Baltimore Orioles legend and greatest baseball player that ever lived, Cal Ripken Jr., attended Caps practice Tuesday. The news was first reported by CSN Mid-Atlantic’s Jill Sorenson.
According to the Capitals, the Iron Man was at Kettler Capitals Iceplex to give a speech to the team after practice. The team also plugged Ripken Baseball, Cal’s baseball camp that he runs with younger brother Billy.
Special guest Cal Ripken Jr. here today watching #Caps practice. He'll be speaking to the team after they get off the ice. @RipkenBaseball pic.twitter.com/0xiw5YOtGX
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 22, 2016
Oh to be a fly on that wall.
Photos: @Capitals
“He talked about everything from dealing with slumps to dealing with different situations, dealing with careers, dealing with longevity,” Trotz said to media. “I don’t know if there was anything specific, but he had some great anecdotes and great things from a professional athlete to other professional athletes. And to do it as long and to articulate it from a different sport to our sport, I think it was really good.”
“The message I think was about the professionalism, the commitment, the dealing with being in professional sports in general,” Trotz contnued. “I can’t describe it as a coach, you can’t describe it as the media, even though we try. You have to be a player to know what you’re going through on and off the ice or the field or whatever. So it was quite enlightening.”
Over the last few years, Ripken has been spotted by readers at several Caps games, including in April 2015 for Game One of the Caps’ series against the New York Islanders. He wore an old-school Alex Ovechkin jersey to Verizon Center because that’s just how boss he is.
In 2011, Ripken hosted a fundraising event with Alex Ovechkin, presenting the other Great Eight with the inaugural “Advocate for Youth Award” at the Park Hyatt.
Video
SNAPSHOTS: Hall of Fame baseball player Cal Ripken Jr. watched some of practice and met head coach Barry Trotz before speaking to the team. pic.twitter.com/ZY0WroDaFJ
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 22, 2016
Headline photo: @Capitals
