Ken Griffey Jr. FULL EPISODE | EPISODE 6 | CLUB SHAY SHAY

hello welcome to another edition of club. shay shay i am your host and proprietor. and guys i'm super excited to have this. guy for a conversation in the drink at. club shay share today. he really doesn't need an introduction. but i'm going to try anyway because. bear with me he had a 22-year mlb career. he was a 13-time all-star. he was a 10-time glo gold glove winner. he won the 1997 almvp. he led the al in rbis in 1997. he was a. four-time ale home run leader. 630 career home runs seventh on the.

all-time list. he's a first ballot hall of famer he's a. member of the. mlb all century team ken. griffey my life been jr. all my life sacrifice hustle paid the. price. wanna slice got to roll the dice that's. why all my life. i've been grinding all my life look all. my life been running all my life. sacrifice plus we'll pay the price wanna. slice. got to roll the dice that's why all my.

life i've been grinding all my life. griffey what's up bro nah man how you. doing. i'm good man i love that backdrop. do you have them all in there uh yes. but okay uh uh when we built this house. there's only room for nine. so i put the my very first one up top. uh he left out he left no no no.

no no no no no no see him right there. yeah. all right and uh see what happened was. and i'm not good now. uh we didn't realize how tall they were. right. um you know when i first got my first. one. i opened it up and then the other like. nine i kept in the box because we were. in between moving right and then uh i. said all right. what we gonna do is put them in the. display case but then it got too big and. then it looked like the. you know the the wall unit that ate.

dallas so i was like. let's shrink it down and uh so. my wife uh made sure everything was fine. and she put everything. together and i was like all right that's. perfect except we're missing one. and she was like what i go the one and. so we put it on top it's uh because. people want to look at it and really get. close to it and sometimes touch it so. uh they can touch it so do you have all. your memorabilia stored in your office. so you have a place through it you can. see like. your silver slug awards your rbi type do.

you have all that stuff. no uh it's uh we have some down to. storage. right uh you know but for the most part. um you know my dad wasn't a very big. collector and have stuff showing because. you know it was his job so they. dedicated one room. for me and it happened to be my office. with a door closed. uh but i got some stuff downstairs you. the highways i got some stuff downstairs. uh. i got the jackie robinson jersey uh i.

got my jersey world war 42. right. for the first time in 97 and and uh the. reds 42 but. you know i try to have some history of. you know. all sports uh my my wife favorite. two football players uh are derek thomas. right and and sue and i was like how did. you get sued. he was like he just mean i was like. he's so opposite of me yeah i was like. huh he's so nice but. you see him off the field and she was.

like i know that's what i like about. life. griff as i'm reading off those numbers. the 22 years the all-star the gold. gloves. what are you most proud of. what am i most proud of probably. longevity. uh you know and you know when i was. growing up my dad was like hey. there's two sides of the ball offense. and defense right and you got to play. both. the guys who play both are going to be. there for a while you don't want to be.

the guy that you know is a flash japan. you know. you know all of a sudden he's got two. years and you're like where's he going. or where has he been uh so i take. for me i probably take more pride in my. my defense than my offense. um only because defense you could show. more excitement. you know sometimes we don't see the. excitement i mean there's a. i tell everybody there's a fine line. between. excitement and. showing somebody up right and and they.

don't understand that you know you see. the kids now they. you know they do certain things they're. taking selfies they're bad flipping. they're throwing the bat out of the. camera. you can't you know we used to get. drilled for that. you know i was talking i was talking to. wade boggs one year and he was like hey. man how many times you get hit i was. like i don't know. so he looked at the numbers he got hit. like 22 times in 80. uh uh in 22 years i got hit 82 times i. was like that ain't fair. so you said you you took more pride in.

your defense than your offense. but you had some injuries because you. were crashing into the wall into the. kingdom. if you had it to do over again would you. change anything about the way you played. you might have got 22 25 years no. because then people wouldn't respect how. i played okay. and i think that's the the thing is when. you get hurt on the field doing. something that you love. uh uh and you know that injuries are. part of the game. you don't sign up going i hope i don't. get hurt right you.

