By Josh Barr
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, September 21, 1998; Page C1

BALTIMORE, Sept. 20 – At about 7:45 p.m. today, Cal Ripken made history.

The Baltimore Orioles' third baseman, who had became known as baseball's "Iron Man" walked into Manager Ray Miller's office and announced it was time to end The Streak. And so after more than 16 years and 2,632 consecutive games played, Ripken sat one out.

"I guess I just want to say it was time," Ripken said after the Orioles' home finale against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. "Baseball has always been a team game and I always believed the focus should be on the team. There have been times where the focus was on The Streak. It just reached a time where I thought it was time to change the subject, restore the focus to the team and move on.

"It shouldn't be a sad moment. If you look at me, I look at it as a happy moment, a celebration."

So Ripken joined most of the rest of the American work force, taking a day off. He watched part of the game – a 5-4 New York victory that mathematically eliminating the Orioles from wild-card contention – from the bullpen. He walked behind the outfield fence in right-center field, shaking hands with fans and signing autographs. He also sat in the dugout and chatted with teammates and trainer Richie Bancells.

"So that's what a day off feels like?" Ripken said. "Now that I know what it feels like, I don't want to sit and watch anymore. ... I was very antsy and very busy. I didn't know what to do. I was fidgety."

Ripken said he has no plans to retire. He said he plans to start another streak on Monday, when the Orioles play in Toronto.

Ripken said he originally had planned to end the streak by sitting out the final game of the season, Sept. 27 in Boston. However, after conferring with his wife, Kelly, Ripken decided it would be best to sit out in front of the home crowd.

Even after he arrived at the decision late in the week, Ripken kept it a private matter, telling few people. Orioles center fielder Brady Anderson knew of the momentous decision, keeping his bat and a few game balls from Saturday's game – the final game in the streak that began on May 30, 1982.

However, many of Ripken's teammates did not know. Starting pitcher Doug Johns did not realize the last-minute lineup change until he went to get the ball from the third baseman just before the game started.

"I turned around ... and saw Ryan and said, 'Holy mackerel!' " Johns said.

Several fans tried to take home their own special souvenir of the night. In the middle of the game, lines were about 30 deep waiting to buy a program at a stand on the concourse.

Ripken's late notice meant his name was still on lineup cards in the press box and on the scorecards handed out in programs.

However, about 10 minutes before the game, Orioles spokesman John Maroon announced in the press box that there had been a lineup change. He did not mention Ripken by name, simply reading through the new lineup, one that had Minor at third base and batting sixth in the lineup – where Ripken's name had been.

Orioles owner Peter Angelos said he learned just prior to the game that Ripken had chosen to take himself out of the lineup.

"Ray called and said he had 'somebody here that wants to talk to you,' " Angelos said. "Cal got on and told me what he was going to do."

"I think Cal has earned his rest," Angelos said. "Obviously, he's still a great athlete and a great ballplayer. It's not going to harm him. [Mark] McGwire and other great players take their off days. They realize they have to do it to keep up their performance levels.

"I've been on two trips with the team and I got a better feeling for the rigors and demands of playing 162 games a year, and the burdens it places on ballplayers," Angelos added. "It looks easy from the stands, but when you see the schedule they have to keep, playing three games in Seattle and then they're on a tarmac at 2 o'clock [in the morning] ... it's very taxing. To imagine or realize players do this beginning in February until the end of September, it's just a physical requirement I don't think we appreciate."

Minor, 24, made just his second major league start. A two-sport star in college, he was drafted by the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and attended training camp before deciding on a baseball career. He spent this past season with Class AA Bowie and joined the Orioles on Sept. 12 after major league rosters had been expanded the 40 players.

Minor had a single to right field in the fourth inning and made a nice diving, backhanded catch of a line drive hit by Chuck Knoblauch in the sixth. He finished 1 for 4.

Among the crowd was the Lippman family from Gaithersburg, who sat in their box seats behind home plate shaking their heads in disbelief at what they were witnessing.

Hal Lippman, 43, said has been attending Orioles games since 1979, and he was the first member of the family who first noticed that Ripken wasn't playing when he saw Minor's name in the lineup on the scoreboard.

"You're so used to him being there that when he's not there, it's a shock. It's a very strange feeling," he said. "I almost don't know Orioles baseball without him. I feel good being here as a part of history, but it's sad too because I don't think there'll ever be anyone else doing that again."

Staff writer Camille Powell contributed to this report.