Ken Griffey, Jr.: Biography from Answers.com

baseball player

Personal Information

Full name George Kenneth Griffey, Jr.; born November 21, 1969, in Donora, PA; son of Ken (a baseball player) and Alberta Griffey; married, wife's name Melissa; children: Trey Kenneth, Taryn Kennedy.
Education: Graduated from Moeller High School, Cincinnati, OH, 1987.

Career

Professional baseball player, 1987--. Signed with Seattle Mariners as first choice in first round of 1987 amateur draft; minor leaguer in Mariners' system, 1987-89, reached parent club as non-roster player, 1989; starting outfielder for Mariners, 1989-2000; outfielder for Reds, 2000.

Life's Work

His teammates like to call him "Junior," but Ken Griffey Jr.'s talents are anything but minor. A hard-hitting center fielder for the Seattle Mariners until 2000, Griffey was a significant force behind that team's emergence as an American League division champion. He can dominate on offense or defense, and his engaging personality has brought him widespread fan approval in a time when most major league baseball players are perceived as spoiled and arrogant. Atlanta Journal and Constitution reporter Terence Moore has called Griffey "the Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente of our time," and Sports Illustrated correspondent E. M. Swift described Griffey as "the kind of player after whom babies and candy bars are named." In 2000 Griffey dismissed his potential to negotiate an extravagant contract as a free agent and returned instead to Cincinnati to play for his hometown team, the Reds, for a comparatively modest sum of $116.5 million over nine years.

Tagged as a top-level prospect when he was only 17 years old, Griffey joined the major leagues in 1989 at the tender age of 19. Baseball was in his genes: his father, Ken Griffey Sr., was a baseball superstar in his own right and was still an active player when his son joined the American League. The Griffeys have made history as the first father-son tandem to play major league baseball simultaneously. Their fame in this regard reached a peak in the 1990 season, when they both worked for the Mariners. As if that publicity weren't enough, Griffey Jr. has taken his place in the game's upper echelon by virtue of his personal accomplishments. Swift, for one, praised "Junior" for "his great arm, his fluid stride, his viper-like uppercut swing," as well as "the pure joy that the kid derives from playing, which, on a good day, can be felt in the corners of the stands." The reporter concluded that Griffey draws attention for "the way he turns this big-buck, high- pressure business called baseball back into a playground game."

The same year George Kenneth Griffey Jr. was born, his father signed to play baseball with the Cincinnati Reds organization. In fact, Ken Jr. was born during the autumn after his father's first season of play in the Reds' minor league system. The family then lived in the Griffey home town of Donora, Pennsylvania, but as Ken Sr.'s career took off, "Junior" and his brother moved with their parents through a series of minor league towns. Their travels came to an end in 1973 when Griffey Sr. made the parent club, which happened to be one of the best major league baseball has ever seen--the famed Cincinnati "Big Red Machine."

The demands of major league baseball are not necessarily compatible with fatherhood. Baseball players travel frequently and pursue their trade at odd hours. They work weekends and evenings. Nevertheless, Griffey recalled in the Chicago Tribune: "My dad was a dad first and a baseball player second." The elder Griffey taught his sons to hit a baseball as soon as they could hold a bat. He took them to Reds batting practice, where they hobnobbed with the likes of Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and Tony Perez. When the Reds played in the World Series in 1975 and 1976, young Griffey looked on from the best seats in the stadium. "I watched my dad play for years," he told People. "I talked to him every day about the game. There isn't one thing I've seen so far that he hasn't told me about beforehand."

When Ken Griffey Sr. was traded to the New York Yankees in 1981, his wife and sons stayed behind in Cincinnati. The separations were even more prolonged and difficult than they had been before, and in the odd moments when Griffey Sr. could catch one of his son's Little League or school games, he was mobbed for autographs and pictures. Father and son never let the circumstances alter their relationship, however. Griffey Jr. told Ebony: "If I needed to talk to [my father], I would call him after the game, and we'd talk. If I did something wrong [on the field], he'd fly me to New York and say, `You can't do that!' Then he would send me home the next day, and I'd play baseball." Interestingly enough, the younger Griffey recalled in the Chicago Tribune that he often played at his worst when his father was in the stands. "I was always trying to impress him by hitting the ball 600 feet," he said.

It was talent, and not family connections, that enabled Griffey to join Cincinnati's competitive Connie Mack League, a summer amateur program composed mostly of high school graduates. Even though at 16 he was among the very youngest of the players, Griffey was such a success in the league that his team advanced to the Connie Mack World Series--and he hit three home runs in the championship match. He also played high school baseball and was such a good running back with the Moeller High School football team that he was offered a football scholarship to the University of Oklahoma. He turned the scholarship down and made himself available for the 1987 baseball draft. Defending his decision, he told the Chicago Tribune that baseball "is a lot safer and you last longer."

Griffey was the number-one pick in major league baseball's 1987 amateur draft. He was chosen by the Seattle Mariners' organization and signed with a $160,000 bonus. In a show of youthful bravado, the 17-year-old player announced that he would make the major leagues within two or three years. No one expected him to live up to that boast--even his father had spent four-and-a-half years on farm teams. Nevertheless, the exuberant Griffey Jr. began his professional career in Bellingham, Washington, batting .320, hitting 14 home runs, and completing 13 steals.

The sailing was not completely smooth, however. Griffey experienced adjustment problems when faced with the pressures of professional baseball. He was far from home, and his father was busy with his own career. Years later Griffey revealed that he attempted suicide by swallowing more than 270 aspirin tablets one night during that rookie season. "I got depressed, I got angry. I didn't want to live," he explained in Jet magazine. "The aspirin thing was the only time I acted. It was such a dumb thing."

Griffey found his stride during his second minor league season when, despite injuries, he was voted the top major league prospect in the California League. As the 1989 spring training season began, Griffey was determined to find a spot on the Seattle Mariners' roster. Serious and determined, he studied the opposing pitchers, practiced his fielding diligently, and wound up batting .359 with two home runs and 21 runs batted in during spring training games. Sure enough, he earned a place on the team. When he took the field for his first major league game, he was 19--one of the youngest men ever to make the majors.

