Richie Bancells, Orioles head athletic trainer
"Some of my fondest memories ... came at the unfortunate time when he was having his back problems. We would start his rehab program at 8:30 a.m. at his house. This was during the middle of winter. He had me outline the program on grease boards in his workout room. He had to have a plan, as always. ... I doubt that in my career I will have another ballplayer with that kind of intensity and dedication to his profession. During that time he had the bad back, he was telling me he was going to get me in shape!"
Fred Tyler, Orioles visiting clubhouse manager
"Cal's career is noted for its consistency, and so, too, is his signature. He meticulously dotted the 'i' in Ripken and period after 'Jr.' ... Cal chose the right pen for the type of material and made sure to flatten each jersey's signing surface. ... Cal made sure that each signature was as good as the last. There was no room for shortcuts in his game or his autograph."
Chris Berman, ESPN broadcaster, who did play-by-play for the 2,131 game
"When Cal arrived in the clubhouse before the game, we were set up to meet him to conduct a brief interview. I looked at him with a straight face and said, 'Cal you think you might get in tonight?' Cal laughed, and then we had a great interview for the telecast. Next time I saw him, he thanked me for, at least for 30 seconds, letting him laugh and relax on that unbelievable night."
Mike Flanagan, Orioles executive vice president
"When Cal first came up to the big leagues in '82, he didn't play every day. And the days that he didn't play, he would drive everyone in the dugout crazy asking hundreds of questions - 'Why are we playing him this way?' 'Why are we pitching him that way?' - one after another. He had this boundless energy. He'd wrestle his teammates in the dugout, and finally we turned to Earl [Weaver] and said, 'Please, please, please put him in the lineup.' "
Ernie Tyler, Orioles field attendant
"After Cal got drafted [in 1978], he was assigned to Bluefield. Cal Sr. was third base coach with the big league team, and I'd dress at a locker right next to his. After every game, I remember how Senior would sit at his locker and wait until the Bluefield game was done, then call the manager down there to see how Cal had done that night. He never called Cal to ask. He'd always call the manager."