Robert Downey Jr. Honors Iron Man, Cal Ripken Jr., at Baseball Hall of Fame

Oscar-winning actor Robert Downey Jr. played the Marvel superhero Iron Man from 2008 to 2019, while Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. earned the nickname "Iron Man" for appearing in 2,632 consecutive games from 1982 to 1998.

Mar 28, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr warms up Aubree Singletary (not shown) before she threw out the pre-game ceremonial first pitch against the Los Angeles Angels at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Cal Ripken Jr. earned the nickname "Iron Man" during his days with the Baltimore Orioles, and now he's gotten some praise from the big screen's Iron Man.

Actor Robert Downey Jr. recently took a trip to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, and he made sure to pay his respects to Ripken. The Hall of Fame's official social media accounts shared a photo of Downey posing in front of Ripken's plaque Tuesday morning.

From one Iron Man to another.

Thanks for visiting us, @RobertDowneyJr! pic.twitter.com/hGCEswbyHF

— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) June 18, 2024

Downey famously played Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe from 2008 to 2019. The three Iron Man movies he starred in, plus the other Avengers, Captain America and Spider-Man films, combined to make over $12 billion at the global box office.

While Downey hasn't appeared in a Marvel movie since 2019, he did win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his appearance in "Oppenheimer" this past March.

Ripken put together quite the resume of his own, back before Downey was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.

The shortstop played for the Orioles from 1981 to 2001, racking up 3,184 hits, 431 home runs, 1,695 RBI and a 95.9 WAR. Ripken was a 19-time All-Star, eight-time silver Slugger, two-time MVP and one-time World Series champion.

On top of those achievements, Ripken famously owns the record for longest streak of consecutive games played in MLB history. He appeared in 2,632 consecutive contests from 1982 to 1998, far surpassing Lou Gehrig's mark.

Ripken made it to Cooperstown in 2007, less than 10 months before "Iron Man" hit theaters.

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