Cal Ripken increases reward for info on mom's kidnapper

ABERDEEN, Md., Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Longtime Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. announced Thursday the reward for information on his mother's kidnapping last year is now $100,000.

In a news release, Ripken said the reward is being offered for information that helps arrest and convict the abductor, The Baltimore Sun reported.

Violet Ripken, widow of Orioles manager Cal Sr., was taken from her home in Aberdeen by a man who drove her through central Maryland in her Lincoln Town car and then left her in her neighborhood. The man was able to slip away despite a heavy police presence.

Aberdeen police were able to find an image of the kidnapper on footage from surveillance cameras. But the department said in a statement on the first anniversary that the investigation had reached a dead end and "no additional details regarding the suspect or his motive have been developed."

Violet Ripken told the Sun she is trying hard to get past the kidnapping.

"I didn't want to go and hide," Ripken said. "I felt like if I keep away from things, it's not going to be very fun for me. I just had to face it."

Cal Ripken Sr. played for Baltimore Orioles farm teams and rose to be manager of the parent club while his son was a star shortstop and third baseman with the team and was the first player in the Major Leagues to pass Lou Gehrig's record for most consecutive games played. The Aberdeen IronBirds stadium is named after the family.