User:'Iron Man' Carl Ripken Jr. Joins Baltimore Club Owned Group
Baseball Hall of Famer Carl Ripken Jr. returns to the Baltimore Orioles as an investor.
The Orioles announced in a press release on the 1st (Korea Standard Time) that Lipken Jr. will join the owner group with David M. Rubenstein, who will become the new Orioles owner.
Ripken Jr. also announced in his own words, "I want to thank Mr. Rubenstein for including me in the team ownership group."
After being drafted by the Orioles in the second round of the 1978 draft, Ripken Jr. played for only one team, the Orioles, until the final season of 2001, at the age of 40.
The record of 2,632 consecutive appearances remains a major league record to this day.
He was named the Rookie of the Year in 1982, was honored twice as MVP in 1983 and 1991, and contributed to winning the 1983 World Series.
He has a stellar array of awards, including 19 All-Star Awards, 2 Gold Gloves Awards, and 8 Silver Slugger Awards.
He said, "The Orioles have been a part of my life since I was a kid. Today is a really special day. I'm really looking forward to this opportunity and I will do everything I can to help the club."
Ripken Jr. joins the Orioles-owned group with other investors including former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, NBA legend Grant Hill, businessman and philanthropist Mike Bloomberg, and businessman Michelle Kang.
Meanwhile, the Angelos family, which owns the Orioles, announced on the same day that it would hand over its controlling stake to businessman and philanthropist Rubenstein for $1.725 billion.
The Angelos plan to continue their investment in the Orioles after selling their stake, and John Angelos plans to continue as senior adviser.
Their sale is officially recognized once approved by the Major League Baseball's owner committee.
