By David Ginsburg
Associated Press
Sunday, September 20, 1998; 9:49 p.m. EDT

BALTIMORE – Thousands of fans at the Baltimore Orioles' final home game of the season Sunday night were shocked when the starting lineup was posted – and Cal Ripken's name was missing.

Ripken voluntarily ended his major league record streak of 2,632 consecutive starts by withdrawing his name from the starting lineup moments before the Orioles faced the New York Yankees.

Denise Willis, 25, drove from Keyser, W.Va. to see Ripken play. She was wearing an orange shirt with Ripken's name and No. 8 on it and was obviously saddened that her favorite player was not in the lineup.

The historical significance of the night meant nothing to her.

"I'm disappointed because I came all this way to see Cal,'' she said. "I was here for his [record-breaking] 2131 game and I was expecting to see him tonight also.''

Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130 consecutive games played on Sept. 6, 1995. The celebration that night was planned months in advance; on this night, no one knew what was coming.

To many fans, Ripken's absence was not immediately obvious.

Rick Strassner, 41, of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., was sitting behind the Orioles' dugout when he noticed the Yankees standing on the top step of their dugout and applauding with one out in the top of the first inning.

Ripken responded by popping out of the dugout and doffing his cap.

"I couldn't figure out what was going on. I looked over and saw Cal and I figured out what it must be,'' Strassner said. "I'm surprised but I think it's about time. I think the time is right.''

That's exactly what Ripken told manager Ray Miller shortly before the game when he asked to have his name removed from the lineup: "I think the time is right.''

Glenn Bryant, 27, was one of dozens of people in line to buy a program. Sales were extremely slow until the scoreboard revealed that rookie Ryan Minor was starting at third base for Ripken.

"I couldn't believe it. I noticed as soon as the lineup went up,'' Bryant said. "I looked to see who was playing third base and I saw that Cal's name wasn't there. I pointed that out to a couple of the people near me. They didn't believe me at first.''

Bryant was talking to a few friends on the ride from nearby Cockeysville on a subject that has occupied the thoughts of many Orioles fans for quite some time.

"I was talking on the way down to one of the other people I came with tonight about how it would be a good idea for Ripken to end the streak before the year ended,'' he said. "I thought it would give Minor a chance to show what he could do in the big leagues.''

Many of the fans were curious to see Minor play – but who could have expected it to happen on this night?
"I'll probably cry before I go to bed,'' said Joe Lamm, 39.