First off, let's be honest, the era of Griffey's Mariners ended as soon as he was traded to the Reds. These last two years haven't added a thing to his legacy, but instead have reminded us just what kind of a man The Kid is.
Now that that's out of the way, Griffey is gone. His retirement was announced today, and the statements from everyone involved were as peaceful and wonderful as possible considering the circumstances lately.
Sure, Griffey is no longer a worthwhile MLB player, even if he's been trying to prove he is for the last couple years. But that isn't the way to remember him; this is a man that almost single-handedly made Seattle a baseball town. Think about the history of the Mariners before him. Alvin Davis. That's all, there had been almost nothing else.
I barely remember any Seattle sports from before about 1998. Almost all of Gary Payton's career is a distant memory created from what others have told me. The Seahawks didn't exist to me until about 2003. The one thing I have always remembered vividly is Griffey and the Mariners. My childhood consisted of watching Griffey crash into walls and hit skyrocketing homeruns and reacting the way my dad did.
Griffey is the most memorable sports figure I've ever witnessed. I didn't want this post to mention anything about stats or how the Mariners will move forward, I wanted it merely as a rememberance of Griffey. He is, and always will be, the greatest Mariner of alltime. Feel free to post your own memories of him below.
Well put. I think most people who grew up, in Seattle in the 90's, would agree with you. He was the first athlete I can truly say I was a fan of. I cared about Griffey and rooted for him before I really cared about baseball. On a personal note, the Ken Griffey Jr. Signature black baseball glove I got as a Mariner's give away will always hold a special place in my baseball heart.
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