Babe Ruth 100th Anniversary Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/12/2014
The first answer on Cal Ripken, Jr.'s 1978 MLB Scouting Bureau questionnaire pretty much comes up his entire career: "eats, sleeps baseball." Back when those words were written, Cal was a 17 year-old at Aberdeen High and had made quite a name for himself as, of all things, a pitcher. In his senior year he batted a lofty .688 and on the mound had a stingy ERA of 0.79, averaging two strike outs per inning. His bat and arm led Aberdeen High to the Maryland State Championship. His dominant performance and obvious enthusiasm for the game brought professional interest to his doorstep, and this MLB Scouting Bureau Questionnaire is probably the earliest document relating to Ripken's Hall of Fame career.
This great scouting "Signability Questionnaire" offers a rare glimpse into the first impressions baseball scouts had of the man who would surpass Gehrig's record. Scout Joe Consoli filled in the legal-size form, checking the box for "Introvert", "Yes" for if he is a good competitor and "No" if he's apprehensive about a career in professional baseball. Consoli notes that Ripken's father is a coach with the Orioles and a great influence on his son. What's of great interest here is that the scout believed Ripken could go all the way to the majors as a pitcher, something that really speaks volumes of the sheer baseball talent the 17 year-old possessed at the time. In another section Consoli writes: "Seems docile but is bearcat in competition. Extra dominantly competitive." It's was that inner drive that enabled Ripken play 2,632 consecutive games and it is wonderful to see that it was readily apparent to an observer when he was a teenager. Personality-wise, the Aberdeen High senior must have impressed Consoli thoroughly as the scout practically gushes about the young ball player. His final type-written comment in the “remarks” section of the questionnaire puts it succinctly: "He is one of the finest boys I have interviewed. He knows what to do. Parents speak in a positive manner; and will always do best what the boy wants to do. I believe this boy has the tools to go very high. Can play ss to get by. Has fine arm which can take him all the way to the majors as a pitcher. I like this boy very much. He gets better every day, and is improving steadily every year. Fine boy. Deserves a chance, the sooner the better."
The Orioles took the scouts assessment to heart and signed Ripken as their second round draft pick. The rest, as they say, is history. Looking at this great piece of pre-history, it's fun to wonder if you could go back to 1978 and tell Joe Consoli that the 17 year-old kid he was scouting would one day break Lou Gehrig's streak record, what would he have said? This historic single-sided report has a few light creases and displays wonderfully. Professionally double-mounted and framed measuring 15 1/2" x 20", it is an attractive addition to any Hall of Fame baseball collection.