The Ripkens, Kevin Costner & the Night the Lights Went Out at Orioles Park

[Anonymous]

The rumor has resurfaced in the form of a podcast I just learned about. I haven’t listened. Is anyone following this? I’m surprised the Ripkens and/or Costner haven’t tried to shut it down. Of course, I heard Costner tried that once by going on air and it didn’t go well. How much, if any, of this rumor is true? Was the outage legit?

https://www.vulture.com/2021/11/the-rumor-podcast-ripken-costner-urban-legend.html

“On August 14, 1997, the Baltimore Orioles baseball game against the Seattle Mariners was postponed because some of the lights at Oriole Park at Camden Yards didn’t properly turn on. This much isn’t in dispute. But the reason for that light malfunction is at the center of a salacious, widespread urban legend that’s been passed around by sports fans for decades. Here’s the short version of it, all of which you should read with the word “ALLEGEDLY” blinking over it like a TV-studio applause sign: As the story goes, on the day in question, Orioles legend (and squeaky-clean baseball icon) Cal Ripken Jr. caught his wife in bed with actor Kevin Costner, got in a fight with Costner, and was so banged-up that he couldn’t play in that night’s game. So then, according to the story, the Orioles somehow caused a minor power outage in the stadium, so as to postpone the game until the next day and preserve Ripken’s record consecutive-games-played streak, which then stood at a remarkable 2,431 games.”

[Anonymous]

I have no idea if the story is legit, but I was at the stadium that night -- Randy Johnson was scheduled to pitch for the Mariners, which is why I went. The lights kept coming on, bank by bank, but then a bank of lights wouldn't go on and they would turn them all off. The story on the radio, as we drove home without seeing a game, was that no one wanted to face Randy Johnson without 100 percent perfect lighting. (Although I would think that would be hitters' requirement for most pitchers!) I think I heard the story about Kevin Costner and the Ripkens maybe six months later, but I have no idea if it is true or not.

[Anonymous]

I have never heard this rumor, and I’m a lifelong Orioles fan who loved Costner back in the day. Will be checking out the podcast, thanks for posting!

[Anonymous]

Now that's a cool story, bro! Jealous of Mrs. Ripkin!

[Anonymous]

I grew up here and this is definitely a story I've heard before although I'd completely forgotten about it. I have no idea if it's true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea if the story is legit, but I was at the stadium that night -- Randy Johnson was scheduled to pitch for the Mariners, which is why I went. The lights kept coming on, bank by bank, but then a bank of lights wouldn't go on and they would turn them all off. The story on the radio, as we drove home without seeing a game, was that no one wanted to face Randy Johnson without 100 percent perfect lighting. (Although I would think that would be hitters' requirement for most pitchers!) I think I heard the story about Kevin Costner and the Ripkens maybe six months later, but I have no idea if it is true or not.

I was there too!

This is a story that's been around, but they often substitute Brady Anderson for Kevin Costner, which ties in one of the other major rumors of that era, which is that Brady Anderson is a closeted gay man.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now that's a cool story, bro! Jealous of Mrs. Ripkin!

For cheating on her husband?

[Anonymous]

LOL. This story's been around forever. Is Ripkin married to the same woman? I miss old Orioles - Cal, Anderson, BJ, Murray... fun days

[Anonymous]

They got divorced

[Anonymous]

He is now married to a judge.

[Anonymous]

The craziest story is the kidnapping of his mother.

[Anonymous]

I would have loved to have a threesome with Brady Anderson and Ripken

[Anonymous]

I listened to the whole podcast. The pretty definitely IMO figure out what really happened. And while it's not as "interesting" as the Ripken/Costner story it's still pretty good. Worth a listen, esp if you're a baseball fan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now that's a cool story, bro! Jealous of Mrs. Ripkin!

For cheating on her husband?

NP but for banging Kevin Costner, duh.

[Anonymous]

How many people can misspell "Ripken" in a single thread?