you see this day in and day out. especially in your sport you know right. you see a day in day out you know. uh um but for for me as a center fielder. it's one of those things i got about a. 12 year shelf life if you look at the. greatest seven filters of all time. after about 12 13 years right they sort. of break down and. because everything hit to them is fair. and we have this mechanism that says. it's either me or the ball and i want to. win right you know and if you run into a. wall. you just run into a wall and you can't.

be a what-if player what if i would have. not ran what if i would have done this. what if i wouldn't have done that. would i still have this would i still. have that then people in the stands go. well he's not hustling he's not doing. you know and and i've never you've never. heard that they just wish that i. wouldn't have done those things. let's see that that's the opposite i. wish he would make more catches no no no. we wish he wouldn't ran into walls we. wish he wouldn't have done that and. that's the thing. is that's why i take pride in it that. people know that when they came there. i was gonna give them all when.

when i read these numbers to 6 30 or the. all-century team. is there something you wish you could. like man you know what i wish i had a. little more stolen basis or i would have. had our. do you what what what would you add. nothing no because. you got everything in 22 years you got. everything ken griffin jr. could have gotten out of mlb yep. because it's not about mlb what can they. do for me. i went out there to play i went out.

there to try to win a championship. it never happened but i went out there. and busted my butt. every day uh you know think about this i. only went down one time. right like on a rehab stand and that was. one day. i actually went down to tacoma drove to. tacoma. took three at-bats now now i have a. plate and nine screws in my wrist. i take three at-bats i actually fly. myself to minnesota the team has no idea. that i'm. there you coming show up at the ballpark.

they look at me like what you know i. said i'm ready they was like uh what are. you supposed to play today i was like. yeah i was but. i'm gonna play and then he said look to. be said i can't put you down but. tomorrow you win the lineup. and that's the way i am i mean i have. this thing that you know is my name on. the back it's my career i'm going to. give you. everything i have right and you know the. one thing about me. is if you see somebody mad as a kid. right and you're a bully what do you. keep doing you keep doing it right. whatever you're doing so i didn't show.

any emotion. other than laughter because i didn't you. know my dad never showed any. my dad was like hey nobody has to see. you mad you come home and be mad all you. want but don't do it at the ballpark. because people are going to see that. and you know they they said that i. didn't. uh i didn't work hard i start laughing. because it's really you know you don't. stay on the top of your game. for as long as i did not working right. you know. and because because they didn't see you. because you know. i mean especially now everybody is.

posting something they're posting their. work out on ig. or they're talking about this it was. that because i guess people thought you. were just so. talented because you i mean you're. playing with your dad i mean you're 19. years old and you're in the. in the majors and then well we didn't. see it so. he's just god gifted he don't he's not. working god just blessed him with that. talent. and that's it no i used to i'd ride my. bike at 2 am. okay uh uh and it would be a. a 1-3 wetsuit okay then i would wear.

a sweatsuit over top of that in a hat. and i'd ride. 15 miles in my neighborhood i had mapped. it out here's the crazy thing that i. about. that i do is i map out my routes in the. car first. like i'm like okay i can go here by. block checking streets. uh but you know my dad never he's. he's a nobody needs to see you work out. okay the people that need to promote you. are other people you don't need to. promote yourself and that's the.

mentality i had is. i don't want to talk about me we could. talk about anybody else. but you want to talk about me and i clam. up and it's only because i grew up in a. household where my dad didn't come home. talking about him look what i did you. know uh i didn't realize my dad was a. major league ballplayer. actually until like the eighth grade. when i had a yankee starter jacket on. and a kid came up to me was like you're. that place of yankee i was like yeah. like thinking that you know everybody's. dad had that type of uh uh you know. father. that did something that they love to do.

and you know i didn't really understand. because he never came home. and talked about you know baseball. uh it was always what did he want to do. as a kid and that's how i grew up so. when i you know i teach my kids the same. way because. it it you know you try to make them as. normal as possible. right i know it's a different world and. and things are different and. you know uh news travels faster than you. know when we were growing up but i just. said hey you know it worked. you know you ain't got to promote. yourself that's somebody else's job.

did did your father push you towards. baseball. or was something because he did it and. you wanted you saw. and you saw what he did even though you. said it was later that he was you. noticed that he was an mlb player was it. something that he pushed you towards or. because you're like you know what i. think i can be good at this. no my brother played at ohio state. football my uncles. uh uh i got a one of my cousins daryl he. broke tony dorsett's high school rushing. records. okay i was born a half an hour from.

