Ken Griffey is a name baseball fans recognize quickly. Senior was a player I followed during my childhood. He was a part of the Big Red Machine with the likes of Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Dave Concepcion, George Foster, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, and Cesar Geronimo. Junior was drafted on this day in 1987 by the Seattle Mariners. He was only 17 years old!
Dad played for 18 years, starting with the Reds and ending with the Mariners in 1991. He put up some excellent statistics: he played 2,097 games, was at the plate 8,049 times, had 7,229 at bats, 1,129 runs, 2,143 hits, 152 home runs, and 859 RBIs. On top of that, he was a three-time All Star, two-time World Series Champion, and was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.
Junior did much better.
He played for 22 years, starting with the Mariners and spending 10 years with the club. He played eight years with the Reds, then went to the White Sox, before finishing his career for one year with the Mariners, retiring in 2010. He played 2,671 games, had 11,304 at plate appearances, had 9,801 at bats, 1,662 runs, 2,781 hits, 630 home runs, and 1,836 RBIs. He was a 13-time All Star, AL MVP, 10-time Golden Glove Award, 7-time Silver Slugger Award, Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award, Reds and Mariners Hall of Fame, MLB All-Century Team, and inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016 on the first ballot with a 99.3% vote.1,2,3
“On August 31, 1990, Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey Sr. become the first father and son combination to play together in a major league game. The elder Griffey plays left field and bats second, while the younger Griffey bats third and plays center field. The 40 year-old left fielder and his 20 year-old offspring both pick up one hit in four at-bats. and score a run in the Mariners’ 5-2 victory over the Royals at the Kingdome.”4
“I wanted to cry or something,” Jr. says after going 1-for-4, same as dad. “It just seemed like a father-son game, like we were out playing catch in the backyard. But we were actually playing a real game.
“The weird thing was all the guys are yelling, ‘Let’s go, Ken,’ and I’m yelling, ‘Let’s go, Dad.'”5
Even those reading this who care the least about baseball must feel something as you read
this story of a father and son. Sentiment is dripping off this Griffey duo. I can only imagine how proud a dad must be to see his son having such great success and to see that his boy took the game to the next level.
Bible characters who led others to the Lord viewed the converts as their children in the Lord. They were spiritual offspring, in a sense. And they rejoiced to see them doing well.
Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
2 John 1:4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
3 John 1:3-4 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. (4) I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
The greatest joy in a Christian’s life, second only to seeing someone be born again, is to see the believers not only grow but to excel in their faith. Watching your spiritual children accomplish great things for the Lord makes your heart swell with praise to the Lord.
Even Jesus voiced this in John 14:11-12. “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. (12) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
Griffey Sr. invested a lot of time training Griffey Jr. Coaching, mentoring, correcting, and adjusting happened frequently in Jr.’s life. Now, father and son are retired and have the commonality of the game as they bond in a different phase of life.
Thankfully, Christians never retire. We simply find new ways to be used by the Lord as the years advance. Let’s make sure that we are eagerly training those who will one day fill our shoes – and even outgrow them. We do it all with the joy of the Lord, giving thanks to God for what He accomplishes in our lives.
“Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27)
1https://www.statspros.com/ken-griffey-jr-vs-ken-griffey-stats/
2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Griffey_Jr.
3https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Griffey_Sr.
4https://thisdayinbaseball.com/ken-griffey-jr-and-ken-griffey-sr-become-the-first-father-and-son-combination-to-play-together-in-a-major-league-game/
5https://www.espn.com/classic/s/moment010831-griffey-sr-and-jr.html
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