Ken griffey jr biography timeline

Most players dream of having just one season like Junior. Chipper Jones and Harold Baines have since joined Griffey in that group as well. On Sept. In the next at-bat, Griffey Jr. It's Ken Griffey Jr. Happy Birthday, Kid! Only six other players in history have hit a home run in at least 40 stadiums, and Griffey's total of 44 ranks second behind only Sammy Sosa's He also started to receive multiple injuries which helped to lower his bat speed which resulted in less power and fewer home runs and he was eventually forced to miss out of games from through which diminished his skill and his reputation as a star.

He later on expressed that he would want to play for Seattle again if the opportunity granted itself. Griffey became the standard by which center field defense was judged.

Ken griffey jr biography timeline: George Kenneth Griffey Jr.

Griffey had his own signature sneaker line with Nike Inc and was also featured on the Wheaties cereal box. On June 20, Griffey became the 20th player to hit career home runs, at Busch Stadium in a game against the St. Louis, Cardinals. Although a broken finger in his right hand slowed what might have been a Rookie of the Year campaign, the youngest player in the major leagues finished his initial season with a.

The next three years saw Junior steadily develop his power numbers while beginning a string of All-Star appearances and Gold Glove awards that would span the s. Griffey would bat as high as. He also carried the burden of being the first baseball superstar in a city that had little or no baseball tradition. Yet Griffey, unfailingly humble and reserved in public, never sought the attention he received and resisted reporters who pressed him to discuss his achievements.

Ken griffey jr biography timeline: Early life​​ Griffey was

Far less publicized than his on-field heroics, however, was his tireless commitment to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which granted wishes to terminally ill children. By some accounts, Griffey devoted more time to the Foundation than any other professional athlete. Inthe budding prodigy took his game to a new level and began clouting round trippers with frightening regularity.

At the All-Star game that year, the year-old slugger showed off his newfound power during the Home Run Derby. Fresh off his achievements at the All-Star gameJunior began a historic longball binge shortly after the midseason break. From July 20th through July 28th he homered in eight consecutive games, tying the major-league record set by Dale Long in and equaled by Don Mattingly in Junior made it look so easy.

Ken griffey jr biography timeline: Griffey won his only MVP

This may have been his most casual amazing catch. No big deal. Over the wall at Tigers Stadium August 9, Arguably the greatest catch of his illustrious career. The distance he covered to even attempt a play on this ball at Old Tigers Stadium is staggering. Then of course there is the catch itself. When opposing fans celebrate a player robbing their team of a home run, you know it's an all-timer.

He still managed to do it in style, crushing a home run at home and sharing a great moment with his dad and family.