Hall of Fame Inductee Mike Piazza and Hall of Fame Inductee Ken Griffey Jr. and Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson clap during the 2016 MLB baseball hall of fame induction ceremony at Clark Sports Center. He and Ken Griffey Sr. became the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs.
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“I learned only one team will treat you the best”, Griffey said. How to look at yourself in the mirror each and every day, and not to worry about what other people are doing. I was born 5 months after his senior year, and he made a decision to play baseball to provide for his family.
Griffey ended his speech by putting on his baseball cap backward, one of his iconic looks taken from his playing days with the Seattle Mariners. Is Barry Bonds really the home run king?
In a distinct and very emotional way, the induction ceremony Sunday was Father’s Day.
Griffey, a 13-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove Award victor, hit 630 home runs and 1,836 RBIs, as he was just three votes shy of becoming the first unanimous selection into the Hall.
Griffey was the first pick in 1987 and he will soon be joined by Chipper Jones as a first overall selection when the former Atlanta Braves star becomes eligible for election in 2018.
Selected in the draft by the Dodgers after Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda, a close friend of Piazza’a father, Vince, put in a good word, Piazza struggled.
Griffey racked up stellar numbers on the field, blasting towering home runs and making acrobatic, leaping catches to rob homers and diving stabs to steal extra-base hits. When you think of Griffey, you think of his smooth swing, elite defense and the kid that wore his cap backwards and made baseball cool again.
The elder Ken Griffey, who had a solid major league career that included a stint with the Yankees, said, “I’m just a happy camper right now that’s all I can say”.
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Mike Piazza also has been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He did attend a series of brief meetings with Hall of Fame staff at a separate location in the village and said he wanted his first walk through the front doors of the stately building on Main Street to be with his kids. “Now it’s time to smell the roses”. We won’t be confusing him for Johnny Bench, but we also shouldn’t act like he was made of teflon back there. “I’m damn proud to be a Seattle Mariner”. The 1993 N.L Rookie of the Year and a 12-time All-Star, named Game MVP in 1996. Piazza’s two-run homer in the eighth inning at Shea Stadium lifted the Mets to a 3-2 victory over the Braves in the first sporting event played in NY after the terrorist attacks.
