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Rookie Era Cal Ripken Jr. Baltimore Orioles Signed Game Used Hat (PSA)
Cal Ripken Jr. broke into the Major Leagues as a 20-year-old with the Baltimore Orioles in 1981, playing in 23 games and batting .128 with no home runs. The Hall of Famer's official rookie season was 1982, when he hit .264, with 28 home runs and 93 RBIs and won the American League Rookie of the Year Award. On May 30, 1982, he began his miraculous 2,632 consecutive games streak that would last until September 30, 1998 - and remains the greatest consecutive game streak of all time. Therefore, there is a possibility that this hat was game worn by Ripken at some point in the first year of his consecutive game streak. Ripken went on to become a 2-time AL MVP, a 19-time All-Star, and an 8-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and Cal finished his career with 3,184 hits and 431 home runs. The front two sections of the hat are white and the other six sections are black. The front has a smiling Oriole bird face logo, and the button on the top of the cap is orange, A tag on the inside, rear sweatband reads "Since 1920/New Era/Du Pont visor/Weatherized/Pre-shrunk/Perspiration Proof/Pro Model." Despite the aforementioned New Era claim, perspiration stains on the hatband show great use, as do some stains on the brim that could be from pine tar. On the underside of the brim is a large handwritten "8," written and underlined by an unknown hand in black marker. Ripken has signed the hat on the brim, using what appears to be a thin-tipped marker, in black. Ripken's signature is large and clearly written. The hat size tag has fallen out, but the consignor's representative wears a size 7 3/8 hat and this hat fits him perfectly, so the hat is more than likely a size 7 3/8. Despite the game use, the hat remains in very good condition, and it creates a prized connection to Cal Ripken Jr., one of baseball's most renowned players. It comes with LOA from PSA.
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