This Would Be Ultimate Father and Sons Game

The 1951 St. Louis Browns used 3-foot-7 midget Eddie Gaedel as a pinch-hitter. The 1980 Chicago White Sox played 58-year-old Minnie Minoso in right field.

John Steadman of the Baltimore Evening Sun wants the Orioles to activate Cal Ripken Sr., 54.

With Ripken Sr. behind the plate, Cal Ripken Jr. at shortstop and Billy Ripken at second, the Orioles could go Seattle one better, now that the Mariners have Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. in their outfield.

An injured arm kept Ripken Sr. from playing in the majors, but he caught for seven seasons in the Orioles’ farm system before becoming a minor league manager and later an Oriole coach.

Add Ripken Sr.: Cal Ripken Jr. told Steadman: “That really sounds neat. I never thought about it. It would be an all-time thrill for brother Billy and me if Dad got a chance to be in the same game--even if it was only for an inning or so.”

Said Ripken Sr.: “I don’t know if I’d do it or not. . . . I wouldn’t want to make a farce of anything. When I answered (Oriole farm director) Doug Melvin the other day and told him I wanted four at-bats, I wasn’t serious in any way. I don’t know it’s all that important just to get my name included in the record book.”

Trivia time: The Ripkens are the fourth pair of brothers to play shortstop and second base for the same major league team. Who were the other three?

Madden might return: From Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post: “Has it occurred to Al (Davis) to make the Raiders a permanently floating franchise, and play his eight home games in eight different cities? Select cities starving for the NFL: Baltimore, St. Louis, Oakland, Sacramento, Memphis, Jacksonville, Birmingham and, of course, Irwindale. An “Al Across America” tour. Have Sky Box, Will Travel. Commitment to Tourism. Just Pick Us Up at the Airport, Baby. Wire Al.”

Fluent in Sesamese: Beate Krupp, wife of Buffalo Sabre defenseman Uwe Krupp, couldn’t speak a word of English when she gave up a nursing career in West Germany and joined her husband in western New York four years ago.

She tried to enroll in a basic English class at the University of Buffalo, but it was filled.

“I began watching a lot of children’s television shows, especially ‘Sesame Street,’ ” she told Buffalo reporter Randy Schultz. “Then I went to a local bookstore and asked for children’s books.

“So, I basically learned how to speak English from ‘Sesame Street’ and Laura Ingalls Wilder books. And I’ve never gone back to the university to take that English course.”

Chance of two lifetimes: In the second inning of the Oakland-Boston game at Fenway Park Tuesday night, Rickey Henderson fouled a pitch from Roger Clemens. The ball caromed off a luxury box and came right to Ron Vachon, 38.

Vachon got a wrist on it, but the ball dropped into the box seats below. Tough chance, but in keeping with tradition, the fans booed.

Henderson fouled the next pitch off the same luxury box. It sailed down lazily . . . to Vachon, who bobbled it, lost it and was booed again.

Add foul balls: Said Vachon, who attended the game with colleagues from Boston State Street Bank: “The first one was tough, but I blew it on the second one. . . . I’ll never live this down. I have to go to work with these people.”

Trivia answer: Granny and Wes Hamner with the Philadelphia Phillies (1945); Eddie and Johnny O’Brien with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1953-55-56); Milt and Frank Bolling with the Detroit Tigers (1958).

Quotebook: Bo Jackson, when told that he had a chance to be one of the best athletes of all time: “There is always somebody out there who is better than you. Go ask Mike Tyson.”