Cal Ripken had himself one hell of a day yesterday, one that made him much, much larger than a Hall of Famer and city and franchise icon.

Yes, he threw out the first pitch at the Orioles game, and yes, he made a huge commitment to the Major League Baseball's RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities) program on behalf of his family's charitable foundation, putting his money and his name behind something that, ideally, should bring baseball back from life support in areas like the neighborhoods west of Camden Yards and the Inner Harbor.

Best of all, though?

Cal is the first celebrity to officially and publicly back away from appearing on Don Imus's show. He was scheduled to appear on Imus in the Morning this week to promote his new book Get in the Game, but the appearance was canceled yesterday. Said John Maroon, his publicist, in this morning's Washington Post, "I didn't want anyone to have the misconception that Cal condones those comments in any way.''

As of this posting, Ripken is the only notable figure who has taken such a stand. None of the frequent guests from the entertainment, political or media world has done so yet. It seemed pretty easy for him to do, and it makes one wonder why it doesn't seem so easy for others, including all the '08 presidential candidates who have been on or are scheduled to be on.

Maybe if those people saw what the mother of one of the Rutgers women's basketball players Imus insulted last week had to say about it, they might change their minds. Or the former coaches of the players. Or, of course, the current players, coaches and administrators, from earlier today. (UPDATE: Here is the full, one-hour video of the press conference, including head coach C. Vivian Stringer's speech. Don't know if Rutgers is planning to make it available to download. Hope they do.)

At least Cal can go to sleep with a clear conscience on that issue. Which is why the heroic descriptions of him, no matter how out-of-proportion they might seem at times, are totally appropriate. Others might eventually get around to joining Ripken and siding with the objects of Imus's ridicule, ignorance and intolerance - which, as Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer said today, are all of us, not just her players and not just young, black women - instead of the abstract ideas and/or selfish priorities guiding them already. But if and when they do, Cal will still be the first to have done it. Congratulations to him.

Meanwhile, a couple of much-needed perspectives, from columnists Gwen Knapp (a former colleague with the San Francisco Chronicle) and ESPN.com's Jemele Hill.