Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax

First class

The sports page has been rather dismal lately, and you know how I feel about our AL baseball franchise to the north. Still, Cal Ripken's HoF induction is something to applaud.

And this makes it that much greater:

From One Iron Man To Another

Ernie Tyler first came to work for the Baltimore Orioles as the umpires' attendant on Opening Day in 1960. "If you can get up and walk, sure, you can go to work," Tyler said. "That's all I had in mind."

Tyler has not missed a single day in the 47 years since, having brought clean balls from the dugout to home plate in 3,760 consecutive Orioles home games. But he'll get day a off -- two, actually -- this weekend. Cal Ripken invited Tyler to Cooperstown, N.Y., to watch his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.