Cal Ripken

Sometimes a loss can be turned into a gain and it did for Hawaii in yesterday's Cal Ripken 12-and-under World Series championship game at Cal Sr.'s Yard in Aberdeen, as a United States team from Hawaii repeated as series winner with a 5-2 victory over Mexico. Kean Wong threw three scoreless innings in relief for Hilo, Ridge Hoopi-Haslam homered for the second consecutive game and Kawika Pruett, who was named the Most Outstanding U.S. Player, had two hits, including a two-run double in a three-run first inning that set the tempo.

Shortstop Joe Petrucci said he wanted the ball hit to him with two men on and two outs in the last inning and his team leading 5-2. Wish granted. Petrucci's team, the host and Harford County representative, had never won a game in the four years the Cal Ripken 12-and-under World Series has been played in Aberdeen. Until yesterday. Fielding the final out flawlessly to give the local team its first win, Petrucci and his mates huddled for a celebration near home plate before making a beeline for the right-field foul fence to slap hands with their fans and parents.

Two extra-inning games started yesterday's Cal Ripken 12-and-under World Series semifinals in Aberdeen. The Dominican Republic took a 7-6 decision over Australia in seven innings, followed by a 4-3 victory in eight innings by Bryant, Ark., over previously unbeaten Southeastern Lexington, Ky. Mexico defeated Canada, 3-0, and will face the Dominican Republic in today's 4 p.m. International final. Bryant will face Hilo, Hawaii, a 7-3 winner over Satsuma, Ala., at 6:35 tonight in the U.S. championship game.

They swung their bats near the hitters' cage, combatants warming up for battle in the Cal Ripken World Series. William Hancock and Colby Richburgh, stars for a championship team from Arkansas, would be facing a tough Oregon squad in an hour, and their eyes flashed with the intensity of athletes seeking a world title. But they had a moment to talk food - specifically, where they've been eating during their stay in Aberdeen. "Quizno's, Applebee's, Taco Bell," said William, 12. "The crab cakes right here [at the Ripken baseball complex]

Noteworthy Day:Offering Cal Ripken Jr. a contract for $6 million is not exactly an insult. This is twice what any other Baltimore Oriole player is making. It's being mentioned that Cal and his wife, Kelly, who may be interested in a modeling/movie career, might like to know more about the deal that attracted Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles from Edmonton. The beat goes on.* Losing a leg is most unfortunate for Rex Barney but one of the greatest sports announcers in history, Bill Stern, never let it be a handicap.

Cal Ripken, the Orioles' only starting shortstop since July 1, 1982, moved to third base last night as part of a shake-up by manager Davey Johnson, ending a streak of 2,216 consecutive starts at short.Johnson informed Ripken of the move Sunday evening, shortly after the New York Yankees completed a four-game sweep of the Orioles at Camden Yards and improved their lead in the American League East to 10 games.Manny Alexander, Ripken's heir apparent for five seasons, started at shortstop last night.

With his first youth World Series at Aberdeen in the books, Cal Ripken is looking to take the next step toward establishing a tradition that will highlight his hometown. "Williamsport is to Little League what we hope Aberdeen will be to Cal Ripken baseball," said the former Orioles great, who is eagerly awaiting the start of the Cal Ripken 12-and-under World Series at Ripken Stadium. The fifth Cal Ripken World Series begins play with the first of five games at 11 a.m. tomorrow. Babe Ruth League Inc. renamed its largest age division (5-12-year-olds)

Cal Ripken Jr. is looking to set another milestone this summer - this time in the reading field. The Orioles third-baseman kicked off Friday the annual "Reading, Runs & Ripken" fund-raiser to benefit the Baltimore Reads literacy organization, a campaign that has raised more than $526,000 for child and adult reading activities over the past eight years. This year, organizers are hoping to push that total over the $600,000 mark, with donors earning premiums ranging from bookmarks to lunch at the Camden Club, depending on their contribution level.

Unloading a temporary backstop at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen yesterday, Bill Ripken observed that he attended the first three Cal Ripken World Series, starting in 2000, in Illinois and Indiana. This year, the event has relocated to what is expected to be its permanent home in Maryland, the Ripken Baseball complex that is also home to the Aberdeen IronBirds. Bill said he is thrilled, along with brother Cal, to have brought the event to their hometown. "It's great to host it, because it will be like heaven to these kids," said Ripken, referring to the 15 teams of 11- and 12-year-olds who will begin competing Saturday.

Bound and abducted in her own vehicle, Violet Ripken was gone for 12 hours before her disappearance was reported to authorities. And amid an intensive search, she was quietly dropped off by her kidnapper on her secluded Harford County street. A neighbor, Erik Snyder, 28, was arriving home from an overnight shift at a local warehouse when he saw a woman waving a white sweater out of a car window. "There's a woman who's tied up in a car down the street," he told nearby officers, who "zoomed over" to free the 74-year-old mother of Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. Police are trying to piece together why she was taken - and whether her kidnapper even realized who he had been ferrying around Central Maryland for nearly a day. According to Gus Kowalewski, 72, a longtime neighbor who spoke to Vi Ripken about the ordeal, the man confronted her in her garage between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Tuesday, blindfolded her and forced her into her 1998 Lincoln Town Car at gunpoint.