Any collector isn’t a serious one if they aren’t hyperfixating on an incredibly niche collection over the course of several decades. Alright, that might be a bit of a stretch, as that wasn’t meant to ostracize anybody who loves collectibles simply for the love of the game.
However, it is always incredibly beautiful to see an individual dedicate their entire collectibles journey toward a precise goal. This is exactly what 69-year-old Rick Taylor has been doing for 28 years.
A massive Cal Ripken Jr. fan, Taylor has spent nearly three decades collecting tickets from every game the Baltimore Orioles legend played in from May 30, 1982, to September 20, 1998.
Rick Taylor Is the Ultimate Cal Ripken Jr. Fan
“In my opinion, he’s one of the greatest baseball players to ever play,” said the Maryland local. “I started following him and his career from day one, and him being local, that meant everything to me.”
“The collection itself means so much to me. I have a lot of sports memorabilia. That is by far the main thing that I have in my collection.”
For 28 years, 69-year-old Rick Taylor has gathered tickets from Cal Ripken Jr.’s 2,632-game streak spanning 1982–1998. Now only eight away, the retired salesman’s 16-box basement collection — each ticket labeled and shielded — ranks among baseball’s most notable. Taylor never… pic.twitter.com/yUSC7NKbYw
— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) October 23, 2026
Taylor’s collection sits in his basement in 16 boxes, with each ticket being labeled and shielded.
He reportedly needs only eight more ticket stubs to complete his collection, an unreal achievement and a true testament to his dedication to this self-imposed goal.
Fans in the comments agree; one said, “This is straight up the coolest collection of all-time.”
Another echoed a similar sentiment, saying, “100% agree. A streak that will almost definitely never be broken, and a collection that CAN’T be achieved if it ever is, because we don’t print tickets anymore. Truly a 1 of 1 collection.”
For the uninitiated, the aforementioned 16-year span saw Ripken Jr. miss not a single game. That was 2,632 consecutive games in the Orioles’ starting lineup. He broke the record for the most consecutive games, held by Lou Gehrig, on September 6, 1995; it stood at 2,130.
The streak ended on Ripken Jr.’s own volition when he decided to come off the bench for rookie Ryan Miner on September 20, 1998. This was to draw attention away from the streak and bring it back to the game.
To put the streak into perspective, the closest anybody has gotten this century to breathing the same air as Ripken Jr. in this realm is Miguel Tejada. He played every single game from June 2, 2000, to June 21, 2007, totaling 1,152 consecutive Major League Baseball games.
It’s safe to say that Cal’s legacy will remain untouched for centuries to come, and a constant reminder of his legacy will be Taylor’s awe-inspiring collection.