Newspapers and magazines seized upon the Griffey family story. While Ken Jr. was making his debut with the Mariners in Seattle, his father was returning to the Reds and marking his twentieth anniversary in professional sports. It was a historic moment for baseball, surpassed only in 1990 when the two men both played for the Mariners simultaneously. The extra attention might have proven difficult for some rookie players, but "Junior" took it all in stride. "Once he stepped onto the field," Swift wrote, "the kid seemed to relate best to destiny. From the start he showed an almost preposterous flair for the dramatic. He doubled in his first official big-league at-bat. He hit an opposite-field homer on his first swing before the hometown fans in the Kingdome. He hit a game-winning two-run homer in his first pinch-hitting appearance in May 1989." The correspondent added: "One Seattle columnist suggested that the Ken Griffey Jr. candy bar, of which some 800,000 were sold last year, was hardly enough for the lad. Boeing, he wrote, should name a plane after him." Only a late-season injury robbed Griffey of the statistics necessary to earn Rookie of the Year honors. He finished third in the balloting.

Griffey put the Mariners on the baseball map in 1990, batting .300 and earning his first of ten consecutive Gold Glove awards. He also became the second youngest player ever to start an All-Star Game. That same season saw both Griffeys playing for the Mariners-- an historic first for baseball that may never be repeated. Griffey Sr. joined the Mariners late in the season after being released by the Reds. Jim Lefebvre, the Mariners' manager at the time, told the Los Angeles Times that the teaming-up of the two Griffey stars was "a great day for baseball." Lefebvre commented: "Here he is a father, a veteran player ending his career, and the son is a brilliant young talent, just like his father was when he was first starting his career, and they're both going to be out there together."

By 1992 the days of father and son playing for the same team were over, and the era of Ken Griffey Jr. had begun. In 1992 Griffey batted .308, hit 27 home runs, and was named Most Valuable Player at the All-Star Game after turning in a three-for-four evening with a home run. He also charmed fans and the media alike with his willingness to grant interviews and his obvious love for baseball. Not surprisingly, observers began to predict a Hall of Fame career for the young star. Griffey made light of these predictions, telling Sport magazine: "I just want to go out there and contribute. No matter what happens, you got to be lucky to get in the Hall of Fame. You got to have a long, healthy career."

Hall of Fame prospects are also boosted by postseason play. During the early years of Griffey's major league career, his talents seemed wasted on a struggling team like the Seattle Mariners, but the circumstances changed. The Mariners moved into contender position, with the perennially strong Griffey leading the way. The team took off in the spring of 1995, showing playoff possibilities under the new divisional rankings. Ironically, Griffey almost missed the postseason show. On May 26, 1995 he broke both bones in his wrist when he crashed into the Kingdome wall while chasing down a fly ball. The injury required the installation of seven screws and a 4-inch metal plate in his left wrist, and he was expected to miss at least three months of play. Nevertheless, he returned to the lineup August 15 and, after struggling through the season's later weeks, found his stride again in time for the divisional and league playoffs.

The 1995 American League Divisional Playoffs--the first of their kind--pitted the Mariners against the Yankees in a best-of-five series. It was during the fifth and deciding game that Griffey had his defining moment as a potential baseball immortal. The game went into extra innings, and the Yankees took a five-to-four lead in the top of the 11th inning. When the Mariners came to bat, Griffey hit a single with a man on base to place runners at first and third. Then Edgar Martinez hit a hard shot into the left field corner. The man on third scored easily to tie the game, but Griffey was not to be denied. Turning on the base-running speed for which he is known, he streaked around the diamond and slid across home plate just in front of the outfielder's throw. Griffey's feat brought the Mariners their first divisional title and the right to meet the Cleveland Indians in the 1995 American League Playoffs.

Griffey signed to play for the Mariners through the 1996 season and extended through 2000. He expressed little interest in leaving Seattle until he was offered a contract with the Cincinnati Reds in 2000. Griffey, having moved his wife and children from Seattle to Orlando, Florida, felt eager above all to move closer to both his home and his roots. Many major league players are obsessed with their statistics and their salaries, but Griffey is the exception to that rule. He wants to do well, but he also intends to enjoy himself while pursuing that Hall of Fame display. Baseball, Griffey told the Chicago Tribune, "is never work. Work is something you have to go do and you don't want to. If you do something that's fun, you can't call it work." The superstar added that his career is "sometimes like a dream, one of those dreams that are real good and you're in a deep sleep and you never really want to wake up."

Reflecting on the changes his fame has brought in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Griffey noted: "The most I've done to handle the attention is change my name on the road at our team hotel." He concluded, "Hey, it's not like I'm a rock star or something. They have it much worse. Me? I'm just out there having fun."

Awards

Finished third in balloting for 1989 Rookie of the Year; member of American League All-Star Team, 1990-99, named All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, 1992; Golden Glove awards, 1990-99; AL MVP, 1997; Player of the Year, 1997.

Ken Griffey, Jr.
Griffey with the Mariners in 2009.
Center fielder
Born: November 21, 1969 (1969-11-21) (age 42) Donora, Pennsylvania
Batted: Left	Threw: Left
MLB debut
April 3, 1989 for the Seattle Mariners
Last MLB appearance
May 31, 2010 for the Seattle Mariners
Career statistics
Batting average	.284
Home runs	630
Hits	2,781
Runs batted in	1,836
Teams
Seattle Mariners (1989–1999) Cincinnati Reds (2000–2008) Chicago White Sox (2008) Seattle Mariners (2009–2010)
Career highlights and awards
13× All-Star (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2007) 10× Gold Glove Award winner (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999) 7× Silver Slugger Award winner (1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999) 1997 AL MVP 1992 MLB All-Star Game MVP 2005 NL Comeback Player of the Year 3× Home Run Derby winner (1994, 1998, 1999) Major League Baseball All-Century Team

Early life

Griffey shares his birthday (November 21) and birthplace (Donora, Pennsylvania) with Hall of Famer Stan Musial.^[7] His family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where father Ken Griffey, Sr. played for the Cincinnati Reds when Jr. was six. Ken was in the clubhouse during his father's back-to-back championships in the 1975 and 1976 World Series. He attended Archbishop Moeller High School,^[8] where he was the baseball player of the year in 1986 and in 1987, and played football for three years.

