Cal Ripken Appointed to State Department
Posted: Monday, August 13, 2007
by Stephany Springer
On the heels of being appointed to the Baseball Hall of Fame, Cal Ripken, Jr. kept the winning streak alive when he received a second appointment as a special envoy to the State Department. He said he will focus on team work and cross-cultural communication in his new position.
"This isn't a political statement for me, necessarily," Ripken said Monday after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice formally announced his appointment. "This is about the kids and planning baseball and using baseball for good reasons."
Ripken is a Hall of Fame shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Baltimore Orioles from 1981 to 2001. He holds the record for consecutive games played, 2,632 games in a row, earning him the nickname "Iron Man". He was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, a feat that is almost impossible.
This will not be Ripken's first venture into the political world. He has served as the first commissioner of President Bush's White House tee-ball league for youngsters. The political world, along with the American people, have been drawn to his hard work ethic and above board conduct for years. In 1995, when he surpassed Lou Gehrig for most consecutive games played, President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore were in attendance.
In this new position, he is expected to travel to China at the end of this month.
I could not think of a better person for this position. Ripken has been loved by millions. He has a great personality and I could not think of anyone better to represent our country. He has loyalty, love of the game, and just great charisma–along with some desirable cuteness. He is an excellent choice for an ambassador of our country.
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