Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
October 29, 2008
American Public Diplomacy Envoy Cal Ripken, Jr. Travels to Nicaragua The State Department and Ripken Baseball announced today that Cal Ripken, Jr. will visit Nicaragua November 13-18. This will be the second trip that Ripken will make in his role as an American Public Diplomacy Envoy for the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. He was named to the position in August of 2007 by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Ripken will make the trip with Nicaraguan native Dennis Martinez. Martinez played with Ripken on the Baltimore Orioles. The 23-year Major League veteran and 4-time All-Star, nicknamed “El Presidente”, played for Baltimore, Montreal, Cleveland, Seattle and Atlanta. In 1991, as a member of the Montreal Expos, Martinez tossed a Perfect Game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished his playing career in 1998 with 245 victories and a 3.70 ERA.
During the five-day trip the party will visit the cities of Managua, Leon and Granada. Ripken Baseball will have two instructors on the trip along with Ripken and Martinez and they will bring the Ripken Baseball brand of instruction to over 500 Nicaraguan kids and over 100 youth coaches. Both men are looking forward to visiting Nicaragua and working with kids and coaches there.
Ripken’s travel for the State Department will continue next year when he travels to South Africa. Dates for that trip are yet to be determined.
For further information on Mr. Ripken’s role at the Department or on the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, please visit www.exchanges.state.gov or contact Darlene Kirk at 202-203-7616 or at kirkdx@state.gov.
2008/923
Released on October 29, 2008
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