Cal Ripken
Shortstop · Career Stats, Hall of Fame Bio & Records (1981-2001)
Cal Ripken was a shortstop who played in Major League Baseball from 1981 to 2001 for the Baltimore Orioles, a span of 21 seasons. In 3,001 career games, he hit .276 with 3,184 hits, 431 home runs, and 1,695 RBI. Cal Ripken was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007 and was a 19-time All-Star, a 2-time MVP, a Rookie of the Year, a 2-time All-Star Game MVP, a 2-time Gold Glove, a 8-time Silver Slugger, and a Roberto Clemente Award. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 19,199.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Shortstop
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'4" / 200 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1981-08-10
- Last Game
- 2001-10-06
- Hall of Fame
- Inducted 2007 (BBWAA)
- Awards
- 19× All-Star · 2× MVP · Rookie of the Year · 2× All-Star Game MVP · 2× Gold Glove · 8× Silver Slugger · Roberto Clemente Award
Full name: Calvin Edwin Ripken
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,001 | 11,551 | 1,647 | 3,184 | 603 | 44 | 431 | 1,695 | 36 | 1,129 | 1,305 | .276 | .340 | .447 | .788 | 19,199 |
Career AVG .276 vs. league average .262 across their career seasons — +5.1% above league average.
Career OBP .340 vs. league average .330 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .447 vs. league average .403 across their career seasons — +10.9% above league average.
Career OPS .788 vs. league average .733 across their career seasons — +7.4% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | BAL | AL | 23 | 39 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | .128 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1982 | BAL | AL | 160 | 598 | 90 | 158 | 32 | 5 | 28 | 93 | 3 | 46 | 95 | .264 | .261 (+1%) | .324 (-2%) | .388 (+22%) | .712 (+11%) | 1131.3 |
| 1983 | BAL | AL | 162 | 663 | 121 | 211 | 47 | 2 | 27 | 102 | 0 | 58 | 97 | .318 | .260 (+22%) | .324 (+14%) | .389 (+33%) | .714 (+24%) | 3191.9 |
| 1984 | BAL | AL | 162 | 641 | 103 | 195 | 37 | 7 | 27 | 86 | 2 | 71 | 89 | .304 | .259 (+17%) | .322 (+16%) | .384 (+33%) | .707 (+25%) | 3267.8 |
| 1985 | BAL | AL | 161 | 642 | 116 | 181 | 32 | 5 | 26 | 110 | 2 | 67 | 68 | .282 | .257 (+10%) | .323 (+7%) | .390 (+20%) | .714 (+14%) | 1787.7 |
| 1986 | BAL | AL | 162 | 627 | 98 | 177 | 35 | 1 | 25 | 81 | 4 | 70 | 60 | .282 | .257 (+10%) | .325 (+9%) | .395 (+17%) | .720 (+13%) | 1739.2 |
| 1987 | BAL | AL | 162 | 624 | 97 | 157 | 28 | 3 | 27 | 98 | 3 | 81 | 77 | .252 | .262 (-4%) | .331 (+1%) | .415 (+5%) | .746 (+3%) | 365.1 |
| 1988 | BAL | AL | 161 | 575 | 87 | 152 | 25 | 1 | 23 | 81 | 2 | 102 | 69 | .264 | .254 (+4%) | .317 (+17%) | .377 (+14%) | .695 (+15%) | 2097.5 |
| 1989 | BAL | AL | 162 | 646 | 80 | 166 | 30 | 0 | 21 | 93 | 3 | 57 | 72 | .257 | .254 (+1%) | .319 (-1%) | .375 (+7%) | .694 (+3%) | 387.4 |
| 1990 | BAL | AL | 161 | 600 | 78 | 150 | 28 | 4 | 21 | 84 | 3 | 82 | 66 | .250 | .257 (-3%) | .324 (+5%) | .385 (+8%) | .710 (+7%) | 895.4 |
| 1991 | BAL | AL | 162 | 650 | 99 | 210 | 46 | 5 | 34 | 114 | 6 | 53 | 46 | .323 | .255 (+26%) | .323 (+16%) | .384 (+47%) | .708 (+33%) | 4079.2 |
| 1992 | BAL | AL | 162 | 637 | 73 | 160 | 29 | 1 | 14 | 72 | 4 | 64 | 50 | .251 | .255 (-2%) | .322 (avg) | .377 (-3%) | .699 (-2%) | -106.4 |
| 1993 | BAL | AL | 162 | 641 | 87 | 165 | 26 | 3 | 24 | 90 | 1 | 65 | 58 | .257 | .265 (-3%) | .332 (-1%) | .403 (+4%) | .735 (+2%) | 223.8 |
| 1994 | BAL | AL | 112 | 444 | 71 | 140 | 19 | 3 | 13 | 75 | 1 | 32 | 41 | .315 | .269 (+17%) | .338 (+7%) | .424 (+8%) | .763 (+8%) | 706.0 |
| 1995 | BAL | AL | 144 | 550 | 71 | 144 | 33 | 2 | 17 | 88 | 0 | 52 | 59 | .262 | .266 (-2%) | .337 (-4%) | .417 (+1%) | .755 (-1%) | -211.4 |
| 1996 | BAL | AL | 163 | 640 | 94 | 178 | 40 | 1 | 26 | 102 | 1 | 59 | 78 | .278 | .269 (+3%) | .340 (avg) | .426 (+9%) | .767 (+5%) | 652.0 |