Professional career

Seattle Mariners

1989–1999 seasons

In 1987, Griffey was selected with the first overall pick of that year's amateur draft by the Seattle Mariners. In his eleven seasons with Seattle (1989–1999) Griffey established himself as one of the most prolific and exciting players of the era, racking up 1,752 hits, 398 home runs, 1,152 RBIs, and 167 stolen bases. He led the American League in home runs four seasons (1994, 1997, 1998, and 1999), was voted the A.L. MVP in 1997, and maintained a .297 batting average. His first major league at-bat was a double, and the first time he stepped to the plate in Seattle, he homered.^[3]

His defense in center field was widely considered the standard of elite fielding during the decade, exemplified by his streak of 10 straight Gold Gloves from 1990-1999. His impressive range allowed frequent spectacular diving plays, and he often dazzled fans with over-the-shoulder basket catches and robbed opposing hitters of home runs by leaping up and pulling them back into the field of play. He was featured on the Wheaties cereal box and had his own signature sneaker line from Nike, Inc..

One of Ken Griffey, Jr. signature sneakers, the Nike Air Griffey Max.

Griffey was a frequent participant in the All-Star Game during the 1990s. He led his league multiple times in different hitting categories.^[9]

In 1990 and 1991, Griffey and his father became the first son and father to play on the same team at the same time. In his father's first game as a Mariner, on August 31, 1990, the pair hit back-to-back singles in the first inning and both scored.^[10] On September 14, the pair hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the first off California Angels pitcher Kirk McCaskill, becoming the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs.^[11] The duo played a total of 51 games together before Griffey, Sr., retired in June 1991.

At the MLB Home Run Derby in 1993, which was held at Oriole Park in Baltimore, Griffey hit the warehouse beyond the right field wall on the fly and, through the 2009 season, he is still the only player ever to do so. As with every home run that hits Eutaw Street, each feat is honored with a circular plaque, embedded horizontally onto the concourse's walkway, in the exact spot where the home run landed.^[12]^[13] In 1994, he led the league in voting for All Star game selection. That season, which ended prematurely on August 12 due to the labor dispute, saw Griffey hit 30 home runs in the Mariners' first 65 games. He would go on to have 4 multi-home run games that year. While his pace cooled somewhat in the final eight weeks of the season (he only hit 10 home runs in the Mariners' last 47 games), his 40 home runs by August 12 still put him two ahead of Chicago's Frank Thomas and four ahead of Cleveland's Albert Belle for the AL lead. In 1997, Griffey won the American League Most Valuable Player Award, hitting .304, with 56 home runs and 147 RBIs.

One of the most memorable moments of Griffey's career with the Mariners came during the 1995 American League Division Series (ALDS) against the New York Yankees. After losing the first two games, the Mariners and Griffey were on the verge of elimination, but came back to win the next two games, setting up a decisive fifth game. In the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 5, with Griffey on first base, teammate Edgar Martínez hit a double. Griffey raced around the bases, slid into home with the winning run, and popped up into the waiting arms of the entire team. The 1995 AL Division Series would kick off a brief rivalry between the Yankees and the Mariners. Griffey may have escalated it by saying that he would never play for the Yankees, because the Yankees allegedly treated his father, Ken Griffey Sr. badly. Also, when Griffey was a kid visiting his dad in the Yankee clubhouse, Yankee manager Billy Martin would chase him out, believing that children did not belong in the clubhouse. Although the Mariners subsequently lost the ALCS to the Cleveland Indians (managed by later Mariners manager Mike Hargrove), that moment remains one of the most memorable in Mariners history, capping a season that "saved baseball in Seattle",^[14]^[15] Seattle's improbable late season playoff run that year, spurred by the return of Griffey from injury, led to the construction of Safeco Field and the future security of a franchise rumored for years to be on the move.^[3] The play also inspired the title of the video game Ken Griffey, Jr.'s Winning Run for the Super Nintendo.

As the Mariners were playing to sellout crowds in the Kingdome, the citizens of Washington State's King County narrowly defeated a ballot proposal to build a new baseball stadium.^[16] Following the success of the team that season and the narrowness of the vote, the Governor of Washington at the time, Mike Lowry, called the state Legislature into Special Session where a new stadium authority was created, and a new tax on hotels and rental cars were added to support the baseball stadium. Contrary to the long-held opinions on both sides of the debate, there was never a statewide vote taken on the legislative finance package that created the new ballpark. Today, this facility is known as Safeco Field, and is referred to by some as "The House That Griffey Built".^[17]^[18]

In 1999, he ranked 93rd on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players.^[19] This list was compiled during the 1998 season, counting only statistics through 1997. At age 29 (going on 30), he was the youngest player on the list. That same year, Griffey was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. However, when TSN updated their list for a new book in 2005, despite having surpassed 400 and 500 home runs, Griffey remained at Number 93.

While playing with Seattle, Griffey was a 10-time American League Gold Glove winner, the 1992 All-Star Game MVP, 1997 AL MVP, 1998 ESPY co-winner for Male Athlete of the Year, 1999 Players Choice Awards Player of the Decade (by the players), and was named to the All-Century team in 1999.^[20]

Departure from Seattle (1999–2000)

Griffey used to live in the same neighborhood in Orlando as golfer Payne Stewart. After Stewart's death in a plane crash on October 25, 1999, Griffey started expressing a desire to live closer to his relatives in his hometown of Cincinnati. Not only did Griffey want to live closer but he wanted to be able to raise his kids, Trey and Taryn (Tevin wasn't born at this time). On February 12, 2000, Griffey was traded to the Reds for pitcher Brett Tomko, outfielder Mike Cameron, and minor leaguers Antonio Perez and Jake Meyer. Griffey signed a 9 year $112.5 million dollar contract with the Reds after the trade was completed, with a club option for a tenth.^[21]

Cincinnati Reds

2000–2004 seasons

Griffey, batting for the Cincinnati Reds.

The 2000 season began what has generally been seen by the media as a decline in Griffey's superstar status. Although his statistics during this season were respectable, they were far below his previous level of play: in 145 games, Griffey hit .271 with 40 home runs, but his .943 on-base plus slugging was his lowest mark in five years. In 2000, Griffey also changed his number from 24 to 30, the number his father wore while playing in both Cincinnati and Seattle. The number 24 was already retired in honor of Tony Pérez. Additionally, from 2001 through 2004, Griffey was plagued by a string of injuries, including season-ending injuries in 2002, 2003, and 2004.^[22] Worse yet for Griffey, the cumulative effects of the injuries lowered his bat speed,^[23] resulting in less power and fewer home runs (he slugged only .426 before succumbing to injury in 2002, his lowest output in seven years). Injuries forced Griffey to miss 260 out of 486 games from 2002 through 2004, diminishing both his skills and his star reputation.

