Isthere someone you really look up to? Someone who inspires you? I would have tosay that one of the people I look up to most is Cal Ripken, Jr. He is a thirdbaseman for the Baltimore Orioles. There are many things he has accomplished inhis baseball career that I really admire. He has been a very good role model forme, and I am sure for many others, too. He has never been argumentative or afighter like many players. He is a great baseball player, and from what I know ofhim, he seems like a very nice person.

If you watch any baseball gametoday, you will probably see people arguing and fighting over some pretty stupidthings. Cal Ripken, Jr. is one of the only players I know who is not a fighter.He simply plays the game and doesn't worry about what he can't control, likeumpires' calls. Many players argue about these things, but even if they areright, there is nothing they can do to change a call. They could get thrown outof the game, which is not a good thing.

Another reason I admire Ripken isbecause of how good he is at the game. Baseball is my favorite sport, and he isamazing at it, so I look up to him and want to be like him. He has managed to get300 hits in his career, which very few players have, plus he has won two GoldGlove awards, and always done good things for his team.

The thirdreason I look up to him is his attitude. He seems to be a really nice person,giving money to charities. He is always nice to people when he talks to them.Some players will not sign autographs because they think it takes too much time,but Cal always signs all the autographs he is asked to sign.

So, is thereanyone you really look up to? Someone you look at and say, "I want to bejust like him"? I think it is important to have a role model to give yousomething to shoot for. It will make you work hard to help you accomplish whatyou want in life.