the cal ripken sr memorial patch

i know i quickly addressed the cal ripken sr memorial patch back in my early days of memorial collecting, but i didn't really give it its due.

here are a few cards that feature the '7' patch that the orioles wore in honor of ripken following his passing in march of 1999.

2000 topps stadium club chrome mike bordick

and 2000 upper deck jerry hairston jr

are both turning two, which is nice.

the patch is seen on charles johnson's 2000 topps card

and a bunch of albert belle cards - 2000 fleer ultra

2000 pacific paramount

2000 upper deck hitter's club

and 2000 upper deck

the card that best represents the memorial, however, is the 2000 upper deck cal ripken jr checklist

ripken sr spent 36 seasons in the orioles' organization as a player, coach, and manager.  he managed his sons at the major league level, and played a part in virtually every oriole player's career as a minor league manager, big league coach, and/or major league manager from 1961 until his death.  after ripken sr was fired as the team's manager early in the 1988 season, his son billy switched his uniform number to his father's number 7.  when ripken sr returned to the team's coaching staff in 1989, he took the number back, and it is worth noting that no oriole has worn the number 7 since he passed away.