In 2004, Griffey avoided major injury during the first half of the season, and on June 20 became the 20th player to hit 500 career home runs. His 500th home run came on Father's Day in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, with his father in the stands; the homer tied Griffey with his father in career hits with 2,143. However, the injury bug bit again just before the All-Star break; he suffered a partial hamstring tear, knocking him out of the All-Star Game and putting him on the disabled list yet again.

Griffey finished the 2004 season on the disabled list after suffering a rupture of his right hamstring in San Francisco.^[24] The play in question occurred at AT&T Park in a game against the San Francisco Giants. Griffey was starting in right field for the first time in his 16-year Major League career when he raced toward the gap to try to cut off a ball before it got to the wall. He slid as he got to the ball, but in the process hyper-extended his right leg, tearing the hamstring completely off the bone. He later came out of the game, complaining of "tightness" in the hamstring exacerbated by chilly conditions in San Francisco.^[25] However, there was far more to it than anyone realized at the time.

Shortly after this injury, the Reds' team physician, Timothy Kremchek, devised an experimental surgery dubbed "The Junior Operation"^[26] that would use three titanium screws to reattach Griffey's hamstring. For several weeks, Griffey's right leg was in a sling that kept it at a 90-degree angle, and he was not able to move the leg until late October. After an intense rehabilitation period, he returned for the 2005 season. In April, he hit .244 with one homer (on April 30) and nine RBIs.^[27]

2005–2006 seasons

Ken played in his hometown of Cincinnati from 2000–2008.

Starting May 1, the 2005 season saw the resurgence of a healthy Griffey. His 35 home runs were his highest since his first year with the Reds as Griffey slowly moved up the career home run list. He ended the season tied with Mickey Mantle, after having passed Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Willie McCovey, Ernie Banks, Eddie Mathews, Mel Ott, and Eddie Murray.

Early in September, he strained a tendon in his left foot (an injury unrelated to his past hamstring and calf problems), and was listed as day-to-day for several weeks.^[28] On September 22, with the Reds out of playoff contention, the team decided to bench him for the rest of the season so he could immediately have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and a separate operation to repair scars from his 2004 hamstring operation. Still, his 128 games in 2005 were the most he had played since 2000. Griffey's resurgence was recognized when he was named National League Comeback Player of the Year. He played in the World Baseball Classic for the American team that off-season with his father as a coach. Griffey batted .524, but the USA failed to reach the semifinals.

During the second game of the 2006 regular season, Griffey hit home run #537, surpassing Mickey Mantle for 12th on the all-time list. He returned on May 11 from a knee injury suffered April 12, and hit a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning against the Washington Nationals. On June 5, Griffey tied Fred McGriff's record by hitting a home run in his 43rd different ballpark, at the St. Louis Cardinals' Busch Stadium.^[29] On June 19, Griffey hit career home run 548, tying him with Mike Schmidt, and then six days later passed Schmidt with 549. On June 27, he hit his 550th career home run against the Kansas City Royals. On September 25, 2006, Griffey hit his 27th home run of the season against Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Scott Eyre to tie Reggie Jackson for tenth on the all time home run list.

Griffey's injuries continued in the 2006 off-season. While on holiday in the Bahamas with his family, he broke his wrist.^[22] Griffey said his hand felt fine and he expected to be ready to go for 2007 spring training.^[30]

2007 season

At the beginning of the 2007 Major League Baseball season, Ryan Freel took over center field for the Reds, and Griffey Jr. was moved to right field. Reds manager Jerry Narron said that "I've got to do everything I can do to put our best club out there. My feeling is that with Ryan Freel out there, it gives us strong defense up the middle."^[31] Griffey changed his number from 30 to 3 to honor his three children.^[32] During the next two seasons, Griffey would wear number 42 on April 15, beginning a tradition known as Jackie Robinson Day.^[33]

On May 10, 2007, Griffey hit his sixth home run of the season and the 569th of his career, tying Rafael Palmeiro for ninth place on the career home runs list. He passed Palmeiro on May 13. Griffey tied Harmon Killebrew for eighth on the all-time list hitting his 573rd career home run on May 22. He then surpassed him on May 25.

On June 22, 2007, Griffey made his first return to Seattle after his trade to the Reds. Before the game, the Mariners honored him with a 15-minute presentation which included a highlight reel of his playing career with the Mariners, a presentation of a "The House that Griffey Built" memorial by Mariners hall-of-famers and former teammates Jay Buhner and Edgar Martínez, and a 4 minute standing ovation from the sold-out crowd.^[34] Griffey did not expect such a welcome or a turnout by fans when he came back, and a short but emotional speech was given by Griffey afterwards.^[35] Many of the fans in attendance made signs professing their gratitude and adoration toward him with quotes such as: "The House that Griffey Built", "Seattle ♥ Junior", and "Griffey we miss you."^[35] Griffey went 1–5 in the game. On June 24, Griffey hit his 583rd and 584th career home runs, tying and passing Mark McGwire for 7th place on the all-time career home run list.

Wow. Never did I imagine that it would be like this coming back. I spent 11 years here, 11 wonderful years here...This place will be [my] home...I didn't realize how much I missed being in Seattle.

– An excerpt from Griffey's short speech as noted above.^[36]

In an interview on an episode of "In My Own Words" with Angie Mentink on FSN Northwest, Griffey stated that he would like to end his career as a Seattle Mariner and that he feels that he owes it to the fans of Seattle: "Would I do it? Yeah. I think for the simple reason that this is the place where I grew up, and I owe it to the people of Seattle and to myself to retire as a Mariner."^{[citation needed]}

Following the Cincinnati Reds versus Seattle Mariners series from June 22–24, 2007, a fan movement emerged petitioning Mariners' management to bring Griffey back. Over 1,900 signatures were collected on a fan vid-blog/petition.^[37]

Griffey received the most votes of any player in the National League for the 2007 All-Star balloting and on the July 10 game, he went on to drive in two runs for the National League. On July 16, 2007, Ken Griffey, Jr. hit his 587th home run to pass Frank Robinson for 6th place on the all-time home run list. On July 18, 2007, Griffey hit his 2,500th hit, a first inning single off Atlanta Braves starting pitcher John Smoltz.

