Just weeks after graduating from Aberdeen High and being selected by the hometown Baltimore Orioles in the second round of the amateur draft, Calvin Ripken Jr. was sent directly to Bluefield, West Virginia to toil in the Appalachian League. This crisp 1978 Bluefield Orioles scorecard is Ripken's first professional collectible and depicts the scraggly haired teenager at the dawn of his historic career. When opened, this incredibly scarce artifact measures 17x11. The unmarked keepsake is entirely crease-free with only light discoloration on the back cover. Interestingly, three of Ripken's teammates in V. Rodriguez, Sheets and Shelby, would also eventually suit up for the Orioles.