| 1997 | BAL | AL | 162 | 615 | 79 | 166 | 30 | 0 | 17 | 84 | 1 | 56 | 73 | .270 | .266 (+1%) | .336 (-2%) | .419 (-4%) | .756 (-3%) | -342.7 |
| 1998 | BAL | AL | 161 | 601 | 65 | 163 | 27 | 1 | 14 | 61 | 0 | 51 | 68 | .271 | .266 (+2%) | .335 (-1%) | .420 (-7%) | .755 (-5%) | -406.4 |
| 1999 | BAL | AL | 86 | 332 | 51 | 113 | 27 | 0 | 18 | 57 | 0 | 13 | 31 | .340 | .271 (+26%) | .344 (+7%) | .433 (+35%) | .778 (+22%) | 1324.5 |
| 2000 | BAL | AL | 83 | 309 | 43 | 79 | 16 | 0 | 15 | 56 | 0 | 23 | 37 | .256 | .270 (-5%) | .344 (-10%) | .437 (+4%) | .782 (-2%) | -205.3 |
| 2001 | BAL | AL | 128 | 477 | 43 | 114 | 16 | 0 | 14 | 68 | 0 | 26 | 63 | .239 | .263 (-9%) | .332 (-17%) | .426 (-15%) | .758 (-16%) | -1377.3 |
| Career · 21 seasons | 3,001 | 11,551 | 1,647 | 3,184 | 603 | 44 | 431 | 1,695 | 36 | 1,129 | 1,305 | .276 | — | — | — | — | 19,199 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 110 | 14 | 37 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 22 | .336 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | ALCS | BAL | 6 | 23 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | .348 |
| 1997 | ALDS2 | BAL | 4 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .438 |
| 1996 | ALCS | BAL | 5 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .250 |
| 1996 | ALDS1 | BAL | 4 | 18 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .444 |
| 1983 | ALCS | BAL | 4 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .400 |
| 1983 | WS | BAL | 5 | 18 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | .167 |
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (3001 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 1495 | 5560 | 777 | 1487 | 214 | 841 | .267 |
| Away | 1506 | 5991 | 870 | 1697 | 217 | 854 | .283 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-10-06 | BAL | BOS | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001-10-05 | BAL | BOS | L | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001-10-05 | BAL | BOS | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001-10-04 | BAL | BOS | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001-10-03 | BAL | TOR | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2001-10-02 | BAL | TOR | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001-10-01 | BAL | TOR | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2001-09-30 | BAL | NYY | L | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2001-09-29 | BAL | NYY | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2001-09-28 | BAL | NYY | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | 675 | 667 | 461 | 1237 | 69 | 117 |
| SS | 2302 | 2291 | 3651 | 6977 | 225 | 1565 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | BAL | 3B | 6 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 1981 | BAL | SS | 12 | 8 | 11 | 24 | 2 | 5 |
| 1982 | BAL | 3B | 71 | 68 | 66 | 151 | 6 | 17 |
| 1982 | BAL | SS | 94 | 91 | 155 | 289 | 13 | 47 |
| 1983 | BAL | SS | 162 | 162 | 272 | 534 | 25 | 113 |
| 1984 | BAL | SS | 162 | 162 | 297 | 583 | 26 | 122 |
| 1985 | BAL | SS | 161 | 161 | 286 | 474 | 26 | 123 |
| 1986 | BAL | SS | 162 | 162 | 240 | 482 | 13 | 105 |
| 1987 | BAL | SS | 162 | 162 | 240 | 480 | 20 | 103 |
| 1988 | BAL | SS | 161 | 161 | 284 | 480 | 21 | 119 |
| 1989 | BAL | SS | 162 | 162 | 276 | 531 | 8 | 119 |
| 1990 | BAL | SS | 161 | 161 | 242 | 435 | 3 | 94 |
| 1991 | BAL | SS | 162 | 162 | 267 | 528 | 11 | 114 |
| 1992 | BAL | SS | 162 | 162 | 287 | 445 | 12 | 119 |
| 1993 | BAL | SS | 162 | 162 | 226 | 495 | 17 | 101 |
| 1994 | BAL | SS | 112 | 112 | 132 | 321 | 7 | 72 |
| 1995 | BAL | SS | 144 | 144 | 206 | 409 | 7 | 100 |
| 1996 | BAL | 3B | 6 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 0 | 1 |
| 1996 | BAL | SS | 158 | 157 | 228 | 467 | 14 | 109 |
| 1997 | BAL | 3B | 162 | 162 | 98 | 314 | 22 | 25 |
