SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- The breaking of Lou Gehrig's consecutive games streak by Cal Ripken was voted by baseball fans as being the most memorable moment in the history of the sport, Major League Baseball announced Wednesday night.
The announcement was made prior to the playing of Game 4 of the World Series during an emotional ceremony attended by some of baseball's most celebrated figures.
Fan voting at ball parks around the country during the regular season resulted in Ripken's achievement being named No. 1. In 1995, Ripken surpassed Gehrig's record by playing in his 2,131st consecutive game.
In the minds of those doing the selecting, Ripken's achievement surpassed that of Hank Aaron, who broke Babe Ruth's all-time home-run record in 1974, and Jackie Robinson, who in 1947 became the first African-American to play in the majors.
Aaron's feat was voted No. 2 and Robinson's No. 3.
Mark McGwire's breaking of Roger Maris' single-season home run record in 1998 was voted No. 4 and the farewell speech of Gehrig in 1939 was selected No. 5.
Voted No. 6 through No. 10 were Pete Rose becoming the all-time hits record holder in 1985, Ted Williams becoming the most recent player to hit .400 in 1941, Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak in 1941, Kirk Gibson's, pinch-hit, game-winning World Series homer in 1988 and Nolan Ryan's record seventh no-hitter in 1991.
Rose, although he has been declared ineligible for Hall of Fame admission because of an investigation that found him to have wagered on baseball, was invited to attend the ceremony.
Of those who walked onto the field to greet the crowd, including Aaron and Ripken, Rose received what was easily the loudest and longest ovation.
