Apr. 2—Ripken Baseball, the operating company founded by legendary baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. and his brother and business partner, Bill, is returning to Harford County.
The announcement was made by Harford County Executive Barry Glassman Friday during the opening day celebration for two new MLB-replica baseball fields at Aberdeen's The Ripken Experience.
"Cal and Billy, we can't wait to get you back," Glassman said.
Their company, currently based in Nottingham in Baltimore County, will be relocating to the Aberdeen facility. They're hoping to have the offices built and fully functional within a year, according to a company spokesperson, Eric Nemeth.
The company originally worked out of the office for the Aberdeen IronBirds. In February 2019, the company headquarters moved to Baltimore County. For the past couple years, the company had eyes on moving back to Aberdeen, Nemeth said. With the expansion of the facility and returning to an office environment post pandemic, the timing was right to return to Harford County, he said.
Established in 2001, the Ripken Baseball Group oversees and manages several subsidiaries, including three amateur baseball complexes, and is responsible for developing, maintaining and growing the Ripken family brand. The company represents all business and philanthropic efforts of the Ripken brothers, according to the company's LinkedIn page.
The Ripken Experience is part of that empire, a premier youth baseball tournament and camp destination featuring youth-sized replicas of major league ballparks. The new fields, the ninth and 10th fields at Aberdeen, replicate the New York Mets' Citi Field and the Pittsburgh Pirates' PNC Park.
The expanded facility will allow Ripken Baseball to host a record-setting number of teams from around the country, according to a company news release.
"I especially want to thank the Ripken family for continuing to invest in Harford County and promote not only baseball, not only youth baseball, but tourism for Harford County," Harford County Council President Patrick Vincenti said during the event.
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During his speech, Cal Ripken reflected on the things his father, the late Orioles player/manger and Aberdeen native Cal Ripken Sr., taught him about baseball.
"We learned so many lessons from baseball," he said, "that we hope that these kids will have a chance to learn from my dad's example."
Following the speeches and ribbon cutting, the Ripken brothers, Glassman and the state's commerce secretary, Michael Gill, each threw a ceremonial first pitch. Afterward, youngsters from four 12U baseball teams in Central Maryland and Pennsylvania played the first official games on the new fields.
Baltimore Sun Media Sports Editor Tony Maluso also contributed to this article.