Hallmark "At the Ballpark Series: Cal Ripken Jr." Christmas Ornament, 1998

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Artifact Overview

Already known for greeting cards, Hallmark introduced a line of Christmas ornaments in 1973. The company's annual release of an increasing array of ornaments revolutionized Christmas decorating, appealing to customers' interest in marking memories and milestones as well as expressing one's personality and unique tastes.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Christmas tree ornament

Date Made

1998

Creator Notes

Designed by Dill Rhodus for Hallmark Cards, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri. Made in China.

Object ID

2019.65.2689

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Plastic
Cardboard

Color

Multicolored

Inscriptions

on front of ornament: Orioles on back of ornament: RIPKEN / 8 on front of packaging: Hallmark / KEEPSAKE / ORNAMENT / Orioles / EXCLUSIVE / SB / TRADING CARD / INSIDE / Cal Ripken Jr. / At the Ballpark / COLLECTOR'S SERIES on back of packaging: Third in the At the Ballpark Series. / Look for series verification 3 on this ornament. / With every game, Baltimore Orioles / standout Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken Jr. / adds to his remarkable career. Named / the American League Rookie of the / Year in 1982, he was the League's MVP / in 1983 and 1991 and has been named / to its All-Star team 14 times. Widely / admired for his commitment to play day / in and day out, in 1995 he surpassed / even the legendary Lou Gehrig's major league record of 2,130 consecutive / games played. Ripken spoke modestly / of setting the new record, "It was a / great day for baseball." / This series of Keepsake Ornaments / salutes the achievements of modern- / day baseball heroes. / Sculpted by / Dill Rhodus / For decorative use only. / Not for young children. / Handcrafted - Dated 1998 on top of packaging: KEEPSAKE ORNAMENTS / 25 Years of Collecting Memories / 1973 - 1998
Hallmark "At the Ballpark Series: Cal Ripken Jr." Christmas Ornament, 1998