Griffey Statue Vandalized

The Ken Griffey, Jr statue at Safeco Field was vandalized yesterday. The bat was snapped off in the evening hours.
 Police were able to take a suspect into custody and recover the bat.  The vandal somehow took the bat from the statue, leaving the rest in tact. 
Reports say that Mariner officials are in touch with the artist to find out if a seamless repair can be made. 
The statue honors the Mariner Hall Of Fame centerfielder, who is credited to saving baseball in Seattle and is considered one of the best to ever play the game.

27 Years Ago--Ken Griffey And Ken Griffey, Jr In Same Line Up

It's hard to believe that it has been 27 years but on August 31st, 1990, the Seattle Mariners became the first team in baseball history to have a father and son on the same team at the same time.  Veteran Ken Griffey, Sr. joined the Seattle Mariners after being cut by the Cincinnati Reds.  Of course, Ken Griffey, Jr was already a second year star for the club.   The two only played together for a month, but they would later hit back to back homeruns for the team.  Ken Griffey, Sr would retire the next year, however big things were ahead for Junior who is now enshrined in Baseball's Hall Of Fame.

Sports Illustrated Mariners Tribute Eddition

I don't know if it's a regional or a national release, but a special edition of Sports Illustrated pays tribute to the Seattle Mariners on the baseball club's 40 anniversary.  Many of the cast and characters of Mariners history are featured including Edgar Martinez, cover guy and Hall of Famer Ken Griffey,Jr, The Big Unit, Alex Rodriguez, whom I hear is dating Jennifer Lopez, and Felix.  Former Mariner broadcaster Ken Levine, also a renowned TV comedy writer, added a touching tribute to the heart and soul of the team, Dave Niehaus.

Edgar's Hall Of Fame Chances Trending Upward?

Larry Stone reported in last week's Seattle Times that efforts to land Mariner designated hitter Edgar Martinez into the Hall Of Fame are not dead yet.  Stone said that the votes to get Martinez into Cooperstown are not there yet, but the trend is going upward.  Martinez played his entire career in Seattle and is now the team's hitting coach.
Ken Griffey, Jr, shown with Martinez above, told his Hall Of Fame audience that Edgar should be inducted. The attention that David Ortiz,another designated hitter is getting should  work in favor of Martinez.

Griffey's Number 24 Retired In Safeco Ceremony

 

Ken Griffey Jr's became the first Seattle Mariner to have his number retired as of last night.  Griffey, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall Of Fame a few weeks ago was in Seattle this weekend for the ceremony.   Not only were Griffey's former teammates on hand, but baseball legend Hank Aaron spoke on the big screen. Aaron's appearance  built the anticipation that another baseball great the wore the number 24,  would appear.  MC Rick Rizzs  introduced various number 24s until Willie Mays, appeared on the big screen with his taped greetings. Then the above plaque was unveiled.  It is next to Jackie Robinson, whose number is retired throughout baseball. I found it ironic that Griffey's number is the reverse of Robinson's.
  Thank you to Root Sports, who carried the ceremony on TV before the Mariner's game with the Angels.  The M's wound up sweeping the Halo's in the weekend series.

Griffey Gives Emotional Speech At Hall Of Fame Induction

Ken Griffey, Jr choked back tears and thanked his parents, coaches, children, and teammates as he became the first player to be inducted as a Mariner. He also thanked former teammate Randy Johnson, a fellow Hall Of Fame player who entered as a Diamondback.  Not to be left out was Jay Buhner, who was Griffey's closest teammate. 
Griffey was so great, that you never wanted to leave your seat when he was up to bat. Of course when he was in the field, he made spectacular catches.  He wore the number 24, the same number of another great centerfield with whom he is also compared, Willie Mays.

Griffey Will Be Enshrined In Baseball Hall Of Fame

Ken Griffey, Jr, one of the greatest all around baseball players and a man credited to saving baseball in Seattle, is now a Hall Of Famer. Griffey, who made hitting home runs look easy and was know for breathtaking catches playing centerfield, was elected with over 99 per cent of the vote, the highest ever. 
Griffey was brought up to play for the M's at 19 and was really the first player to bring national attention to Seattle baseball. He sometimes upset fans, with reported tantrums on various issues and with wanting and receiving a trade to his home town Cincinnati Reds.  His baseball career eventually brought him back to Seattle, his skills at the time were quite diminished and he would retire the next year.

Ken Griffey,Jr

Watching ceremony on TV.

Griffey Calls It Quits

Ken Griffey, Jr, Seattle first superstar athlete retired today. No doubt he is by far the greatest professional athlete in Seattle, as well as one of the greatest baseball player of all time. I found the above commercial and a video showing fan reaction.

Griffey Snooze Causes Uproar

While Tiger Woods is amerced in a scandal for sleeping with an unknown amount of women, Mariner Ken Griffey, Jr is making headlines for just sleeping. Veteran Seattle Times columnist Steve Kelley weighed in with his harshest critique of Griffey. The controversy started with this column by Mariner beat writer Larry LaRue.

Mariners Celebrate Winning Season

Ichiro and Ken Griffey, Jr. are carried off the field as the Seattle Mariners become only the 13th team in Major League history to finish a season with a winning record one year after losing 100 games. Ken Griffey got a hit in what may have been the last at-bat in his career. A third place finish in the AL West may not seems like something to celebrate, but fans are hoping that it is the sign of better things to come. The Mariners 4-3 victory over the Texas Rangers, by the way, marked the 19th victory of Felix Hernandez.

Ken Griffey, Jr Is A Mariner Again

It is a dream come true for Mariner's fans, although Ken Griffey, Jr may resemble Ken Griffey, Sr when he finished his career with the ball club, the fact that Griffey is returning to Seattle is great news for Mariner fans, heartbroken when he left for Cincinatti several years ago. Perhaps it was this heartfelt column by Seattle Times sportswriter Steve Kelly that persuaded him.

Griffey May Be Traded To White Sox

ESPN Radio's Mike Greenberg And Mike Golick are reporting a possible deal that would send Ken Griffey, Jr from the Cincinnatti Reds to the Chicago White Sox. Griffey is a 5/10 player meaning that he has to approve any trade that the Reds involve him in.

Could Griffey Return?

While a promising Mariners season seems to be going down in flames, there is talk around the region of a second coming of Ken Griffey, Jr. It seems after all that Griffey's happiest years were in a Mariner uniform, while the best years of the Mariners where with Junior patrolling Center field. Age and injuries have taken their toll on Griffey as a Cincinnatti Red, but there is no doubt that his arrival could be beneficial toward this team getting the veteran leadership it needs.

Homecoming For Red's Ken Griffey, Jr

Ken Griffey is returning to Seattle for the first time in 8 years as the Cincinnati Reds take on the Mariners in a weekend inter league series. I believe that this is the first time that Griffey has played in Seattle as a member of a different team (I think he missed the 2001 All Star game because of injuries). Alex Rodriguez and Randy Johnson have returned with other teams. Randy Johnson got a warm greeting when he first returned with the Diamondbacks, but A-Rod continues to be booed no matter what team he plays for. Since Griffey's emergence as a Mariner is believed to have saved Seattle major league baseball, he is expected to get mostly cheers as time has a way of healing old wounds.