| 1997 | BAL | SS | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | BAL | 3B | 161 | 161 | 101 | 265 | 8 | 22 |
| 1999 | BAL | 3B | 85 | 85 | 36 | 142 | 13 | 11 |
| 2000 | BAL | 3B | 73 | 73 | 56 | 134 | 5 | 17 |
| 2001 | BAL | 3B | 111 | 111 | 97 | 209 | 14 | 23 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Third Base | 674 |
| Shortstop | 2302 |
| Designated Hitter | 25 |
Awards & Honors
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | BAL | AL | $6,300,000 |
| 2000 | BAL | AL | $6,300,000 |
| 1999 | BAL | AL | $6,500,000 |
| 1998 | BAL | AL | $6,400,000 |
| 1997 | BAL | AL | $6,850,000 |
| 1996 | BAL | AL | $6,650,000 |
| 1995 | BAL | AL | $6,700,000 |
| 1994 | BAL | AL | $5,500,000 |
| 1993 | BAL | AL | $5,200,000 |
| 1992 | BAL | AL | $2,100,000 |
| 1991 | BAL | AL | $2,566,667 |
| 1990 | BAL | AL | $1,316,667 |
| 1989 | BAL | AL | $2,466,667 |
| 1988 | BAL | AL | $1,700,000 |
| 1987 | BAL | AL | $1,350,000 |
| 1986 | BAL | AL | $1,150,000 |
| 1985 | BAL | AL | $800,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $69,850,001 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 19th | 3.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1994 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 12th | 24.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1993 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 19th | 7.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1991 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 1st | 318.0 | 392 | 15 |
| 1990 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 24th | 2.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1989 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 3rd | 216.0 | 392 | 6 |
| 1985 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 17th | 9.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1984 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 27th | 1.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1983 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 1st | 322.0 | 392 | 15 |
| 1982 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 30th | 3.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1982 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 1st | 132.0 | 140 | 24 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Cal Ripken (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Cal Ripken
Cal Ripken: the record in brief
Cal Ripken played a first major league game on August 10, 1981 and a last one on October 6, 2001. Ripken's only club in the season tables is the Baltimore Orioles. Born on August 24, 1960, in Havre de Grace, MD, USA, Ripken is listed as a shortstop and threw and hit right-handed. Ripken's listed size is 6 feet, 4 inches and 200 pounds. The given name on file is Calvin Edwin Ripken.
The batting record for Ripken: 3,001 games, 3,184 hits in 11,551 at bats, and a .276 average, along with 431 homers, 1,695 runs batted in, and 36 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .340 clip and slugging .447, Ripken finished with a .788 OPS. Over the seasons Ripken played, league hitters batted .262; the .276 career figure is 5.1% above that. No season beat the 34 home runs Ripken hit in 1991. 1983 produced Ripken's most hits, 211 of them for the Baltimore Orioles.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cal Ripken
- What years did Cal Ripken play?
- Cal Ripken played in Major League Baseball from 1981 to 2001.
- Was Cal Ripken a pitcher?
- No. Cal Ripken was a position player (Shortstop).
- How many home runs did Cal Ripken hit?
- Cal Ripken hit 431 career home runs with 3184 hits.
- Is Cal Ripken in the Hall of Fame?
- Yes. Cal Ripken was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.
- What was Cal Ripken's career batting average?
- Cal Ripken batted .276 over his career, with 3,184 hits in 11,551 at bats.
- How many RBI did Cal Ripken have?
- Cal Ripken drove in 1,695 runs in his career.