pittsburgh you know. we are a die hard football family we. didn't come in. your daddy played i'm like i'm like uh. yeah okay. but it didn't you know it he was like. whatever you want to do it's up to you. it's not my life is yours uh when i came. to him when i was 14 said i want to play. play baseball he said okay here's the. things we gonna do. and you know when they say that. you know the advantage that i had. growing up is that i could during spring. training which was the only. real time that i was with my dad uh on.

the field. on the backfields not the main field but. the backfield because he was early. hitting and stuff. uh i would go shag so i understood what. route to take. at 14 to go catch a fly ball from a. major league fly ball so at 14. 15 i could have played in the big. leagues defensively because i knew. so that's the advantage i had now i. still had to learn how to hit. from go from aluminum bats to wooden. bats um. you know my i had a day where my dad. flew in i had an off day they. you know and here's how you know.

most coaches were like hey i didn't know. you were here i'll give you you know. we're gonna. we'll switch your son is gonna play and. you can see your son i know that you're. still playing here's an off day. he was like my dad was like no whatever. you're the coach so i end up. coming in to pinch hit now he just gave. me two dozen brand new bats. okay i broke four of them on that one. plate appearance. he just looked at me and i grounded back. to the pitcher and he was like.

in the stands going like this i just. gave you four new bats and you broke. uh i mean 12 24 bats and you broke for. them. well i broke 80 bats in my first year. playing pro ball. what what what did that have to do i. mean why were you breaking so many bats. because i was aluminum back to barrel. like this wouldn't have barrel like that. so just not knowing how to swing. you know with a wooden back you know. it's the adjustments that for you guys. you know the speed of the game right we. have guys in high school that throw 90.

95. and stuff like that so the speed of the. game if you can catch up to those guys. and they can see it you're going to be. fine. but you guys have that that you know uh. from college to pro. that little bits of of learning curve. right. and that's what it is for you guys at. the speed of the game for me it's. learning how to hit with wooden bats. was it difficult having a obviously it. worked to your advantage because as you. said you got an opportunity to go shag. fly balls on the back field. on the back in the back diamonds and you. got an opportunity to track the baseball.

so you're. catching uh fly balls for major leaguers. but how difficult was it. having a father and you the comparison. is going to come. whether you or he placed them on you or. not they're going to come. uh my dad never could put any. comparisons he did. and that's the one thing like that i. made sure that i. did at my house is i didn't compare. anybody's records and. and what they did or what my dad did and. and things like that you know. uh pressure no i mean in high school no.

i mean you know. because outside pressure if if i'm not. putting on. if i'm not if my parents are not putting. any pressure on me. somebody outside my four walls they. can't say nothing about me. you know if i came home and that's how i. feel you know i tell my kids all the. time and they understand. that pressure is only something you put. on yourself because of outside influence. but if i'm not putting any pressure on. you you know then. and your mom or your brothers and. sisters then you can feel pressure when. we doing that but other than that.

i wouldn't let anyone be over there like. this because it wasn't it's not. you know we talk about it all the time. with you know mj's kids. right you know uh uh i said you know. that there's going to be the comparisons. you know. they can only compare uh uh me and you. you know my dad and me trey and me kevin. and me. uh not so much girls you know taren she. got a a pass because. it's girl you know college basketball. but but she's pretty athletic okay. really athletic so.

it wasn't really you know they you know. all they say is that's king graffiti. junior's daughter. right now now but when it comes to being. you know the testosterone sports. yes you know they got they got to throw. comparisons out which is. it's wrong because if i tell everybody. you know my name is joe smith nobody. would you know. said anything well that's joe smith's. not okay who's joe smith uh. he's the kid okay go watch and play i. mean there was a kid it was a. uh it's funny because when trey was. getting recruited. uh northwestern came down and said uh.

well he went up to northwestern and he. said um. guy said coach said uh i would offer you. but you need uh you got you should have. been 10 pounds heavier. and so i started laughing because he. came home and he told me i was like i. don't he just saying that just to blow. smoke. and uh so trey came home. after football uh because the dr. phillips was in the playoffs. and the guy was like he was helping out. with the football team. and that coach was like the same coach.

