- Baseball And Basketball Dual-Star Ryan Minor Dies At 49, Left Mark In Orioles’ Legacy
Former University of Oklahoma baseball and basketball star, Ryan Minor, passed away at 49 after battling cancer. Minor gained prominence in baseball history when he filled in for Cal Ripken Jr. and played third base for the Baltimore Orioles, as Ripken ended his consecutive games streak.
NEW DELHI: Ryan Minor, former baseball and basketball star at the University of Oklahoma, passed away at the age of 49 after battling cancer. Minor gained prominence in baseball history when he filled in for Cal Ripken Jr. on September 20, 1998, as Ripken ended his consecutive games streak at 2,632. Minor played third base for the Baltimore Orioles in Ripken’s absence and expressed gratitude for the opportunity, going 1-for-4 in a 5-4 loss to the New York Yankees. Ripken returned to the starting lineup the following night.
Minor played 87 games for the Orioles from 1998 to 2000, contributing with a .185 batting average, three homers, and 14 RBIs. His MLB career also included 55 games with the Montreal Expos in 2001, amassing a .177 average with five homers and 27 RBIs over 142 games. Following his playing career, Minor served as a minor league manager in the Baltimore organization from 2010 to 2019.
Apart from baseball, Minor excelled in basketball, helping Oklahoma win the College World Series in 1994 and earning Big Eight Player of the Year honors for the 1994-95 basketball season.
He was drafted in the second round by the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers in 1996 and also selected in the 33rd round by the Orioles in the same year. The Orioles expressed deep sadness at Minor’s passing and extended condolences to his family, acknowledging his courageous fight against cancer.
