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Ken Griffey, Jr.
Born George Kenneth Griffey, Jr. in Donora, Pennsylvania on November 21, 1969 Griffey was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his father, Ken Griffey, Sr., played with the Cincinnati Reds.
The younger Griffey followed his father into the major leagues and later was awarded a Gold Glove for defensive excellence in 10 consecutive seasons, from 1990 to 1999 playing center field. Along the way, he made history when he played alongside his father with the Seattle Mariners in 1990 and 1991.
Griffey, Jr.'s career began in 1989 when he signed with the Seattle Mariners. Other career highlights include his being named American League MVP in 1997, hitting .304, with 56 home runs and 147 runs batted in. Two years later, he signed on with the Cincinnati Reds, once again teaming up with his father, now a coach for the Reds.
Although injury-prone since joining the Reds in the 2004 season, Griffey Jr. became the 20th player to reach 500 career home runs. However, he later suffered a hamstring injury and ended the season on the disabled list.
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