DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — The family that trained Ripken The Bat Dog — best known for fetching bats and football kicking tees during sporting events in North Carolina — says the black Labrador has died.
In a Facebook post Friday, the O’Donnell family said Ripken died Wednesday due to complications “from a serious undiagnosed medical condition.”
The 8-year-old Ripken’s history in the spotlight included retrieving bats for Durham Bulls minor-league baseball games and kicking tees during N.C. State college football games at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh.
Ripken participated in a ceremonial puck drop for the NHL Stadium Series outdoor game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals in 2023 at Carter-Finley. His last appearance was retrieving a kicking tee during a Dec. 22 home game for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers in Charlotte.
The O’Donnell family wrote that Ripken “was happiest when he was surrounded by people and making friends (and maybe eating a hot dog or two).”
The Bulls, the triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, N.C. State and the Panthers all honored Ripken in social-media posts Friday. The Bulls wrote Ripken “put smiles on so many adoring fans’ faces,” while N.C. State thanked Ripken “for bringing so much joy to Wolfpack Nation.”
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