On September 19, 2007, in a game against the Chicago Cubs, Griffey fielded a Derrek Lee single in right field, then suddenly went down in pain. He was on the ground for several minutes, but eventually walked off under his own power.^{[citation needed]} The injury, first thought to be a lower abdominal strain, was later revealed to be a season-ending groin strain. This marked one of many seasons in Cincinnati in which Griffey had to end the year on the disabled list. Griffey ended the 2007 season with 593 career home runs.

On August 22, 2007, Griffey was selected as an all-time Gold Glove winner, on a list of nine players considered the greatest defensive players in the last fifty years.^[38] He finished the season with 78 runs, 146 hits, 24 doubles, one triple, 30 home runs, 93 RBIs, and a .277 batting average.

2008 season

On April 4, 2008, Ken Griffey, Jr. passed Reggie Jackson for 16th on the all-time list after driving in his 1,702nd RBI.^[39] On June 9, Griffey hit his 600th home run on a 3–1 pitch from Mark Hendrickson of the Florida Marlins in the first inning at Land Shark Stadium in Miami. Fans of both teams gave him a standing ovation.^[40]

Ken Griffey, Jr. in 2008 with the Chicago White Sox.

Despite being ranked second in the National League All-Star voting for outfielders for most of the first half of the season, Griffey finished fourth with 2,907,746 ballots, 87,000 votes behind Kosuke Fukudome. He was not selected to the All-Star Game as a reserve. At the All-Star Break, Griffey was batting .239 with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs. "I always have a backup plan...If you can't hit a tough lefty, bunt. If you can't hit a tough righty, bunt. If you can't go to the All-Star Game, go to the Bahamas," Griffey said.^[41]

On July 30, Griffey hit his 608th career home run in his last game for the Reds.^[42] When the 2008 season ended he said he wouldn't retire, saying "I've got things to do."^{[citation needed]}

Griffey has been criticized by some for his effort during his stint with the Reds. Gregg Doyel had this to say of the years Griffey was with the Reds in comparison to the 2010 Reds team. "It's a different Reds team than the older, beer-bellied softball teams of recent years. Those Reds were Ken Griffey and Adam Dunn lounging on the clubhouse's leather couches, hitting home runs, misplaying balls in the outfield and thinking they had it all figured out, when all they knew how to do was lose."^[43]

Chicago White Sox

On July 31, 2008, at the MLB trade deadline, Griffey was traded to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for pitcher Nick Masset and infielder Danny Richar, ending his nine-year tenure in Cincinnati.^[44] In his first game with the White Sox, he went 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs, a walk, and a run.^[45]

On August 20, 2008, Griffey hit his first home run as a member of the White Sox, off of the Mariners' R. A. Dickey, which moved him into a tie with former Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa for career home runs.^[46] He surpassed Sosa on September 23, with one off Minnesota's Matt Guerrier.^[47]

On October 30, 2008 the White Sox declined a $16 million option on Griffey, making him a free agent for the first time in his career. Griffey would instead receive a buyout for $4 million, split between the Reds and White Sox.^{[citation needed]} Griffey hit 18 home runs with the Reds and White Sox in 2008.^[48]

Return to Seattle

Griffey, batting against the Cubs after returning to the Mariners during Spring Training, March 2009.

Griffey accepted a contract offer from the Seattle Mariners to join the team again on February 18, 2009. After declaring free agency, Griffey was courted by the Mariners and the Atlanta Braves, and ultimately decided with the Mariners after "agonizing" over the decision. Griffey was motivated by sentimental reasons toward Seattle, where he received an overwhelmingly positive reception when he last played there as a Cincinnati Red in June 2007, but was inclined towards the Braves for its proximity to his home in Orlando, Florida, and his desire to be with his family during the season.^[49] Apparently, Griffey was very close to signing with the Braves; however, a premature report emerged from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that an Atlanta deal was done and a conversation with Willie Mays and his own 13-year-old daughter played a factor in his choice.^[50] Griffey once again sported #24 with the Mariners. During the nine seasons (2000–2008) that he was away, the Mariners did not issue the #24 jersey to any player or coaching staff member that passed through (including during spring training).

Ken Griffey, Jr. during his final plate appearance of the 2009 season.

Griffey went 1–2 with a home run in his regular season debut against the Minnesota Twins. On April 15, 2009, Griffey hit his 400th home run as a Mariner (613th of career) off of Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jered Weaver, becoming the first MLB player to hit 400 home runs with one club (Mariners) and 200 home runs with another (Reds). So popular and well respected he was in Seattle, he almost single-handedly transformed what had been a fractured, bickering clubhouse with his leadership, energy and constant pranks.^[3]

On June 23, 2009, at Safeco Field, Griffey hit the 5,000th home run in franchise history off of San Diego Padres pitcher Chad Gaudin.^[51] This was Griffey's 619th career home run. On September 1, Griffey hit career home run #621 at the new Yankee Stadium off of Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte in the 6th inning. It marked the 44th different ballpark in which he has hit a home run. On August 12, 2009, against his former team, the Chicago White Sox, he hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 14th inning to win the game, 1–0, for the Mariners.

Griffey returned to the Mariners for the 2010 campaign with a similar contract to that of 2009, but struggled offensively over the first two months while posting a mere .184 batting average.^[52] On May 20, 2010, in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Griffey hit a walk-off RBI single off Blue Jays' closer Kevin Gregg to win the game, 4–3, for the Mariners. After starting the 9th inning trailing 3–1, the Mariners rallied in the bottom of the 9th to load the bases on 2 singles and a walk, then tied the game at 3 via a walk and a sacrifice fly. The walk-off single was the final hit of Griffey's Major League Baseball career.

Retirement

This section requires expansion.

On June 2, 2010, weeks after being taken out of the lineup due to a lack of productivity, Griffey released a statement through the Seattle Mariners organization announcing his retirement from Major League Baseball effective immediately. Griffey retired fifth on the all-time home run list. His retirement was announced at Safeco Field before the Mariners played the Twins and received much praise from the crowd.^[53] In an interview on March 17, 2011, Griffey revealed that the only reason he had retired was that he had become a distraction for the team, and not because of any rift with the Mariners or Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu.^[6]

A campaign has been formed to rename a section of First Avenue South, which runs adjacent to Safeco Field, to Ken Griffey Jr. Drive.^[54]

Post-playing career

On February 15, 2011, Griffey was hired by the Mariners as a special consultant. In his return to Seattle, his role is still being defined, but it is confirmed he'll be involved with the Mariners at spring training and the regular season, along with visiting most of the Mariners minor-league affiliates.^[55]

Philanthropy

This section requires expansion.

