Billy Ripken, born William Oliver Ripken on December 16, 1964, in Havre de Grace, Maryland, is a former professional baseball player who played in the major leagues for 12 seasons from 1987 to 1998(Billy Ripken is a former professional baseball player who played in the major leagues from 1987 to 1998).
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Billy Ripken Birthday
Ripken was born in Havre de Grace, Maryland on December 16, 1964, and was the younger brother of baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr. Billy played for the Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, and Detroit Tigers during his career, primarily as a second baseman and shortstop.
Ripken attended Aberdeen High School in Aberdeen, Maryland, where he played baseball and football. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 11th round of the 1982 Major League Baseball draft but decided to attend the University of Maryland instead. After playing for the Terrapins for three seasons, Ripken was drafted again by the Orioles in the 11th round of the 1985 draft and signed with the team.
Is Bill Ripken Related to Cal Ripken?
He is the younger brother of Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., and the son of Cal Ripken, a former major league coach and manager.
Bill Ripken Career
Ripken began his professional career in the minor leagues, playing for the Bluefield Orioles and Hagerstown Suns in 1985 and 1986. He made his major league debut on May 11, 1987, as a pinch-runner in a game against the Seattle Mariners. Ripken played in 22 games during his rookie season, primarily as a second baseman, and hit .308 with three RBIs.
Over the next few seasons, Ripken played for the Orioles as a utility infielder, appearing at second base, shortstop, and third base. He became known for his solid defense, particular
However, his most famous moment on the field came in 1991, when he hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Orioles a 6-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox. The home run, which came off of Boston closer Jeff Reardon, is still remembered as one of the most dramatic moments in Orioles history.ly his range and ability to turn the double play. While he was never known for his hitting, Ripken was a scrappy player who could get on base and was known for his hustle on the field.
In 1990, Ripken was traded to the Texas Rangers, where he played for three seasons. He had his best season in 1993, hitting .291 with 12 home runs and 57 RBIs. After the 1993 season, Ripken was traded to the Cleveland Indians, where he played for one season before being traded to the Detroit Tigers in 1995.
Ripken was a solid defensive player, known for his range and ability to turn the double play. He was also a versatile player, capable of playing multiple infield positions. While Ripken was never known for his hitting, he was a scrappy player who could get on base and was known for his hustle on the field.
Ripken played for the Tigers for two seasons before being released by the team in 1998. He signed with the Texas Rangers in July of that year but played in only four games before being released again. Ripken retired from baseball at the end of the 1998 season.
During his 12-year career, Ripken appeared in 1012 games, hitting .247 with 20 home runs and 175 RBIs. He won a World Series championship with the Orioles in 1983 and was a member of the American League All-Star team in 1988.
While Ripken was a solid major league player, he is perhaps best known for the infamous “Fuck Face” incident, which occurred during the 1989 baseball season. During a photo shoot for the 1989 Fleer baseball card set, Ripken wrote a profanity-laced message on the knob of his bat. The message, which was supposed to be covered up by a black box, was accidentally left visible on some of the cards that were released to the public.
The incident caused a major controversy in the baseball card collecting community, with many calling for the card to be pulled from circulation. However, the controversy only served to increase the card’s popularity, with collectors scrambling to get their hands on one of the “error” cards. The card has since become one of the most iconic and valuable baseball cards in history.
Billy Ripken Batting Stats
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB | Pos | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 22 | BAL | AL | 58 | 257 | 234 | 27 | 72 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 23 | .308 | .363 | .372 | .735 | 99 | 87 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | |
| 1988 | 23 | BAL | AL | 150 | 559 | 512 | 52 | 106 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 34 | 8 | 2 | 33 | 63 | .207 | .260 | .258 | .518 | 48 | 132 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 0 | *4/5DH | |
| 1989 | 24 | BAL | AL | 115 | 364 | 318 | 31 | 76 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 26 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 53 | .239 | .284 | .305 | .589 | 70 | 97 | 12 | 0 | 19 | 5 | 0 | *4/HD | |
| 1990 | 25 | BAL | AL | 129 | 456 | 406 | 48 | 118 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 38 | 5 | 2 | 28 | 43 | .291 | .342 | .387 | .728 | 107 | 157 | 7 | 4 | 17 | 1 | 2 | *4/H | |
| 1991 | 26 | BAL | AL | 104 | 315 | 287 | 24 | 62 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 31 | .216 | .253 | .261 | .515 | 46 | 75 | 14 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 4/H | |
| 1992 | 27 | BAL | AL | 111 | 363 | 330 | 35 | 76 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 36 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 26 | .230 | .275 | .312 | .587 | 64 | 103 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 4/HD | |
| 1993 | 28 | TEX | AL | 50 | 153 | 132 | 12 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 19 | .189 | .270 | .220 | .490 | 36 | 29 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 46/H5 | |
| 1994 | 29 | TEX | AL | 32 | 85 | 81 | 9 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 11 | .309 | .333 | .370 | .704 | 83 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 54/H63 | |
| 1995 | 30 | CLE | AL | 8 | 17 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .412 | .412 | .765 | 1.176 | 197 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | /45H | |
| 1996 | 31 | BAL | AL | 57 | 147 | 135 | 19 | 31 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 18 | .230 | .281 | .333 | .614 | 55 | 45 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 45/H3 | |
| 1997 | 32 | TEX | AL | 71 | 218 | 203 | 18 | 56 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 32 | .276 | .300 | .374 | .674 | 72 | 76 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 645/3H | |
| 1998 | 33 | DET | AL | 27 | 81 | 74 | 8 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | .270 | .321 | .311 | .632 | 66 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6/345D | |
| 12 Yrs | 912 | 3015 | 2729 | 287 | 674 | 121 | 6 | 20 | 229 | 25 | 16 | 174 | 332 | .247 | .294 | .318 | .612 | 69 | 867 | 81 | 18 | 72 | 22 | 3 | |||||
| 162 Game Avg. | 162 | 536 | 485 | 51 | 120 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 41 | 4 | 3 | 31 | 59 | .247 | .294 | .318 | .612 | 69 | 154 | 14 | 3 | 13 | 4 | 1 | |||||
| BAL (7 yrs) | 724 | 2461 | 2222 | 236 | 541 | 100 | 5 | 15 | 180 | 20 | 11 | 146 | 257 | .243 | .292 | .313 | .605 | 70 | 696 | 64 | 13 | 65 | 15 | 3 | |||||
| TEX (3 yrs) | 153 | 456 | 416 | 39 | 106 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 41 | 2 | 3 | 23 | 62 | .255 | .296 | .325 | .621 | 63 | 135 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 0 | |||||
| CLE (1 yr) | 8 | 17 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .412 | .412 | .765 | 1.176 | 197 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| DET (1 yr) | 27 | 81 | 74 | 8 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | .270 | .321 | .311 | .632 | 66 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Bold season totals indicate player led league.
After Retiring From Baseball
After retiring from baseball in 1998, Ripken went on to work as a baseball analyst for ESPN and MLB Network. He has also been involved in various business ventures, including a baseball training facility and a line of baseball apparel.
In recent years, Ripken has become an advocate for youth baseball, working to promote the game and encourage young players to get involved. He has also been involved in various charitable causes, including the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, which provides opportunities for underserved youth to participate in sports and learn important life skills.
Overall, while Ripken may not have achieved the same level of success as his older brother Cal, he remains an important figure in baseball history. Whether it’s for his on-field heroics, his infamous baseball card, or his work to promote the game he loves, Ripken’s impact on the sport is undeniable.
