When Cal Ripken Jr. becomes the 12th Oriole enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 29, his summer will have just started. Less than two weeks after his historic weekend, baseball's “Iron Man” will host the Cal Ripken World Series in his hometown of Aberdeen for the fifth consecutive year.

With the addition of a Japanese team at the event his year, nearly 250 players between the ages of 11 and 12-years-old will descend upon Ripken Baseball Complex on Aug. 8.

And it’s up to Ripken’s company, Ripken Baseball, to find housing for approximately 225 of them during the 10-day tournament.

“We are trying to find as many host families as possible,” said Janice Chan, Ripken Baseball's resource development and volunteer specialist. Chan, who is in charge of coordinating the host families, said the company has between 40-50 host families but wants twice as many.

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“Most of the new families come to us really interested because they met somebody or heard about it from somebody,” Chan said.

Connie and Darrell Lowery of Joppatowne, a first-year host family, plan to host players from Japan.

“My mother attracted us to it,” said Connie Lowery. “She is Japanese. She and her friends of more than 30 years decided they wanted to do this, but she is 83, so we are having the kids stay at our house.”

With two children of their own, the Lowerys are used to having kids in the house. But they are looking forward, regardless of how much time they will spend caring for 11 and 12-year-olds.

“We have heard it can be very stressful,” Connie said. “But other host families that have done this have said all the hard work is rewarding.”

Bel Air resident George Mullin and his wife have hosted players in three previous Cal Ripken World Series.

“People don't realize the satisfaction they get out of it, and once they do it, they get hooked,” said George Mullin. “It’s a chance for Harford County residents and Marylanders to show off our great hospitality.”

INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING?: Ripken Baseball is holding a meeting for families interested in hosting players for this year’s Cal Ripken World Series. The meeting is 3:30 p.m. on Sunday at the picnic pavilion next to Cal Sr.’s Yard at the Ripken Baseball Complex in Aberdeen.