Sure.

But that's not all. Iron Man Cal Ripken has consisted of many, many other elements throughout his career, too. There's gold, for his glove; silver, for his bat; and platinum, for his place among the all-time greats in the game.

Funny Ripken should use the phrase "It's inevitable that you can't play forever" in discussing the end of his career with the Washington Post on Monday because, well, for a while there, it sure seemed as if he would. Ripken made the formal announcement Tuesday afternoon at a news conference in Baltimore.

The Iron Man Cal Ripken tips his hat after breaking Lou Gehrig's record.(AP)

Baseball is a game of consistency, and at his peak -- which lasted longer than many players' entire careers -- nobody was more consistent than Ripken. Some people get a gift certificate for perfect attendance at work, Ripken will receive a Hall of Fame plaque.

When he broke Lou Gehrig's record 2,130 consecutive games played Sept. 6, 1995, Ripken, a living legend, stepped into a place in history that precious few ever occupy.

When he voluntarily ended his streak at 2,632 consecutive games Sept. 20, 1998, it was the first indication even he couldn't go on forever.

While news of his retirement following this season wasn't unexpected, it remains sobering in its finality. Ripken's game has been eroding now for the past few seasons, and that has been tough to watch.

He will turn 41 in August and he's currently batting just .210 -- 66 points below his career average -- with four homers and 25 RBI. He had slipped enough that Baltimore manager Mike Hargrove said earlier this season he was going to reduce Ripken's playing time.

Nobody wants to be told to leave the game, and nobody wants to bow out a pathetic figure -- certainly not somebody who has reached the heights Ripken has.

On the other hand, there's the question San Diego legend Tony Gwynn has been wrestling with for the past few seasons, too: At what point do you say goodbye to something you love -- without shorting yourself?

Slowly, we're beginning to see the passing of another generation in baseball. Gwynn, who reached the 3,000-hit club in 1999, hasn't officially announced his retirement, but he all but did so a couple of weeks ago when he began lobbying for the San Diego State University coaching job.

Now, Ripken, who helped lead Baltimore to a World Series victory in 1983, who has reached the 400-homer and 3,000-hit clubs and who has played in 18 All-Star games, makes his retirement official.

Suddenly, the Hall of Fame Class of 2007 is looking like a keeper right about now.

But before you peer into the future, you must first separate yourself from the past. And that's the part that sometimes takes time.

Not seeing Cal Ripken's name on the scorecard will take some getting used to.(AP)

At one time, reading a box score without "Ripken SS'' or "Ripken 3B'' would have been unimaginable. You can use a whole lot of words trying to describe the magnitude and wonder of Ripken playing nearly 17 consecutive seasons without ever being sidelined by injury, illness or a benching.

Or, you can simply note that just a couple of weeks ago, San Diego pitcher Adam Eaton missed a scheduled start when he accidentally stabbed himself in the stomach with a small knife while attempting to open a package of DVDs.

When Ripken first started his career in 1981, there was no such thing as a DVD. Now, the final credits are already starting to roll.

Already, a couple of final dates have been circled: Baltimore's final home game this season is Sept. 23 against the New York Yankees. And the Orioles' season finale is Sept. 30 in Yankee Stadium -- which is perfect, because it's the same field where Gehrig ended his career with his famous "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth" speech in 1939.

Another key date will be July 11 -- when Ripken, if he retains his current lead in the voting -- might start his final All-Star Game.

Then, there are all those dates left on the Baltimore schedule when the Orioles will be on the road at a stadium near you -- or, at the very least, on television. Because the silver lining in this most melancholy of announcements is this: There will be plenty of time for farewells.

After all, as much as this man has done for the game, it would be a shame if people in cities around the league didn't have a chance to come to the ballpark to see him one last time and offer a simple, "Thank you."