Late in Hall of Famer and Ironman Cal Ripken, Jr’s career, he had reached just about every milestone imaginable throughout his storied career. Ripken, of course, already surpassed Lou Gehrig’s consecutive game streak, had won a World Series with his Baltimore Orioles and was a two-time American League MVP. In 1999, Ripken became the first primary shortstop to hit 400 home runs and late season back surgery had prevented him from reaching another milestone – 3,000 hits.

Ripken entered the April 15th, 2000 game against the Minnesota Twins needing just three hits to reach the historic milestone. In typical Ripken fashion, he delivered three hits to become the 24th member of the historic 3,000 hit club. Ripken’s single to center field of Twins’ pitcher Hector Carrasco sent the 18,745 paid crowd at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome into a prolonged standing ovation. Fittingly, the first person to greet Ripken as he reached first base was former playing teammate, Hall of Famer and 3,000 Hit Club member Eddie Murray, who was then serving as Orioles first base coach. Ripken was then mobbed by his teammates as part of the celebration.

Presented here is the very line-up card from the visiting Orioles dugout at the Metrodome located on the first base side that comes directly from the personal collection of Cal Ripken, Jr.. This line-up card is a white posterboard material and measures 12 x 18 inches. “ORIOLES” is printed on the top in black with the Orioles line-up handwritten in red marker on the pre-printed lines and the numbered positions to their right. The Orioles line-up was “ANDERSON 8 / BORDICK 6 / SURHOFF 7 / BELLE 9 / BAINES DH / RIPKEN 5 / CONINE 3 / JOHNSON 2 / GARCIA 4 / MADURO 1” (Crossed it in black marker). The Twins line-up was “WALKER 4 / GUZMAN 6 / LAWTON 9 / HUSKEY DH / KOSKIE 5 / COOMER 3 / LECROY 2 / JONES 7 / HUNTER 8 (Crossed out in black marker with Cummings written below) / BERGMAN 1 (Crossed out in black marker, along with other names and Redman written)”. Ripken has marked the historic event by signing his name in blue pen on the top left corner and inscribing “3000th Career Hit”. This Baltimore Orioles’ line-up card is in good overall condition, displaying only edge and corner wear and comes directly from the personal collection of Cal Ripken, Jr., with a signed LOA from Cal that will accompany this line-up card.

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