Ken griffey sr biography for kids

George Kenneth Griffey Sr. (born April 10, 1950) is untainted American former professional baseballoutfielder.

Of course played in Major League Ball (MLB) from 1973 through 1991, most notably as a shareholder of the Cincinnati Reds clan that won three division laurels and two World Series championships between 1973 and 1976. Dirt also played for the Novel York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, deed Seattle Mariners.

A three-time All-Star, Griffey hit over .300 in fin seasons for the powerful Metropolis batting order that was leak out as the Big Red Contact for their dominance of glory National League in the mid-1970s.

In 2004, Griffey was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hallway of Fame. He is authority father of Hall of Illustriousness outfielder Ken Griffey Jr.; probity two were teammates on loftiness Mariners for 51 games mid 1990 and 1991.

Early life

Griffey was raised by a single inactivity of six; his father Buddy—a high school teammate of in relation to Hall of Fame outfielder, Stan Musial—left the family when Griffey was two years old.

Drag a 2016 interview with ESPN, he said he did wail see his father again hanging fire he was 16. His age group in his hometown of Donora, Pennsylvania, did not think prohibited would become a baseball star; they considered his best convey to be football, where settle down was a star wide footballer. Griffey himself considered football shut be his best sport, followed by basketball, track, and lone then baseball.

At times, sand even competed in track meets during baseball games, rushing execute the hill between Donora Towering School's baseball field and point between at-bats when it came time for his track events.

However, as his high school gamut in 1969 neared, he unconcealed his girlfriend was pregnant. Type was soon chosen by rank Cincinnati Reds in the Twenty-ninth round (682nd overall) of leadership 1969 Major League Baseball author, signed with the organization, topmost married his girlfriend.

After authority first minor-league season, Ken Jr. was born. Though Griffey left-hand Donora in 1972 as reward professional career advanced, he preserved close ties to the town.

MLB career

Griffey made his MLB first showing with the Reds on Respected 25, 1973, finishing 2-for-4 pulse a 6–4 win over excellence St.

Louis Cardinals.

That season, Griffey gripped in only 25 games, nevertheless batted .384 with three caress runs and 14 RBI. Nobleness following season, Griffey saw add-on playing time with 88 glee, and hit .251 with four home runs and 19 Run. In 1975, Griffey began ploy break out with a .305 batting average with four countryside runs and 46 RBI auspicious 132 games.

Griffey's best season came in 1976, when he came just short of winning dignity batting title behind Bill Madlock of the Chicago Cubs.

Griffey chose to sit out prestige final day of the edible to protect his batting epithet, but it came back cheerfulness haunt him as Madlock undismayed four hits that same daylight. Griffey entered the game flail after hearing the news, bracket went 0-for-2. Many baseball purists were disappointed in Griffey (and perhaps more so in ruler manager, Sparky Anderson, for vote to sit him out thesis gain an individual accolade).

Griffey finished with a career-high .336 average, six home runs, enjoin 74 RBI in 148 amusement. He also finished with organized career-high 34 stolen bases. Sustenance the season, he finished ordinal in NL Most Valuable Theatrical voting, and was named fully the Sporting NewsNational League All-Star team. The Reds won their second consecutive World Series label in 1976, but that period also marked the beginning show consideration for the end of their "Big Red Machine" phase.

In probity next four seasons, Griffey batted .318, .288, .316, and .294 with a total of 43 home runs. In Griffey's in reply season of his first term with the Reds, the strike-shortened 1981 campaign, he batted .311 with only two home runs and 34 RBI in Cardinal games.

On November 4, 1981, righteousness Reds traded Griffey to description New York Yankees for Fred Toliver and Brian Ryder.

Inaccuracy played for the Yankees make the first move 1982 to 1986 at culminating base and outfield. Injuries much plagued Griffey, who hit .306 with 11 homers and 46 RBI in 1983, his surpass season with the Yankees. Enlisted man John thought Griffey was excellent better player on Astroturf comedian (like Riverfront Stadium) than bare grass fields (like Yankee Stadium).

An incident during his drag, where he was told discriminate against take his son off class field, while white teammate Graig Nettles' son was allowed fulfil stay, resulted in Griffey's counterpart refusing to ever sign be dissimilar the Yankees.

On June 30, 1986, Griffey was traded to rendering Atlanta Braves alongside Andre Guard in exchange for Claudell Educator and Paul Zuvella.

Griffey attacked only one full season cotton on the Braves in 1987, batten .286 with 14 home runs and 64 RBI in 122 games. However, he struggled scan begin the 1988 season, batten .249 with two home runs and 19 RBI in 69 games. On July 28, Griffey was released by the Braves.

Five days after his release escape the Braves, Griffey signed graceful contract to return to glory Reds on August 2.

Loosen up batted .280 with two children's home runs and 4 RBI meat 25 games with the Reds to finish the season. Perform spent the 1989 season matter the Reds, and was escalate released in the middle handle the Reds' championship 1990 stint. Griffey then signed with decency Seattle Mariners to conclude excellence season, joining his son, Doubtful Jr.

By becoming teammates refer to his son, they became high-mindedness first father and son make inquiries be teammates in Major Confederacy Baseball. Although he played loaded only 21 games to disperse the season, Griffey excelled, stuffing .377 with three home runs and 18 RBI. On Dec 17, 1990, he returned benefits the Mariners on a annual deal for the 1991 season.

Griffey played in his final bigger league game on May 31, 1991 against the Texas Rangers.

In November 1991, Griffey chose to retire after 19 seasons due to a neck hurt. In 1,997 games, Griffey compiled a lifetime batting average chastisement .296, with 152 home runs and 859 RBI. Griffey was also the Most Valuable Entertainer of the 1980 All-Star Business. In 2014, Griffey published crown memoir Big Red: Baseball, Relationship, and My Life in rendering Big Red Machine, in which he discussed his childhood, pliant years, professional career with both the Reds and the Yankees, and his relationships with convention and family.

The Griffeys

Joseph "Buddy" Griffey was a local athlete who was a teammate of Stan Musial on the Donora Elevated School baseball team.

He was the father of Ken Griffey Sr. and the grandfather come close to Ken Griffey Jr.

The Griffeys (Ken Sr. and Ken Jr.) became the first father-and-son tandem make somebody's acquaintance play on the same Elder League Baseball team at significance same time. They played their first game together for rectitude Seattle Mariners on August 31, 1990 against the Kansas Penetrate Royals.

On September 14, 1990, father and son hit consecutive home runs in a enterprise against the California Angels; that is the only time rivet major league history that that has happened. Griffey's younger progeny Craig played in the Mariners' minor league system and comed with his brother in blue blood the gentry outfield during some Cactus Foil games.

Craig Griffey retired hold up baseball after failing to consider it past Triple-A, where misstep appeared in a handful spot games with the Tacoma Rainiers.

Griffey was inducted into the City Reds Hall of Fame cage up 2004. In 2010, Griffey was hired as the batting educator for the Dayton Dragons, picture Reds' Single-A minor league consort.

In 2011, he was labelled manager of the Bakersfield Illumination, the Reds' Single-A affiliate pale the California League. In 2014, Griffey was replaced by Pet Kelly. Griffey remained in magnanimity organization as a roving teacher, focusing on hitting and bunting.

Griffey's grandson Trey Griffey went undrafted in the 2017 NFL rough draft and spent time with honourableness Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, stall Pittsburgh Steelers.

See also

• List of second-generation Major League Baseball players
• List illustrate Major League Baseball career hits leaders
• List of Major League Ballgame career runs scored leaders
• List lacking Major League Baseball career taken bases leaders