Comments on: 600 Words for Junior

By: Stillman

Stillman — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:56:12 +0000

I took my son to a Mariners kids’ baseball camp at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, sometime in late 1988 or early 1989. My son loved Ken Griffey, Jr., idolized him. Griffey gave a short seminar on fielding which consisted mostly of — “I don’t know how I do that. The coaches tell me not to think about it.” Which isn’t bad advice for someone who has incredible natural talent, but it’s useless for kids. After the seminars, all the players stayed for one-on-ones with the kids, but Griffey just disappeared. We met Dave Valle and Randy Johnson (he had just come over from the Expos) and a few other players I can’t remember now.

My son cried in the car going home for 50 miles. It would have taken a half hour out of Ken Griffey’s important schedule to create a lifelong memory for dozens of kids. Undoubtedly, he was too busy. It was one of the most classless things I’ve ever seen. Excuse me, but so what about his beautiful swing?

By: Allen McPheeters

Allen McPheeters — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:32:51 +0000

Buck O’Neil must have seen Griffey in the early years in Seattle. I saw Griffey the last season he played in Seattle, and you could tell that he wasn’t having much fun any more.

By: Dave E.

Dave E. — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:31:20 +0000

My JR story dates back to his last regular season HS game.

We played against Moeller in a “replica” Riverfront stadium in suburban Cincinnati (it had outfield walls the same dimensions as Riverfront, other than that, it bore no resemblence). There were several scouts there to watch Griffey, although I am sure he was already the consensus first pick in the draft. Anyway, one of our guys hit a bomb to left-center. The 18 year old JR caught the ball and crashed into the plywood wall. He held on to the ball but we thought he was dead; he was down for a few minutes, but was all right.

So he can field. At the plate, we wondered what the big deal was. He struck out looking and went out 1-3 on a check swing tapper back to the box. Big deal, we thought. Heck, I could do that. We were getting on him a little bit.

His third at bat he lined a pitch that never got higher than 10′ off the ground off of the wall down the line (330′). Triple.

We shut up. In that instant, we all went from competitors to admirers. I have been a fan ever since. . .

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:36:25 +0000

Aside from any of my favorite Phillies players, Junior is definitely my favorite and I only wish he could read what you wrote so he knows he is a truly appreciated ballplayer and human being.

By: Josh in DC

Josh in DC — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:46:24 +0000

You know, as I think about my bitter comments from this morning having spent a little time with Soul of Baseball during my lunch hour, I think it was a lousy way to put it. Buck never would have elevated Junior by insulting Joltin’ Joe. And even the Sox fan in me feels a little bad about that.

They’re both great players and each perfect for his era. Joe DiMaggio would have been hounded by ESPN2 if he played today for any number of personal failings, but he is the very picture of 1950s America in my mind. Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

By: D. in Sea

D. in Sea — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:48:55 +0000

I live in Seattle and saw the great Junior years, including the one (was it more than one) when we had Junior and Senior together. I did attend the extra game against the Angels to clinch the first pennant. In my memory, I was also at the game where Junior and Senior hit back-to-back homers. But maybe I just remember being there and was not. That is what time, age and the magic of Dave Niehaus can do to you, though. (For those that don’t know, Niehaus has been the voice of the M’s since day one and he best broadcaster since Red Barber.)

By: Cosmic Charlie

Cosmic Charlie — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:33:35 +0000

DiMaggio was one of the most overrated players EVER, and this is coming from a Yankee fan. For as much as I hated Griffey after that 1995 ALDS when he slid across the plate with the winning run and set this then-10-year-old into tears, you got to give him as due as one of the top 3-4 CF’s in MLB history. And as for the Bonds comparison, if you look at their age 21-28 seasons, Bonds had an OPS+ of 153.8 with 222 HR. Griffey had 154.4 with 312 HR despite missing half a season. So there was a time when all the excitement surrounding Junior was justified; there was a time when he was perhaps the only player with a real chance to break Aaron’s record. If you think he’s overrated, then Bonds has corrupted your senses – just look at Griffey’s numbers!

By: Brent

Brent — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:11:04 +0000

Every time you mention Buck’s name, a tear comes to my eye. What a great man – who loved life. I’m still very bitter that he didn’t get to see himself inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame. He should have been there.

Devon/Mike, you should read Joe’s book and Buck’s autobiography, but the one thing I will say about meeting Buck in person is that it was amazing to talk with him and leave with the feeling that YOU were the most important person in that conversation, not him. He had a charisma that is lost in this day and age…that is impossible to get across fully on the printed page.

By: twayn

twayn — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:54:22 +0000

Moe,

I don’t know about others, but I tend to hang out at StickandBallGuy’s blog, and I always check in on TwinsGeek, MNGameday, Gleeman, Seth, and Twinkie Town.

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:27:47 +0000

Overrated to the point he wins an MVP over Teddy Ballgame’s Triple Crown—Amen, Josh in DC, Amen.