Ken Griffey Jr. Quotes

Ken Griffey Jr.

Profession : Athlete

Birth : November 21, 1969

Baseball and golf have a lot of things in common, including the fact that players in both games love hitting for power. However, in both sports, trying to do so strictly with muscle strength doesn't work very well. In fact, I see a lot of guys in both baseball and golf struggle when they try to swing with tight arms.

Ken Griffey Jr.

My mom told me to hang around with the right people. That's what I've been doing. Just taking it easy and having fun.

Ken Griffey Jr.

My brother went to Ohio State. I think Cris Carter just graduated, but Cris was there a lot. I got a chance to go up there and watch the battle between Ohio State and Michigan.

Ken Griffey Jr.

I just mind my business and do what I have to do to get ready for the baseball season.

Ken Griffey Jr.

I mean, you're just not going to like somebody and he's not going to like you. But you're going to go out there and play. And you're going to give the other seven or eight guys on that field a chance to win. And that's just the way it's going to be.

Ken Griffey Jr.

To win a World Series, the whole team has to be hot, everything has to go your way.

Ken Griffey Jr.

Out of my 22 years, I've learned that only one team will treat you the best, and that's your first team.

Ken Griffey Jr.

I don't think it's the intent of baseball not to have black ballplayers, but we have to find a way to get these kids back. We lost them to football. We lost them to basketball. We lost them to golf. People don't see how cool and exciting this game is.

Ken Griffey Jr.

The NFL and NBA has done a better job than we have in showing the fun side of the sport, having people talk about it whether it's on social media, commercials or the news.

Ken Griffey Jr.

Nobody wanted to run back kicks until you saw Billy 'White Shoes'' Johnson.

Ken Griffey Jr.

I know my Dad's a National League guy. I'm an American League guy. I tell him all the time we got better hitters. He's like well we got better pitchers. I'm like cause you all got those easy outs at the end.

Ken Griffey Jr.

I like how in little league they have nine kids who play the field but we have 17 kids on the roster and all 17 kids should hit. I like that we do that down here in Florida.

Ken Griffey Jr.

I don't know what my numbers are as a DH, but the fact that you're sitting basically for three hours and 38 minutes of a baseball game, you're hoping you get four or five at-bats.

Ken Griffey Jr.

I'm in a Catch-22. If I don't go after a ball, I'm lazy, I'm not giving it 100 percent. If I do dive for the ball - which I did, and blew out my shoulder - it's, Why did I play it so hard?

Ken Griffey Jr.

In baseball, there's certain things you can call someone: a fossil, graybeard, grandpa, dad, pops. But I got a chance to say it and mean it.

Ken Griffey Jr.

The two misconceptions of me are I didn't work hard, and that everything I made it look easy.

Ken Griffey Jr.

I was just putting way too much pressure on myself. I was just trying to get that validation from my dad. It got so bad I remember my high school coach telling him not to show up to games.

Ken Griffey Jr.

I didn't start playing golf until '94, when the strike cut the season short. Never having played as a kid definitely makes it a challenge.

Ken Griffey Jr.

The Hall of Fame is pretty good at preparation and getting you ready for what to expect.

Ken Griffey Jr.

I didn't go into the Hall of Fame until I was a Hall of Famer. Three times I had been there, I never stepped foot inside.

Ken Griffey Jr.