Cal Ripken Debunks A Great Urban Legend

Everybody has a favorite sports urban legend. Some like the Rafael Palmeiro Sleeps With Ryne Sandberg's Wife one. Others are fans of the Kevin Mitchell Cuts The Heads Of Cats one. Our preference has always been the Orioles Canceled A Game Because Cal Ripken Couldn't Play Because He Found Kevin Costner Doing His Wife one. Not true, of course (probably), but hey: That's why urban legends are fun.

Oddly, Ripken actually denied the story on NPR this week, making it clear he has not, in fact, ever punched Kevin Costner. We love that Ripken actually discussed it on the national airwaves.

For fun, here's the best part of the tale:

Cal told [the Orioles owner] it would be impossible to come in, so there went the streak. The owner told him not to worry, he would take care of it. That night, the game was canceled because of "electrical failure," even though hotels and restaurants that were a part of Camden Yards were fine and running.

Cal and his wife are still together, and the story is false. That didn't stop it from coming on NPR. As we said: We love urban legends.

Ripken Denies Beating The Crap Out Of Kevin Costner [The Foul Pole] The Cost(ner) Of Love [Snopes]