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The Longest Season
Even with a 12-0 loss to start the 88 season, Cal Ripken, Jr. had plenty of reasons to love being a Baltimore Oriole. He was playing alongside his brother Bill, and his father, Cal Sr., was managing the team. They'd win the next one. But the Orioles didn't win their next game, or the next, and soon what was supposed to be a dream season for Cal slid into a nightmare of losses no one saw coming.
With brilliant and expressive color paintings from Ron Mazellan, future hall-of-famer Cal Ripken, Jr. shares the ups and downs of the Orioles? record 21-game losing streak, and reflects on the rewards of hard work, regardless of what's on the scoreboard.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 5, 2007
45 people want to read
About the author
Cal Ripken Jr.
38 books31 followersCal Ripken, Jr. was a shortstop and third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles for his entire career (1981-2001). Nicknamed “The Iron Man” for his relentless work ethic and reliability on the field, Ripken is most remembered for playing a record 2,632 straight games over 17 seasons. He was a 19-time All Star and is considered to be one of the best shortstops professional baseball has ever seen. In 2007 he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Since his retirement, Ripken has worked as President and CEO of Ripken Baseball, Inc. to nurture the love of baseball in young children from a grassroots level.
Since his retirement, Ripken has worked as President and CEO of Ripken Baseball, Inc. to nurture the love of baseball in young children from a grassroots level.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 12, 2018
Informational #2
I wouldn't say this is the best book I have ever read but I can see it's benefits of having it in my classroom. It is about the Orioles season where they lost a record number of games in a row. For students who are big baseball fans or like sports this book can be a good motivation to get them to read. It also teaches students to never give up even when things are hard and you feel like you are always losing.
I wouldn't say this is the best book I have ever read but I can see it's benefits of having it in my classroom. It is about the Orioles season where they lost a record number of games in a row. For students who are big baseball fans or like sports this book can be a good motivation to get them to read. It also teaches students to never give up even when things are hard and you feel like you are always losing.
September 29, 2017
Cal recounts the beginning of the 1988 season when the Orioles went 0 for 21 to start, during which his dad was fired as the manager and he and his brother, Billy, both had to endure endless scrutiny by the media.
May 13, 2017
A nice children's book from a forgotten, but historic, team. Ripkens message of perseverance through trying times is the crux of the book.
May 1, 2019
Autobiographical account of the 1988 season in which the Baltimore Orioles began the season 0-21.
May 6, 2020
I love reading this book during my baseball unit in Kindergarten. It teaches how winning doesn't make a team and how learning comes from errors and losses. Recommended.
Quarantine 2020 book.
Quarantine 2020 book.
August 28, 2012
I was a new resident of the Baltimore area in 1988, and started listening to the Orioles on the radio during the season portrayed in this book. Despite the struggle the team faced - or perhaps because of it - I became an Orioles fan, and a big fan of baseball on the radio. So it was with a certain bit of nostalgia that I read this book - I don't really remember the specific games, but I remember the feeling of those early weeks and that season.
The art in this book is lush - there's a gorgeous sunset in one of the early pages, expressive depictions of despair and the joy of that first win. I think my favorite spread in on the 0-12 page, where the artist manages to portray (in one image) Cal Ripken going hitless through a 3 game series.
If you read this book to a young baseball fan, expect them to get frustrated as the Orioles lose yet another game. I'm not sure how much the "what we can learn from losing" lesson at the end really sinks in on the first read, but who knows what good matter of persistence come of it in the long run. (My 9yo first said it only deserved 1 star, but then conceded it could be worth 3. I give it 4 because of the art.)
The art in this book is lush - there's a gorgeous sunset in one of the early pages, expressive depictions of despair and the joy of that first win. I think my favorite spread in on the 0-12 page, where the artist manages to portray (in one image) Cal Ripken going hitless through a 3 game series.
If you read this book to a young baseball fan, expect them to get frustrated as the Orioles lose yet another game. I'm not sure how much the "what we can learn from losing" lesson at the end really sinks in on the first read, but who knows what good matter of persistence come of it in the long run. (My 9yo first said it only deserved 1 star, but then conceded it could be worth 3. I give it 4 because of the art.)
October 31, 2013
Interest Level
Grades K - 3
Reading Level
Grade level Equivalent: 4.5
Lexile Measure®: Not Available
DRA: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not Available
Genre
Autobiography
Theme/Subject
Baseball
Sports Heroes
Telling the story of Carl Ripken Jr. and his love for being a Baltimore Oriole.He loved playing with his brother Bill. He even loved that his dad Cal Sr. was managing the team at the time too. But soon his love for the team is challenged by a losing streak. Trying to remain hopeful he tries to convince him self the the loosing streak will be over soon only to find out it will last a whole season. In this book we learn how he deals with his loses as he tries to finish out the season still loving baseball.
Grades K - 3
Reading Level
Grade level Equivalent: 4.5
Lexile Measure®: Not Available
DRA: Not Available
Guided Reading: Not Available
Genre
Autobiography
Theme/Subject
Baseball
Sports Heroes
Telling the story of Carl Ripken Jr. and his love for being a Baltimore Oriole.He loved playing with his brother Bill. He even loved that his dad Cal Sr. was managing the team at the time too. But soon his love for the team is challenged by a losing streak. Trying to remain hopeful he tries to convince him self the the loosing streak will be over soon only to find out it will last a whole season. In this book we learn how he deals with his loses as he tries to finish out the season still loving baseball.
November 3, 2012
Playing with his brother, and being managed by their father, Cal Ripken Jr. had a lot of hope for the 1988 Orioles season. Winning eluded them, and they were 0 - 21 before they got their first win. The story is a wonderful example to teach children the vaule of remaining positive, trying your hardest, andnot giving up. The illustrations are wonderfully produced, and help set the drama, as well as highligh the action of the story. Ripken is quoted as saying about the streak, "Winning is easy on a person, but you learn more from using."
May 1, 2012
The Orioles started the 1988 baseball season with 21 straight losses. Cal Ripken describes the losses game-by-game and then shares the relief when his team finally won a game. A great story to share with young sports fan about how to handle the game when faced with so many disappointments. The illustrations are lovely and Ripken's narrative is just right for elementary school students. Since my school is in the Baltimore area, this is definitely a great selection for my students.
April 3, 2009
The illustrations in this book are fantastic! The colors are vibrant, and the pictures have a lot of depth.
The story itself is pretty simple, but it is interesting to read Cal Ripken's take on winning and losing, playing for the Orioles, and playing with his brother and dad. If you're a baseball fan, check it out. If you have kids who like sports, read it with them.
The story itself is pretty simple, but it is interesting to read Cal Ripken's take on winning and losing, playing for the Orioles, and playing with his brother and dad. If you're a baseball fan, check it out. If you have kids who like sports, read it with them.
July 5, 2011
This was an encouraging sports story. Not too many children will be familiar with the 21 game losing streak that the Orioles endured, but they'll easily be able to identify with the concept of enduring through difficult circumstances.
August 26, 2016
Read aloud with our 3 and 5 years who LOVE Orioles baseball.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews