Full Name : George Kenneth Griffey, Jr.
Born : November 21, 1969
Hometown : Donora, Pennsylvania
Height : 6' 3
Weight : 230 lbs
Bats : Left
Throws : Left
Major League Baseball debut : April 3, 1989 for the Seattle Mariners
Family : wife, Melissa; sons, Trey, Tevin; daughter, Taryn
Primary Position : RF (Right fielder)
Unquestionably one of baseball's most pure athletes, Ken Griffey Jr. has demonstrated what it means to be a skillful, talented, five-tool player. Born on November 21, 1969, in Donora, Pennsylvania, Griffey had the luxury throughout his childhood of learning from his father, who played for the Cincinnati Reds. By analyzing the game and developing a passion to compete, Griffey became familiar with some of the basic fundamentals of baseball.
In 1987 Ken Griffey Jr. was drafted by the Seattle Mariners. Scouts compared him to Barry Bonds, stating “If you thought Bonds was interesting, wait until you see this kid.” His early career in the major leagues was not easy, as Griffey suffered from many racial comments and criticism. Nevertheless, Griffey debuted with the Seattle Mariners in 1989, and after realizing his potential he soon became a prime candidate for the Rookie of the Year Award. When things seemed to be going his way, Griffey slipped in the shower and broke his hand. This injury limited his playing time and prevented him from taking home the Rookie of the Year Honors.
Spending his early part of his career with Seattle, Griffey established himself as one of baseball's most exciting athletes. Next to his gold-glove caliber defense, he put up phenomenal numbers at the plate in terms of average and slugging. He won his first Gold Glove as a center fielder in 1990 and went on to claim the honors in every subsequent season up until 2000. 1997 served as a milestone for the young athlete when he won the American League Most Valuable Player Award. His stunning performances filled the seats at The Kingdome, and Seattle fans soon realized that their emerging superstar would easily be a future Hall of Famer.
In his last year with the Mariner organization, Griffey put up career numbers, batting .285, belting 48 home runs, driving in 134 RBI's, and swiping 24 bases. After the season, Griffey expressed a desire to play in his childhood hometown of Cincinnati. He was having personal issues, and it became evident that Griffey wanted to live closer to his family. The Mariners organization granted his wish and traded Griffey to the Cincinnati Reds for a package of four players. Considering he could have made millions more on the open market, it was clear that Griffey wished to play closer to his father.
It was extremely difficult for the Mariners and Griffey to part ways. However, the deal turned out to benefit the Mariners, as 2000 marked the beginning of a decline in Griffey's numbers. While he still hit for average and power, his speed on the base paths was noticeably decreasing, and his range in the outfield was nowhere near as vast as it was in Seattle. From 2001-2004, Griffey unfortunately suffered from a number of injuries that limited his playing time significantly. Many attribute his lack of physical conditioning during his mid twenties as the underlying cause of the injury problems that he suffered while playing with the Reds.
There is no doubt that Griffey has created a legacy that will be remembered by all fans of the game. Several video game distributors have featured Griffey as their main attraction, not to mention that cereal box slogans and popular television shows have all made reference to him. Winning 10 gold gloves, appearing in 13 all-star games, and being honored with the Silver Slugger Award on 7 separate occasions, it is understood that there will definitely be a place for Griffey in the Hall of Fame after he retires.
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