This weekend, Baltimore's hometown hero, Cal Ripken Jr., completes his journey from Aberdeen to Cooperstown, where he will take his rightful place among baseball's immortals.

Ray Schulte. (Sabina Moran/PressBox)

PressBox publisher Stan "The Fan" Charles recently sat down with Ray Schulte, the man who helped Cal Ripken start Ironclad Authentics, to talk about the dynamics pushing Cal's memorabilia -- and how Ironclad is preparing for induction day and beyond.

Below is the final installment of a three-part interview. Read the rest: Part I | Part II

SC: How is Cal holding up through all of this? Is it an exhilarating thing still because his adrenaline is flowing leading up to the day, or is it wearing on him?
RS: Well, he has always been tough. Since he retired, he has worked tirelessly in terms of getting this company up and making sure that we are all on solid ground and solid foundations, so he’s used to that. I think, though, he is running on adrenaline. … We just completed a national book tour, he has done a lot of speaking engagements, and everybody wants to get an opportunity to congratulate him. And he’s fine with that.

I think that both Kelly and Cal are [thinking] in the back of their minds that maybe in August they can get away and relax a little bit. But they are enjoying every moment of it now.

SC: But the momentum is going to last awhile won’t it?
RS: Oh absolutely. After the induction day, all of the items that come out in terms of the Hall of Fame, whether the plackcards, the programs, all of a sudden -- and they only get released the day of the induction -- all of those items now want to be signed. We already have it planned for late August, early September to do some signings with Cal for people who have those items that want to get them personalized.

Just because the induction is over, Ironclad will go right through the third quarter, and for Christmas and the holidays we'll have a whole new approach to the business.

SC: What are you planning to sell up in Cooperstown?
RS: First let me say as it relates to Cal. It has been Cal’s family decision that he does not want to conduct business while he is in Cooperstown, whether it is as a sponsor or an appearance, which to me is fantastic because he wants to have that as his family time. But it does give Ironclad, which can operate independently of Cal, an opportunity still to present our products up there. We have two locations that we are going to be set up at.

We are going to share a space at Cooperstown Bat, which is on Main Street, and the other is we are bringing up our IronBirds’ concession trailer, and we will be set up behind the Tunnicliff Inn.

So we’ll have two locations. And the [Cal Ripken] Sr. Foundation will be set up in Doubleday Field. So technically, we will have three locations up there selling Ripken/Ironclad products.

SC: PressBox and Cal have worked together to do something for the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation. We created a Cal Ripken organizational license plate. Can you talk a little bit about that?
RC: Sure, I know that our Sr. Foundation came to me and said that they had had conversations with PressBox and wanted to create this product. Having PressBox involved and benefiting the Sr. Foundation, I thought it was a fantastic idea. Any time we can create a situation where we can generate revenue for the foundation, but also get that awareness out there, it’s always a good thing. We are very excited about that, and Ironclad will actually help promote that and do whatever we can do to help facilitate sales of the license plate because we know it benefits the foundation. And we are very thankful to PressBox for that opportunity.

SC: A lot of people think that since the team has been on hard times, that Cal somehow doesn’t approve of the Orioles. But he actually has a close relationship with Peter Angelos, and I think there is an appreciation with what Peter has to go through and the hits he takes.
RS: Oh absolutely. I know Cal and Mr. Angelos have lunch on an occasional basis, and they do talk. [Angelos] has a business to run there and Cal has a business to run here, and I think they respect each other in the utmost way. We work with the Orioles in terms of providing them opportunities to do licensing -- they have their bobblehead nights and T-shirt nights and all that. So we do whatever we can do to support their efforts.

SC: A lot of people say baseball is a dying sport. I know at some level, Cal sees that and hears that talk. Do you think he can be the catalyst for reinvigorating baseball for the 21st century?
RS: I absolutely think so. We have been forging relationships and talking with Major League Baseball and just recently forged a relationship with their RBI program. And we are going to be doing certain things in Aberdeen with the Babe Ruth League and the Cal Ripken division. There are 750,000 kids that are wearing the Cal Ripken shield on their uniform now -- and that’s just been a few years.

There is no better ambassador of the game than Cal.

SC: Internationally, the game is growing at a tremendous level. Does the Ripken name mean as much in other countries?
RS: Sure. I haven’t had the opportunity obviously to travel with Cal when he’s been to Japan. Hearing stories from other players who have, Cal is head and shoulders above most notable players over there because of what he has achieved and what he stands for. He definitely has name recognition and a following in Japan, and we have been in conversations with certain facets of Chinese baseball.

With our Cal Ripken World Series, we have five international teams that play in our world series. Whether it is Mexico or Germany or Korea, we want to increase that; we want to bring it out so that it brings more international flavor into our World Series.

Issue 2.30: July 26, 2007