Cal Ripken's mother abducted, now safe, police say

The 74-year-old mother of Hall of Fame infielder Cal Ripken was safe Wednesday, a day after an armed man abducted her from her home northeast of Baltimore, police said.

Vi Ripken was kidnapped between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Tuesday by a man who forced her into her car, according to Aberdeen police. She was found about 6:15 a.m. Wednesday unharmed in her car near her home in Aberdeen, a middle class neighborhood of about 15,000 people some 25 miles from Baltimore.

Vi Ripken described her abductor as a tall, thin white man with glasses, but police spokesman Lt. Fred Budnick had no other details.

The FBI and Maryland State Police were also involved in the investigation.

"Maybe they can come up with a motivation based on the actions of the guy," Wolf said.

"This has been a very trying time for our family, but we are grateful and relieved that mom is back with us, safe and healthy," the Ripken family said in a statement. "We want to thank everyone for their tremendous support, especially all of the law enforcement agencies that worked so hard and quickly."

Ripken earned the nickname "Iron Man" for playing in 2,632 consecutive games during his 21-year career with the Baltimore before voluntarily ending the streak in 1998. His brother, Bill, played second base in the major leagues. The two were managed for a time on the Orioles by their father, Cal Ripken Sr., who died in 1999.

The family said that it could not comment further due to the ongoing investigation.

Vi Ripken is founding chairwoman of the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, which, according to its website, helps to build character for disadvantaged young people.

Besides Cal and Bill, she has another son and a daughter.