ABERDEEN, Md. -- It's 90 minutes before game time, and Cal Ripken is signing autographs in front of the stands along the first-base line.

It's a ritual that occurred countless times during Ripken's 20-year run in the big leagues. On this night, however, he isn't dressed in a Baltimore Orioles uniform.

Rather, Ripken is wearing black pants, a black polo shirt and a windbreaker with the logo of the Class-A Aberdeen IronBirds.

One year removed from a stellar career that will land him in the Hall of Fame, Cal Ripken now has a new title: baseball owner.

Ripken's quest to bring a minor league team to his hometown reached fruition Tuesday night, when the IronBirds began their inaugural season by playing host to the Williamsport Crosscutters in an $18 million stadium affectionately known in these parts as The House That Cal Built.

Domingo Cuello of Williamsport homered on the first pitch thrown in the stadium and the Crosscutters went on to an 8-3 victory before a standing-room only crowd of 6,219.

For Ripken, life after baseball is nothing more than merely entering a different phase of the game -- in a capacity that creates pregame jitters of a different kind.

"There's a nervousness that is similar to when I played,'' Ripken said. "I don't have the butterflies of facing a 95 mph fastball, but I have butterflies hoping that everything's perfect and everyone enjoys themselves.

"I think there's a certain anxiousness, a certain nervousness, a certain excitement in both cases,'' he said. "In this case, my excitement is more curiosity, worrying more that things come off real well.''

An hour earlier -- two minutes after the gates opened for the first time -- a thundershower began pelting the infield tarpaulin at Ripken Stadium. It was not a good sign, but Ripken remained optimistic.

"I want this to be perfect, and already the rain has come,'' he said, keeping dry in the visitor's dugout. "I'm really anxious to see the game get under way.''

Groundbreaking on the stadium began in October 2000. In February 2002, Ripken purchased the Utica Blue Sox of the New York-Penn League and brought them to Aberdeen. The IronBirds are an affiliate of the Orioles, the only team that Ripken played for as a big leaguer.

Bringing a minor league team to Aberdeen was a goal Ripken set for himself well over a decade ago.

"I've always looked for the opportunity to do something significant for Aberdeen,'' he said. "Me standing here today in my hometown makes me feel very proud.''

The 6,000-seat stadium is part of a proposed complex that is slated to include six replica major league fields and a dormitory for a youth academy. The plan is for Ripken and his brother, Bill, to lend a hand in teaching baseball to kids.

"This is only the first phase of the Aberdeen project,'' Ripken declared.

The stadium is a gem. The opener drew a sellout, and Ripken said 90 percent of the seats have been sold for the 38-game home schedule.

"I'll be here for as many of the 38 games as I can,'' Cal said. "I need to learn this business, and the only way I can do that is by watching.''

As the rain continued, Bill Ripken stared skyward and smiled. After waiting years for this night, he wasn't going to let the weather ruin the moment.

"No, it's not going to rain. It's not going to rain on our parade,'' he said.

It didn't. By 6:47 p.m., the tarp was pulled for the last time. Just over an hour later, Ripken's mother, Vi, threw out the ceremonial first pitch under blue skies.

"I take great pride in how Mom feels about this place,'' Cal said. "Having this place here makes her happy.''

The only thing missing from the memorable night was Cal Ripken Sr., who died in 1999.

"Dad was the one who planted the love of baseball in us,'' Cal said. "All of this came from him. I've thought about what he would think of this, and I think he would be extremely proud.''

After a lengthy pregame ceremony, the game got under way at 8:10 p.m. On the first pitch, Domingo Cuello hit a home run off Aberdeen's Ryan Keefer.

Not that it mattered; nothing was going to ruin this night for the Ripken family and his hometown.