As the 2010 MLB All Star Game culminated its festivities, there was a feeling of unrest as if something was missing, and no doubt there was. One of the best players to ever grace the field has retired and he will be known for his ‘forever young’ personality, incredible all around skill and one of the best smiles in professional sports. Ken Griffey wasn’t playing in the All Star game this season as he hung up the cleats as one of the greatest.
“The Kid” had 13 All Star appearances, 10 Gold Glove Trophy’s and 7 Silver Slugger Title under his belt. It seemed almost an inevitability that he was going to break every record in the book, including a trouncing of Hank Aarons 755 home runs, but unfortunately he ran into a countless list of career demoralizing injuries. From broken hands, wrists to hamstring tears. You name it Junior was plagued by it. However, lets not focus on the injuries that derailed his career, rather lets focus on the illustrious and incredible career itself.
What distinguishes Griffey between him and any other great player in the last decade or so is his integrity to the game of baseball. In the dreadful time of the “steroids era” he shunned all the external pressures of performance and never became involved in juicing up like pretty much every other star out there. Jose Canseco…roids, Mark Mcgwire….roids, Sammy Sosa….roids, Barry Bonds…you kinda get the picture. There were more juiceheads going around, even Snookie would have gone crazy. The manor in which Griffey disregarded all the drug using bullshit and played the game the way it was meant to be played really proves his true character.
Cooperstown will acknowledge Ken Griffey with open arms as he epitomized the righteous and honest way to play baseball unlike any other player in the modern era.
Let us re-indulge in his greatness oh just one last time…
-CC