was like man who was that. that's how come you didn't send me him. he was like that's who we tried to send. you last year but you didn't offer him. because he needed to be 10 pounds. heavier. right so you know we started laughing. because you know they say you know the. the mind game of coaches. and some of the things that they say are. you know can destroy some of these kids. and it's tough because. you know i never caught a football right. you know from trey's quarterback. i never handed the ball i got handed the.

ball off it's all that the only thing. that i've done. as a dad was get him to a place. where you know if he wanted to play to. give him the necessary. tools to to be successful right whether. that's using you know thurman's thomas. and ricky waters when they were here. uh i got devin hester who lives around. the corner all these guys you know they. mourn well and when it comes to baseball. the same thing thurman. little army calls me all the time right. you know trying to get kids to. to to be you know i live my dream it's. now my turn to give back and help these.

kids live there. but when it comes to my kids you know. they compare me and i just go. it ain't fair because one one of the. parents. was like uh what did he say they were. talking. him in a coach and coach goes well how. come he doesn't play baseball. and he goes well he's not his dad. and so i happened to walk by i said well. tell me five people who are. and i said i'll wait and he couldn't. because he was like. um um because you know it's.

unfair expectations that we put into. these kids all the time. and then whether it's my kids or any. other kid uh uh. you know some of these kids want to play. football basketball baseball they want. to be out there with their friends. uh some know that they may not turn pro. and want to do other things some. kids but like you know what i'm just. doing this to go go to uh uh. to get my degree right get a free. education. that was the thing for me uh um ken is.

that i have a son. and he went totally away he didn't play. sports. because every time he he dropped the. pass they said well your dad would have. caught that. or your uncle would have caught that or. and because and he didn't want that. he didn't he he just got and i you know. not you know and i. let my kids have their own life i really. tried to like if i showed up i tried to. stay in the back. but they would immediately find out who. i was and it's like. that's your dad well why aren't you. better and he was just like you know.

what dad i just. i want i don't i don't want to do it i. just want to you know go to school go to. college. get a degree and live my life mm-hmm. yeah summer and you and it's bad because. some of the people that are doing this. are are people who are. number one jealous and frustrated ball. players who've never had an opportunity. to be successful. right and the only person they can take. it out on is your kid and. right you know i'm like i look at people. like that like man. you up there dogging a 12 year old and.

i'm like. and so i do like the one thing about me. is like. when my kids play baseball i'd be down. the right field line. 340 feet away tucked around the corner. uh. you know and i had a lady come up to me. one time i was like hey how come you're. not coaching i said well number one i'm. under qualified for this position. just trying to make it easy like you. know i'm really under qualified for this. and she was like i just think it's a. waste of time and then i got mad cause i. was like. you're just not gonna say that you're. just not gonna do that to me.

and uh uh uh i did tell her that her kid. was terrible. but uh but it wasn't like i was trying. to be mean it was just like hey. i'm i'm a normal dad just want to watch. his son play. you know i'm out here because i know who. i am but i don't want to. add to all the the pressure of all the. parents looking at me. looking at him i said he just wants to. play and run around and be with his. friends i said man that's all this stuff.

is i said. are we are we trying to build national. championships at at age 12. are we trying to get these kids to build. confidence to be. young adults in this world so. did it make you nervous when your dad. came to watch you play. because i for me when my brother came i. was going to turn it out. basketball i was going to drop 30 or 40. on track and field i was going to have. my best days. but my sister i couldn't perform in. front of my sister because. all of her friends had told her live in. unity go see your brother your brother.

had this many points dumped on everybody. and the moment i saw her air ball city. turn over i just couldn't perform it did. it make you nervous performing in front. of your dad. um. okay yes uh because he wasn't there you. know all the time you know my dad's. working. on saturday night you know so when he. did show up i remember. uh my senior year he was. atlanta was in town and uh he was. playing up he's. playing the reds and he's with atlanta. and he come see me play the first two at.

bats i'm old for two with two strikeouts. so after the game i get in the car drive. down there to see him he was like hey. how'd you do i said. three for five two home runs and a. double he was like you can't do that in. front of me. so so my first actual hit with him there. was an instruction league my first. professional hit. he was in left center behind the fence. in a rv. and i knew the rv because you know you.

