Moments before the June 2, 2010, game against the Minnesota Twins, the Seattle Mariners announced the retirement of Ken Griffey Jr. It was a sudden decision, and Griffey caught many unaware with the announcement. The decision seems to are on his mind for some time, and he would rather call it a day early than remain on the team for the sake of nostalgia. He retires a living legend. He was one of the true greats, and is fifth on the all time home run list.
Article Source: Ken Griffey Jr retires from Mariners, baseball
A career for the history books is closed as Ken Griffey Jr retires
There aren’t numerous sportsmen who are held in the esteem Ken Griffey Jr is. Ken Griffey Jr is about as separable from the Seattle Mariners as Babe Ruth is from the New York Yankees. He made his professional debut in 1989, and he and his father are the only father and son to have played on the exact same team. He proved worth the investment of pay day, as he was a prolific player on both sides of the ball. The first ten years he was Seattle, he won the Golden Glove award from the American League 10 times over and hit nearly 400 home runs.
The Emerald City and also the Kid part ways
Family was always the biggest priority for Griffey, and by 1999, wanted to move closer to them. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds, the team his father played on and won two World Series with. He was plagued by injuries, even though he was incredibly productive when fit. The White Sox acquired Griffey mid way through the 2008 season. When he entered free agency, there was a public outcry for the Mariners to get him back on the roster.
The prodigal son returns
Returning in 2009, he hit 19 home runs in the 2009 season. The 2010 season though, was frustrating as he saw few at bats and had not hit a single home run by May. He had been listed as a reserve for a game against the Minnesota Twins, according to the Seattle Times. A quick pre-game press conference was called at Safeco Field, and that was it. He had promised he would "never allow myself to become a distraction." Griffey knew it was time to call the game.
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Seattle Times
seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2012015906_griffey03.html
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