The CRCBL was founded in 2005. The league was named in honor of Cal Ripken, Sr. in recognition of his lifelong dedication "to helping young baseball players develop and reach their potential." Although the league is named in his honor, it is not associated with the Cal Ripken, Sr. foundation. In 2009 the league removed the "Sr." in the name to accommodate both Cal Ripken, Sr. and Cal Ripken, Jr.. The league's founding teams were the Bethesda Big Train, College Park Bombers, Maryland Redbirds, Rockville Express, Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts, and Youse's Maryland Orioles. The Herndon Braves joined in 2007 and the Alexandria Aces joined in 2008, expanding the league into Northern Virginia. In 2009, the Southern Maryland Nationals, formerly the Southern Maryland Cardinals, joined the league for the 2010 season when it was announced that the College Park Bombers would not be competing in 2010 due to financial struggles. Another name change occurred as the Maryland Redbirds changed their name to the Baltimore Redbirds. In 2011, the Vienna River Dogs became the ninth team in the league and the third in Northern Virginia. The league expanded into Washington, D.C. when the D.C. Grays joined for the 2012 season. In 2013 two new teams, the Baltimore Presstman Cardinals and the Gaithersburg Giants, joined the League. In 2014 the Cardinals were replaced by the Baltimore Dodgers and the Southern Maryland Nationals ceased operations. After the completion of the 2014 season, Youse's Maryland Orioles announced that they would no longer be competing in the League. In 2015 the League changed to a two division format with a playoff.
Showcase Games
Mid-Atlantic Classic
On July 15, 2009, the CRCBL took on the Valley Baseball League, another collegiate wooden bat league based in Virginia, in the Mid-Atlantic Classic in Waldorf, Maryland. Each side gathered a roster of All-Stars for the match. In the game, the Ripken League defeated the Valley League 2-1. On July 11, 2011 the two leagues held the second Mid-Atlantic Classic at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The Ripken League won again, this time by a score of 6-3.
Every year from 2009 to 2018 the championship series featured the Redbirds against the Big Train.
MLB Draft
In 2007, CRCBL alumnus Joe Smith earned a spot on a major league roster, with the New York Mets. In May 2009, Brett Cecil, who pitched for the Thunderbolts in 2005, was called up by the Toronto Blue Jays, where he pitched for eight seasons. In 2013, he became the first Ripken League alum to play in an MLB All-Star game. In November, 2016 he signed a 4-year, $30.5 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. The 2008 MLB Draft saw 40 former or current players chosen. Some players drafted included former Big Train player Carlos Gutierrez, at 27th overall by the Minnesota Twins. Three other players got drafted in the first three rounds: former Big Train player Evan Frederickson, at 35th overall by the Milwaukee Brewers, and two former players from the Youse's Orioles, Derrik Gibson in the 2nd round by the Boston Red Sox, and L. J. Hoes in the 3rd round by the Baltimore Orioles. In the 2009 MLB draft, 37 former Ripken Leaguers were chosen, with the highest being Ben Tootle in the 3rd round, by the Minnesota Twins. In the 2010 MLB Draft, 31 former Ripken Leaguers were chosen, with the highest being Jarrett Parker in the 2nd round, by the San Francisco Giants. In the 2011 MLB Draft, 33 former Ripken Leaguers were chosen, with the highest being Jed Bradley in the 1st round, by the Milwaukee Brewers. In the 2012 MLB Draft, 31 former Ripken Leaguers were chosen, with the highest being Kyle Zimmer in the 1st round, by the Kansas City Royals. In the 2013 MLB Draft, 22 former Ripken Leaguers were chosen, with the highest being Hunter Renfroe in the 1st round, by the San Diego Padres. In the 2014 MLB Draft, 26 former Ripken Leaguers were chosen, with the highest being Mark Zagunis in the 3rd round, by the Chicago Cubs. In the 2015 MLB Draft, 32 former Ripken Leaguers were chosen, with the highest being Brandon Lowe in the 3rd round, by the Tampa Bay Rays. In the 2017 MLB Draft, 42 former Ripken Leaguers were chosen, with the highest being Logan Warmoth in the 1st round, by the Toronto Blue Jays. In the 2018 MLB Draft, 44 former Ripken Leaguers were chosen, with the highest being Logan Gilbert in the 1st round, by the Seattle Mariners.
Noted alumni{{Cite web|url=http://pointstreaksites.com/view/calripkenleague/alumni/alumni-in-the-pros|title=Alumni in the Pros Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League|website=pointstreaksites.com|access-date=2019-10-17}}
