[/caption]Was it the positive arrogance he displayed by watching the balls leave his bat before 630 of them landed in the bleachers… was it that cumbersome infectious smile of a boy-man enjoying the game… or was it the man made natural sky-walking he engaged in so many times in many a center field… robbing so many of home runs, which garnered him ten Gold Gloves? All these were attributes Ken Griffey Jr. displayed in splendid color in playing our favorite pastime, Baseball. Mr. Griffey retired yesterday… knowing that he will be a first ballot shoe-in for the Hall of Fame five years from now.
What is so unique about Mr. Griffey stellar play was the fact that he missed almost three years due to injuries – we can only surmise what could have been? With utmost objectivity, Mr. Griffey must be seen as one of the greatest Baseball players of all times… acquiring nose bleed stats without the benefit of performance enhanced drugs; moreover, no one has ever mentioned or were there rumors to the contrary. I remembered many times, as a boy new to this country and to the game of Baseball, how Mr. Griffey would cause my dear father to engage in rapid gun-fire colorful metaphors because he was putting a shellacking on my father’s favorite Baseball team, the Oakland A’s. Up until last year, Mr. Griffey, on what must have been sheer will, managed to be competitive among the young guns – so much so that he was asked back by the Mariners….
Like the warrior Mr. Griffey is… he walked away from the game with all the awards that can be had, except a World Series Ring; nonetheless, for me it doesn’t take away from his contribution and Griffey’s place in Baseball’s lore. Just one more time, I would have loved to hear the distinct sound… emanating from Griffey’s south-paw swing of his Louisville slugger and watch him engage once again in that steer… that positive arrogance look … with the ball “warp-speeding” into the upper deck… and him rounding the bases with that infectious smile. Cooperstown await you great one!
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