVPs.
Most importantly, he was part of the Orioles’ 1983 World Series squad, which is the last time Baltimore achieved October glory.
Everything about what Ripken did on the field was a manager’s dream. He showed up every day to play, and it felt like he was always in the middle of the action. This three-homer performance is a great example of that.
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