[The Dad Fisherman]

I always thought tha Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn were 2 of the most Class acts in BaseBall. They made some great points in there induction speeches that I think should be valuable advice for todays athletes and youth.

"My dad used to say if you take care of all the little things, you'll never have a big thing to worry about," said Ripken, who spent his 21-year career in Baltimore and made his mark by playing 2,632 consecutive games to break Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130. "As the years passed, it became clear to me that kids see it all, and it's not just some of your actions that influence, it's all of them. Whether we like it or not, as big leaguers we're role models. The only question is, will it be positive or will it be negative?"

Gwynn, who spent his 20-year career in San Diego, shared the sentiment.

"We make a big deal about work ethic," he said. "We make a big deal about trying to make good decisions and doing things right, and you know what, we are supposed to. That is what they pay us for."

"My father said you work hard, good things will happen," Gwynn said. "Boy, oh boy, he was absolutely right. I worked hard in the game because I had to."

"You've got to be responsible and make decisions and show people how things are supposed to be done. When you sign your name on the dotted line, it's more than just playing the game of baseball. I think the fans felt comfortable enough in us, they could trust us and how we played the game, especially in this era of negativity."

Sadly we are running out of guys like this in Sports today