Cal Ripken Jr. honored as Orioles top prospect wears father's #7 in MLB debut: 'Wonderful tribute'

Top prospect Jackson Holliday made his Major League debut with the Baltimore Orioles Wednesday, wearing the same number as Cal Ripken Sr. and his father, former All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday. 

Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. joined "Fox & Friends" to react to Holliday wearing his father's number and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation opening its 500th STEM center for kids.

Ripken Jr. said Holliday wearing the number of his late father, a longtime coach and manager for the Orioles, was "a wonderful tribute."

"I got a call yesterday morning. How would you feel about Jackson Holliday wearing number seven, and I right away said I'd be honored. I think it'd be great. It brings up an opportunity to talk about dad and the significance of dad to the Oriole organization."

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FILE - In this 20 September 1998 file photo, Baltimore Orioles third baseman Cal Ripken Jr. tips his hat to the New York Yankees players who joined fans at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD for a standing ovation to acknowledge Ripken's consecutive game streak. (HEATHER HALL/AFP via Getty Images)

Ripken Jr. explained why he believed it was time for the number to be passed down to a new player. 

"He's [Holliday] a wonderful talent. He's a wonderful kid. It was an easy decision. I really appreciate what the Orioles did all these years by unofficially keeping the jersey just to my dad. But I think it's time for someone else to enjoy that number."

Holliday, whose own father wore #7 at times during his playing career, was the first overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft. He went 0-for-4 Wednesday night as the Orioles defeated the Red Sox 7-5. 

Baltimore Orioles’ Jackson Holliday strikes out during the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Thursday will be the ribbon-cutting of the 500th Cal Ripken Sr. STEM center for kids. 

Ripken Jr. said the organization is devoted to introducing students to STEM curriculum. 

"The reaction you get from the kids when you introduce STEM curriculum in these classrooms, it's almost like teaching baseball for the first time to a kid and them having success. They love it, they explore it, and making those kinds of exposures early on in a kid's life, you never know where that's going to go," said Ripken Jr., who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.

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