Raise Your Glass for the Kid

As you can see, the above photo features unquestionably the greatest player in Mariners history, not to mention the greatest player of the 1990's. Of course we are speaking about Bob Wolcott. The cheerleader like leaping white guy fist pumping like it's the new millennium. Nah, just kidding. Of course we're really talking about Ken Griffey Junior, or just Junior... or the Kid. He was my hero growing up, had the swing I emulated the most while practicing downstairs on our hitting cage and the person who I most wanted to see play, weather that be in the field or up to bat. That goes for when I was young all the way up until now. He was baseball to me. He had fun with it. He wore his hat backwards, so I wore my hat backwards. He wore a gold chain around his neck, so I wanted a replica chain with his number 24 hanging off it. He played in a way that seemed so natural and effortless that I often tried too hard to play as though it came natural and effortless to me. And he was one of the few northwest stars that also became a mega star around the country and around most of the baseball appreciating world. I loved watching him play. I literally grew up watching him play. The first game I saw him play I don't remember because it was when I was 2 years old. When he was drafted by the Mariners his first assignment was here in Bellingham playing for the Baby M's at Joe Martin Field. My dad took me and my brother down to Joe's and we watched Griffey's career begin. I probably colored or read a book. But I was there. That's all the counts. Since that game 22 years ago, I have probably seen Griffey play in person over 100 times, whether that be in a Baby M's uniform, a Seattle Mariners uniform, or even a couple of times, in a Cincinnati Reds uniform. 100 seems like a lot, but right now, it's not enough. There will never be another player like Griffey. Thanks Griff.