In 2008, Griffey released a series of charity wines to support The Ken Griffey, Jr. Family Foundation, a fund that supports several causes, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and several children's hospitals across the United States of America.^[56]

Personal

In April 2007, Griffey was diagnosed with pleurisy, an inflammation of the lining of the cavity surrounding the lungs which can cause painful respiration and other symptoms.^[57]^[58]

Griffey and his wife Melissa have three children: George Kenneth III ("Trey"), daughter Taryn Kennedy, and adopted son Tevin Kendall. The Griffey family resides in Winter Garden, Florida, where Ken Griffey, Sr. is also a resident.^[59]

Griffey was named an American Public Diplomacy Envoy by then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on November 18, 2008.^[60]

Suicide attempt

In January 1988, Griffey, at the age of 18, attempted to commit suicide by swallowing 277 aspirin pills but wound up in intensive care in Providence Hospital in Mount Airy, Ohio.^[61] Griffey, Jr. cited arguments with his father, Ken Griffey, Sr., depression, and anger as reasons for his attempted suicide.^[62] On his failed attempt, Griffey, Jr. stated, "It seemed like everyone was yelling at me at baseball, then I came home and everyone was yelling at me there...I got depressed. I got angry. I didn't want to live."^[62] He stated that he had before contemplated taking his own life, however, he had not acted on it until this incident.^[62] After swallowing the aspirin, Griffey's girlfriend's mother drove him to the hospital.^[62] While in intensive care, he ripped the IV from his arm in order to stop an argument between him and his father.^[62] Both Griffey, Jr. and his father have stated that the incident changed their relationship, and there is now more "understanding" on both parts.^[62]

Trey Griffey

When Trey was born in 1994, the Mariners' then-General Manager, Woody Woodward, sent him a player's contract dated 2012.^{[citation needed]} Peter Gammons once wrote in a column that Trey would indeed be the major league's #1 draft pick that year.^[63] At age twelve, Trey served as a batboy for the US team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, with his father as a player and his grandfather as a coach.^{[citation needed]} When he was sixteen, Trey seemed to have more of an interest in football, playing linebacker and running back on a youth-league team that includes Shane Larkin, son of Barry Larkin,^[64] and now being recruited to play wide receiver in college. He did, however, spend his summers with his father, often being spotted on the field during batting practice and in the dugout during games. Trey Griffey currently attends Dr. Phillips High School near Orlando, Florida where he plays wide receiver for the Panthers.^{[citation needed]} Trey has accepted a scholarship offer to play wide receiver at The University of Arizona beginning in fall 2012.

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External links

Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Ken Griffey, Jr.

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Jeff King	First overall pick in the MLB Entry Draft 1987	Succeeded by Andy Benes
Preceded by Paul Molitor Frank Thomas	American League Player of the Month April 1990 April 1997	Succeeded by José Canseco Frank Thomas
Preceded by Cal Ripken, Jr.	Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player 1992	Succeeded by Kirby Puckett
Preceded by Juan González Tino Martinez	Home Run Derby Champion 1994 1998 & 1999	Succeeded by Frank Thomas Sammy Sosa
Preceded by Juan González Mark McGwire	American League Home Run Champion 1994 1997–1999	Succeeded by Albert Belle Troy Glaus
Preceded by Juan González	American League Most Valuable Player 1997	Succeeded by Juan González
Preceded by Albert Belle	American League RBI Champion 1997	Succeeded by Juan González
Preceded by Chris Carpenter	NL Comeback Player of the Year 2005	Succeeded by Nomar Garciaparra

Major League Baseball number one overall draft picks

v d e Major League Baseball All-Century Team

Pitchers	Nolan Ryan · Sandy Koufax · Cy Young · Roger Clemens · Bob Gibson · Walter Johnson · Warren Spahn · Christy Mathewson · Lefty Grove

Infielders	Johnny Bench · Yogi Berra · Lou Gehrig · Mark McGwire · Jackie Robinson · Rogers Hornsby · Mike Schmidt · Brooks Robinson · Cal Ripken, Jr. · Ernie Banks · Honus Wagner

Outfielders	Babe Ruth · Hank Aaron · Ted Williams · Willie Mays · Joe DiMaggio · Mickey Mantle · Ty Cobb · Ken Griffey, Jr. · Pete Rose · Stan Musial

American League MVP Award

1931: Grove
1932: Foxx
1933: Foxx
1934: Cochrane
1935: Greenberg
1936: Gehrig
1937: Gehringer
1938: Foxx
1939: DiMaggio
1940: Greenberg
1941: DiMaggio
1942: Gordon
1943: Chandler
1944: Newhouser
1945: Newhouser
1946: Williams
1947: DiMaggio
1948: Boudreau
1949: Williams
1950: Rizzuto
1951: Berra
1952: Shantz
1953: Rosen
1954: Berra
1955: Berra
1956: Mantle
1957: Mantle
1958: Jensen
1959: Fox
1960: Maris
1961: Maris
1962: Mantle
1963: Howard
1964: B. Robinson
1965: Versalles
1966: F. Robinson
1967: Yastrzemski
1968: McLain
1969: Killebrew
1970: Powell
1971: Blue
1972: Allen
1973: Jackson
1974: Burroughs
1975: Lynn
1976: Munson
1977: Carew
1978: Rice
1979: Baylor
1980: Brett
1981: Fingers
1982: Yount
1983: Ripken, Jr.
1984: Hernández
1985: Mattingly
1986: Clemens
1987: Bell
1988: Canseco
1989: Yount
1990: Henderson
1991: Ripken, Jr.
1992: Eckersley
1993: Thomas
1994: Thomas
1995: Vaughn
1996: González
1997: Griffey Jr.
1998: González
1999: I. Rodríguez
2000: Giambi
2001: Ichiro
2002: Tejada
2003: A. Rodriguez
2004: Guerrero
2005: A. Rodriguez
2006: Morneau
2007: A. Rodriguez
2008: Pedroia
2009: Mauer
2010: Hamilton
2011: Verlander

Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVP Award

1962: Wills
1962: Wagner
1963: Mays
1964: Callison
1965: Marichal
1966: B. Robinson
1967: Pérez
1968: Mays
1969: McCovey
1970: Yastrzemski
1971: F. Robinson
1972: Morgan
1973: Bonds
1974: Garvey
1975: Madlock, Matlack
1976: Foster
1977: Sutton
1978: Garvey
1979: Parker
1980: Griffey, Sr.
1981: Carter
1982: Concepción
1983: Lynn
1984: Carter
1985: Hoyt
1986: Clemens
1987: Raines
1988: Steinbach
1989: Jackson
1990: Franco
1991: Ripken Jr.
1992: Griffey, Jr.
1993: Puckett
1994: McGriff
1995: Conine
1996: Piazza
1997: Alomar, Jr.
1998: Alomar
1999: Martínez
2000: Jeter
2001: Ripken, Jr.
2003: Anderson
2004: Soriano
2005: Tejada
2006: Young
2007: Ichiro
2008: Drew
2009: Crawford
2010: McCann
2011: Fielder

TSN National League Comeback Player of the Year Award

1965: Law
1966: Regan
1967: McCormick
1968: A. Johnson
1969: Agee
1970: Hickman
1971: Downing
1972: Tolan
1973: D. Johnson
1974: Wynn
1975: Jones
1976: John
1977: McCovey
1978: Stargell
1979: Brock
1980: Reuss
1981: Knepper
1982: Morgan
1983: Denny
1984: Andújar
1985: Reuschel
1986: Knight
1987: Sutcliffe
1988: Leary
1989: Smith
1990: Tudor
1991: Pendleton
1992: Sheffield
1993: Galarraga
1994: Wallach
1995: Gant
1996: Davis
1997: Daulton
1998: Vaughn
1999: Henderson
2000: Galarraga
2001: Morris
2002: Lieberthal
2003: López
2004: Carpenter
2005: Griffey, Jr.
2006: Garciaparra
2007: Young
2008: Tatis
2009: Carpenter
2010: Hudson
2011: Berkman

v d e National League Comeback Player of the Year Award

2005: Griffey, Jr. 2006: Garciaparra 2007: Young 2008: Lidge 2009: Carpenter 2010: Hudson 2011: Berkman

Home Run Derby champions

1985: Parker
1986: Joyner, Strawberry
1987: Dawson
1988: Canceled
1989: Davis
1990: Sandberg
1991: Ripken Jr.
1992: McGwire
1993: J. González
1994: Griffey, Jr.
1995: Thomas
1996: Bonds
1997: Martinez
1998: Griffey, Jr.
1999: Griffey, Jr.
2000: Sosa
2001: L. Gonzalez
2002: Giambi
2003: Anderson
2004: Tejada
2005: Abreu
2006: Howard
2007: Guerrero
2008: Morneau
2009: Fielder
2010: Ortiz
2011: Canó

American League Home Run Champions

1901: Lajoie
1902: Seybold
1903: Freeman
1904: Davis
1905: Davis
1906: Davis
1907: Davis
1908: Crawford
1909: Cobb
1910: Stahl
1911: Baker
1912: Baker & Speaker
1913: Baker
1914: Baker
1915: Roth
1916: Pipp
1917: Pipp
1918: Ruth & Walker
1919: Ruth
1920: Ruth
1921: Ruth
1922: K. Williams
1923: Ruth
1924: Ruth
1925: Meusel
1926: Ruth
1927: Ruth
1928: Ruth
1929: Ruth
1930: Ruth
1931: Ruth & Gehrig
1932: Foxx
1933: Foxx
1934: Gehrig
1935: Greenberg & Foxx
1936: Gehrig
1937: DiMaggio
1938: Greenberg
1939: Foxx
1940: Greenberg
1941: T. Williams
1942: T. Williams
1943: York
1944: Etten
1945: Stephens
1946: Greenberg
1947: T. Williams
1948: DiMaggio
1949: T. Williams
1950: Rosen
1951: Zernial
1952: Doby
1953: Rosen
1954: Doby
1955: Mantle
1956: Mantle
1957: Sievers
1958: Mantle
1959: Killebrew & Colavito
1960: Mantle
1961: Maris
1962: Killebrew
1963: Killebrew
1964: Killebrew
1965: Conigliaro
1966: Robinson
1967: Yastrzemski & Killebrew
1968: Howard
1969: Killebrew
1970: Howard
1971: Melton
1972: Allen
1973: Jackson
1974: Allen
1975: Jackson & Scott
1976: Nettles
1977: Rice
1978: Rice
1979: Thomas
1980: Jackson & Oglivie
1981: Grich, Murray, Evans & Armas
1982: Jackson & Thomas
1983: Rice
1984: Armas
1985: Evans
1986: Barfield
1987: McGwire
1988: Canseco
1989: McGriff
1990: Fielder
1991: Canseco & Fielder
1992: González
1993: González
1994: Griffey, Jr.
1995: Belle
1996: McGwire
1997: Griffey, Jr.
1998: Griffey, Jr.
1999: Griffey, Jr.
2000: Glaus
2001: Rodriguez
2002: Rodriguez
2003: Rodriguez
2004: Ramirez
2005: Rodriguez
2006: Ortiz
2007: Rodriguez
2008: Cabrera
2009: Peña & Teixiera
2010: Bautista
2011: Bautista

v d e 500 home run club

Barry Bonds Hank Aaron Babe Ruth Willie Mays Ken Griffey, Jr. Alex Rodriguez Sammy Sosa Jim Thome Frank Robinson Mark McGwire Harmon Killebrew Rafael Palmeiro Reggie Jackson Manny Ramirez Mike Schmidt Mickey Mantle Jimmie Foxx Willie McCovey Frank Thomas Ted Williams Ernie Banks Eddie Mathews Mel Ott Gary Sheffield Eddie Murray Italics denotes active player

