The Kid: Ken Griffey, Jr. - Saviour of Mariners' Baseball

A few days have passed sine the Seattle Mariners icon, George Kenneth Griffey, Jr. retired from Major League Baseball - an announcement coming exactly twenty-three years to the day of his being chosen as the first overall pick in the 1987 MLB Draft.  Hard to imagine it has been more than twenty years since he donned the M's cap.  So much has happened with the organization during his two decades in the game.

Many already knew of his potential for greatness, some even saying he could be a future hall-of-famer.  He definitely had great baseball lineage as his father, Ken Griffey, Sr., was a member of the vaunted Big Red Machine.  Griffey grew up in the Cincinnati Reds' clubhouse during his father's years there and witnessed The Great Eight: Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, George Foster, Cesar Geronimo, Ken Griffey, Sr., and Dave Concepcion lead the Reds to back-to-back World Series Championships in 1975-76.

Baseball in Seattle prior to Griffey's arrival was not exciting.  The M's were never a contending team and therefore attendance at games were low.  This would all change in 1989 when Griffey finally made his MLB debut.  Ironically the very thing that fans lacked, excitement, passion, a real desire to go the ballpark he brought in abundance during his eleven years as a Mariner.  That infectious attitude was evident in everything that he did.  His batting practices especially were a joy to watch as he brought a kid-like approach to the game.

He loved to wear his hat turned backwards and always goofed around - he just plain enjoyed the game of baseball.  That aspect was one of the many things that endeared him to the city and his fans.  Everyone wanted to see their new favorite baseball son, The Kid.  Win or lose everyone knew you did not leave early until after Griffey's last at bat because if you did you could miss one of his patented towering HRs into the right-field upper deck bleachers of the Kingdome.

After several years of mediocrity and the baseball-killing strike of 1994 many doubted whether or not the sport could make a comeback.  When the next season rolled around Mariners and Ken Griffey helped lead the way back.  After all the blood, sweat, and tears the word playoffs actually meant something in Seattle!  It was a time of true excitement and immeasurable joy and when the dust finally settled baseball in Seattle would never be the same again ...