Ripken, Gwynn enter Hall of Fame

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y., July 29 (UPI) -- Baltimore's Cal Ripken Jr. and San Diego's Tony Gwynn, who played a combined 41 years in the majors, entered the pantheon of baseball greats Sunday.

Ripken was a 19-time All-Star infielder who played in a record 2,632 straight games in his Hall of Fame career, while Gwynn was a 15-time All-Star outfielder who hit over .300 in all but his rookie season. Both men played for just one major league team -- Ripken 21 with the Orioles and Gwynn 20 with the Padres.

Ripken said the Cooperstown induction "is about celebrating the best that baseball has been, and the best it can be." He said he never approached the game looking to put up big numbers.

Gwynn called his induction "a tremendous honor" and said he is "proud as heck to be a San Diego Padre."

Spink Award winner Rick Hummel, who has covered the St. Louis Cardinals for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for over two decades, and Frick Award winner Denny Matthews, in his 39th season as the radio voice of the Kansas City Royals, also were honored.