The Sun began planning coverage of Cal Ripken Jr.'s Hall of Fame induction early this year, starting with the January news conference announcing his selection. After that news conference, the question was asked: When can I get an hour of Ripken's time for our special section cover? May or June was the answer, which in January seemed a lifetime away.
As the months passed, the answer was still the same, so it appeared there was nothing to worry about. Ripken in the afternoon, at Camden Yards, in a suit at shortstop, was what I asked for and the answer was still, no problem. I have to state right now that Ripken was very generous with his time with The Sun in his busy run-up to his Hall of Fame induction.
As the first of June rolled around I was again in contact with the Ripken folks and a date was decided on. The Orioles would be out of town, the weather was forecast as great and we were set; 4 p.m. at the park and our cover shot for the special section would be done, or so it seemed.
On the morning of the scheduled shoot, I called John Maroon, Ripken's PR representative, to make sure everything was a go. "You didn't get the message?" came his booming voice over the phone. "The shoot is off: The Orioles forgot they have a sponsor day at the stadium, and we can't be there." OK, jokes are great, but this was no joke. The other challenge was that Ripken's schedule and the Orioles' schedule really didn't mesh for the rest of June, so Plan B had to be quickly hatched. Ripken in his suit at the photo studio at 4? No problem.
The real problem was that I had no idea what to do; everything had been planned around the stadium shoot. I spent the morning racking my brain to come up with an idea. I decided to make it look like an old-time photo, creating a Hall of Fame feel.
Canvas was hung, lights were set and at 4 p.m. the star of the show arrived, dressed in a crisp suit with his ever-present smile and bright blue eyes. He can be a bit hard to loosen up at times, so I gave him a photo of him throwing a toilet seat years ago at Aberdeen Stadium in a game of "hillbilly horseshoes" against his brother. I told him to remember that on July 29, when the whole world would be thinking of his career, I would be thinking of this! He seemed to get a kick out of it and the shoot began.
"Cal, look this way, look that way, lean on the bat, hold the bat, pretend to swing" and on it went. Many fine photos of Cal Ripken Jr., but not the cover shot I was looking for. Two other Sun photographers were there to shoot video for a feature on our Web site, so it was a busy place. I had finished up and it was the video guys' turn. I sat looking through my images of Ripken with his smile bright and his eyes wide, OK but not the one I needed. Just then, as he was taking a break from one of the questions he was answering for the video production, he leaned on his bat as if to take a break or ponder the question and that was it. I shot a single frame and the cover of our special section was done.
I still had concerns, though, because it is not the photo one usually thinks of when Ripken comes to mind. But other photographers agreed it was the one and the editors were on board, so it went to print.
The real proof that it worked came Tuesday, when I photographed Ripken during his send-off at Camden Yards. Despite the hectic night, he shouted at me that he had received many compliments on the photo. So, despite the problems, it all worked. Plan B probably turned out better than Plan A.
Now, I just wonder if Cal will remember this Sunday that I will be thinking of him not on the field of play or in a suit in our studio, but in shorts and a T-shirt throwing a toilet seat at a plunger!