Ripken Baseball today announced that John Maroon, the organization’s
Vice-President of Communications, will leave the company to start his own public
relations firm. Maroon PR will call Ripken Baseball its first client.

Maroon, 40, has been with Ripken Baseball for 5 ½ years. During his
time at Ripken Baseball he helped establish the Aberdeen IronBirds minor league
baseball team as well as the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. In addition, he worked
closely with Ripken on his retirement from baseball in 2001 and his transition
to the business world. Maroon worked closely with Ripken on the development and
marketing of his corporate speaking engagements and appearances.

Prior to
his joining Ripken’s company he served in the same role with the Washington
Redskins for one year and prior to that he was the Baltimore Orioles Director of
Public Relations from 1995 through 1999. During that time he oversaw all public
relations aspects of Ripken’s breaking of Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played
record as well as the Orioles trips to the American League Championship Series
in 1996 and 1997.

Maroon began his professional career in 1987. After
graduating from St. John’s University in Queens, NY he worked for Major League
Baseball for three seasons. During his time there he worked on the untimely
death of Commissioner Bart Giamatti and the annual Major League All-Star Game.
In 1990 he joined the Cleveland Indians as its Director of Media Relations for
five seasons and he assisted the media in its coverage of the opening of Jacobs
Field as well as the tragic 1993 boating accident that claimed the lives of two
Indians pitchers.

Cal Ripken, President & CEO of Ripken Baseball
said, “While I am disappointed that John is leaving our organization I am happy
and excited for him. I have worked with many public relations professionals
throughout my career and John is the best. I am certain that
Maroon Public
Relations will be a great success and I am pleased to call them Ripken
Baseball’s firm.”

Maroon’s company will work with Ripken Baseball on many
projects including a national book tour in April to promote Ripken’s next book,
Parenting Young Athletes The Ripken Way, as well as overseeing public
relations for the Cal Ripken World Series, the annual Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation
gala and any other PR needs that may arise.

Joining Maroon will be his
assistant at Ripken Baseball, Jen Bloomer. Bloomer, 24, will serve as an Account
Executive with the company. During her time with the Ripken organization Bloomer
worked closely with Ripken Baseball’s subsidiaries, the Cal Ripken, Sr.
Foundation and Ripken Camps.

Maroon PR will be a full service firm that
offers services including media relations, speech writing and marketing,
literary publicity, branding, logo and print design, crisis management, event
planning and community relations.

“I am very excited about this
opportunity. With Cal as my first client I have a wonderful and amazingly
credible friend as a base to build upon. Over my 19 years in the industry I have
been fortunate to meet wonderful people and make very strong contacts and that
is
what this business is all about,” said Maroon.

Maroon PR will open
its doors on April 3, 2006. On that day its website will be launched
(www.MaroonPR.com). The company will be based in Marriottsville,
Maryland.