Video footage of former MLB player Ryan Minor showcasing his basketball skills at the University of Oklahoma has emerged following his unfortunate passing at the age of 49.
Minor is most renowned for his tenure with the Baltimore Orioles, particularly for stepping in for Cal Ripken Jr. and ending Ripken’s consecutive-games streak.
Aside from his baseball prowess, Minor also exhibited exceptional basketball talent during his time with the Oklahoma Sooners.
Highlights from Minor’s senior year in the 1995-96 season have surfaced since his passing. In a game against Jackson State, he contributed 18 points and five assists, leading the Sooners to a resounding 99-68 victory.
Another highlight reel night from Ryan Minor. Look at the shot he hits in the second half! 👀
pic.twitter.com/SB9rJwMyeD— The REF (@KREFsports) December 23, 2023
During that season, Minor was the team’s top scorer, averaging 21.3 points per game as the Sooners posted a 17-13 record under the guidance of coach Kelvin Sampson, who is currently leading the Houston Cougars.
In that year’s NCAA tournament, Oklahoma secured a ten-seed but was defeated in the first round by seven-seed Temple with a score of 61-43.
Minor’s basketball skills didn’t go unnoticed, and he was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers as the 32nd overall pick.
Although he participated in seven preseason games with the Sixers, Minor was eventually released and played 32 games for the Oklahoma City Cavalry in the Continental Basketball Association.
In January 1997, Minor departed from the Cavalry after receiving a spring training invitation from the Orioles, who had selected him in the 33rd round of the 1996 MLB Draft.
He spent two seasons in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut on September 13, 1998.
Just a week later, Minor achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first player to start ahead of Cal Ripken Jr., thus concluding Ripken’s remarkable consecutive games streak of 2,632 games.
Minor played nine games for Baltimore in that season and returned to the Orioles the following year.
Throughout his MLB career, Minor appeared in 142 games and maintained a career batting average of .177.
His most extended stint was with the Montreal Expos in 2001, where he played 55 games and recorded 15 hits in 107 plate appearances, including two doubles and two home runs, along with 13 RBIs, resulting in a .158 batting average.
In October 2022, Minor received a diagnosis of colon cancer. He entered hospice care in November 2023 and sadly passed away on December 22.
Prior to his passing, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame had already named Minor as an inductee in their 2024 class.