American League Outfielder Silver Slugger Award

1980: Oglivie, Oliver, Wilson
1981: Evans, Henderson, Winfield
1982: Jackson, Wilson, Winfield
1983: Moseby, Rice, Winfield
1984: Armas, Rice, Winfield
1985: Bell, Henderson, Winfield
1986: Barfield, Bell, Puckett
1987: Bell, Evans, Puckett
1988: Canseco, Greenwell, Puckett
1989: Puckett, Sierra, Yount
1990: Burks, Canseco, Henderson
1991: Canseco, Carter, Griffey, Jr.
1992: Carter, González, Puckett
1993: Belle, González, Griffey, Jr.
1994: Belle, Griffey, Jr., Puckett
1995: Belle, Ramirez, Salmon
1996: Belle, González, Griffey, Jr.
1997: Griffey, Jr., González, Justice
1998: Belle, González, Griffey, Jr.
1999: Green, Griffey, Jr., Ramirez
2000: Erstad, Ordóñez, Ramirez
2001: González, Ramirez, Suzuki
2002: Anderson, Ordóñez, Williams
2003: Anderson, Ramirez, Wells
2004: Guerrero, Ramirez, Sheffield
2005: Guerrero, Ramirez, Sheffield
2006: Dye, Guerrero, Ramirez
2007: Guerrero, Ordóñez, Suzuki
2008: Hamilton, Quentin, Sizemore
2009: Bay, Hunter, Suzuki
2010: Bautista, Crawford, Hamilton
2011: Bautista, Ellsbury, Granderson

American League Outfielder Gold Glove Award

1958: Kaline, Piersall, Siebern
1959: Jensen, Kaline, Miñoso
1960: Landis, Maris, Miñoso
1961: Kaline, Landis, Piersall
1962: Kaline, Landis, Mantle
1963: Kaline, Landis, Yastrzemski
1964: Davalillo, Kaline, Landis
1965: Kaline, Tresh, Yastrzemski
1966: Agee, Kaline, Oliva
1967: Blair, Kaline, Yastrzemski
1968: Smith, Stanley, Yastrzemski
1969: Blair, Stanley, Yastrzemski
1970: Berry, Blair, Stanley
1971: Blair, Otis, Yastrzemski
1972: Berry, Blair, Murcer
1973: Blair, Otis, Stanley
1974: Blair, Otis, Rudi
1975: Blair, Lynn, Rudi
1976: Evans, Manning, Rudi
1977: Beníquez, Cowens, Yastrzemski
1978: Evans, Lynn, Miller
1979: Evans, Lezcano, Lynn
1980: Lynn, Murphy, Wilson
1981: Evans, Henderson, Murphy
1982: Evans, Murphy, Winfield
1983: Evans, Murphy, Winfield
1984: Evans, Murphy, Winfield
1985: Evans/Murphy, Pettis, Winfield
1986: Barfield, Pettis, Puckett
1987: Barfield, Puckett, Winfield
1988: Pettis, Puckett, White
1989: Pettis, Puckett, White
1990: Burks, Griffey, Pettis
1991: Griffey, Puckett, White
1992: Griffey, Puckett, White
1993: Griffey, Lofton, White
1994: Griffey, Lofton, White
1995: Griffey, Lofton, White
1996: Buhner, Griffey, Lofton
1997: Edmonds, Griffey, Williams
1998: Edmonds, Griffey, Williams
1999: Green, Griffey, Williams
2000: Dye, Erstad, Williams
2001: Cameron, Hunter, Ichiro
2002: Erstad, Hunter, Ichiro
2003: Cameron, Hunter, Ichiro
2004: Hunter, Ichiro, Wells
2005: Hunter, Ichiro, Wells
2006: Hunter, Ichiro, Wells
2007: Hunter, Ichiro, Sizemore
2008: Hunter, Ichiro, Sizemore
2009: Hunter, Ichiro, Jones
2010: Crawford, Gutiérrez, Ichiro
2011: Ellsbury, Gordon, Markakis

United States 2006 World Baseball Classic roster

v d e 2006 World Baseball Classic All WBC Team

Catcher: Tomoya Satozaki \| First Baseman: Seung-Yeop Lee \| Second Baseman: Yulieski Gourriel \| Shortstop: Derek Jeter \| Third Baseman: Adrián Beltré \| Outfielders: Ken Griffey, Jr., Jong-Beom Lee, Ichiro Suzuki \| Designated Hitter: Yoandy Garlobo \| Pitchers: Yadel Martí, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Chan-Ho Park

Seattle Mariners first-round draft picks

1977: Dave Henderson
1978: Tito Nanni
1979: Al Chambers
1980: Darnell Coles
1981: Mike Moore
1982: Spike Owen
1983: Darrel Akerfelds, Terry Bell
1984: Bill Swift
1985: Mike Campbell, Bill McGuire
1986: Patrick Lennon
1987: Ken Griffey, Jr.
1988: Tino Martinez
1989: Roger Salkeld, Scott Burrell
1990: Marc Newfield, Anthony Manahan
1991: Shawn Estes
1992: Ron Villone
1993: Alex Rodriguez
1994: Jason Varitek
1995: José Cruz, Jr.
1996: Gil Meche
1997: Ryan Anderson
1998: Matt Thornton
1999: Ryan Christianson, Jeff Heaverlo
2000: No first round pick
2001: Michael Garciaparra
2002: John Mayberry, Jr.
2003: Adam Jones
2004: No first round pick
2005: Jeff Clement
2006: Brandon Morrow
2007: Phillippe Aumont, Matt Mangini
2008: Josh Fields
2009: Dustin Ackley, Nick Franklin, Steven Baron
2010: Taijuan Walker
2011: Danny Hultzen

Persondata
Name	Griffey, Ken, Jr.
Alternative names
Short description	American league baseball center fielder
Date of birth	1969-11-21
Place of birth	Donora, Pennsylvania
Date of death
Place of death

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	MLB: Hitters On Hitting - Finding the Sweet Spot (2001 Sports & Recreation Film)
	Ken Griffey Jr.: Adventures in Baseball (1996 Sports & Recreation Film)
	MLB: Superstar Cuts - When Baseball Rocks (2001 Music Film)

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Ken Griffey, Jr.

Ken Griffey

Ken Griffey, Jr.

Ken Griffey, Jr.

Ken Griffey Jr.

Ken Griffey, Jr.

Early life

Professional career

Seattle Mariners

1989–1999 seasons

Departure from Seattle (1999–2000)

Cincinnati Reds

2000–2004 seasons

2005–2006 seasons

2007 season

2008 season

Chicago White Sox

Return to Seattle

Retirement

Post-playing career

Philanthropy

Personal

Suicide attempt

Trey Griffey

See also

References

External links

Ken Griffey, Jr.