After 13 long years, Hall of Famer and baseball’s Ironman Cal Ripken, Jr. finally made it back to the postseason. Finishing in second place in the American League East with an 88-74 record, the Orioles qualified as the AL Wild Card and took on the AL Central Champion Cleveland Indians in the Division Series. Baltimore would dispatch the Indians in four games of the best-of-five series and advanced to the ALCS to take on their division rival New York Yankees. The ALCS was remembered for a young Yankees fan reaching over the fence to catch a Derek Jeter fly ball that Orioles’ outfielder Hector Carrasco had lined up. However, umpire Rich Garcia, who was standing on the warning track, ruled Jeter’s fly ball a home run and the Yankees would go on to win the series in five games.

Offered here are a pair of Nike cleats worn by Ripken during the 1996 ALDS and come directly from Ripken’s personal collection. These cleats display excellent game wear and are made of black leather with orange synthetic leather Nike swooshes. The Velcro fastened lace guards have Ripken’s number “8” embroidered in orange and the hard rubber soles have six stainless steel spikes. Ripken’s initials “C.R.” and small Nike swooshes are embroidered in orange on the heels. These cleats come with a signed LOA from Cal Ripken, Jr., plus a LOA from J.T. Sports for the game use with corresponding holograms (1368 & 1369).

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