know i i. hell is at my house all my life so i. finally get a hit. and he slides the window open and yells. at me was that so bad. and then closes it but for years he. would say hey man just pretend i'm your. mom. because when my mom came oh it was. showtime dad show up. i had one of my high school coaches say. look don't even come visit he can't hit. in front of you. so you want to be you tell your dad at. 14 i want to be a. a baseball player and he give gives you.

obviously. you bless you with ability but he. provides the tools and the instructions. that you need. you get to your senior year did you know. you were going to be the number one. overall. selection in the in the draft um. i knew in december that i was close. right. um bobby tolin who's a friend of the. family came up. and lived in the town we're in. cincinnati. and he's walking out the house he goes. well you know we're thinking about. drafting you number one.

and i said who he said seattle and i. happened to look at my dad i said dad. where is seattle because he was like. because you know when you when. because you don't go nowhere as a kid so. like uh okay. he played for the yankees he played for. atlanta he played for cincinnati. that's as far as my region went and we. went to uh. uh disney world and tampa in fort. lauderdale yeah that's it. that was our screen training and now. anywhere else i was like i had no idea. so i had to look up on the map and uh.

we got some things done and um. two days before the draft they started. really calling and saying hey. you know we're thinking about taking you. number one are you gonna sign. and my dad looked at me and he said hey. you can go number one. or the pirates are gonna take you the. bridge are gonna take you and. cincinnati's going to take you. and i looked at him said i want to go. number one right. and he says why is that i said because. not everybody could say they went. one right they could say they were the.

first round pick but they can't say they. was 101. right and uh he said okay and. from that point on you know today before. the draft we signed the next day. and then we had the actual draft and. then i graduated no my brother. yeah my brother graduated from high. school i graduated my high school. student i graduated high school. and then uh i was down in the um. i was down in atlanta for a couple days. and willie stargill helped me out with. my footwork.

right and everybody thinks that willie. sarge was an outfield i mean the first. baseman but he played outfield. so he's like uh come on young buck and. he took me out now field for like an. hour and a half with no baseballs all we. did was work on footwork. at 17 you kind of mad you like come on. can i get some balls that means. he's like nah we're gonna work on only. footwork uh and. that's what really helped me out you. know my. my model league is you know having the. guys you know around me that were like. hey this is the way you're supposed to. do things this is the way. you know and then when i got to the big.

leagues you know i was 19 so you. couldn't go out. you know so you had to be stuck here you. know so by the time i turned 21. the novelty of being in the big leagues. and all the other stuff that going on. it was gone what was it like. playing with your dad because i don't. know if anybody else is. probably i know lebron wants to be able. to play with his son. lebron jr but i'm not so sure that we're. ever going to see. what you and your father accomplished. again.

um he actually called me he said hey uh. the manners want me and he said is it. okay yeah. he said this is your team and i was like. hell yeah. so you know and uh. he gets there we do the press conference. we go down there and as we're. riding the elevator he goes uh now you. know we got a bet i was like what's that. he goes whoever gets the first hit the. other one got to pay lunch. i was like deal but the second one the. other person get a chance to tie.

so finally i see the lineup card. he bet in second i'm batting third so i. walk we're walking out to the field i. said you know what for 17 years you. protected me. right now i get to protect you and i i. kept going. he starts laughing so we get up on he's. on the on that circle. he gets he gets up and then i come up. there. and um. i yell get a hit dad and i turn around.

and my entire dugout is laughing because. you know as we get older graybeard. fossil. oh man you know you know cops yeah. but for somebody to say hey get a hit. dad and actually mean it right they were. shocked just. i was like that's my dad i'm like so but. i learned how to actually hit. watching him because how he set up. pictures what he did. um it actually you know if you look at i. hit.

264 i ended up hitting 300 the second. year and i hit 327 my third year which i. was. third in the batting title behind julio. franco and wade boggs. right uh but i got a chance to learn how. to hit. just watching and sometimes you know i. know we look at some of the greatest. quarterbacks of all time in your sport. they sat behind somebody who was a. monster yes and learn. and it's the same thing i got to see. somebody who i look like. perform right in front of me. how how long did your mom and dad play.

pay your bills what after you became the. number one draft pick. did they stop that immediately what. uh what you mean immediately uh uh. uh as as of june 2nd 2000 i mean uh. 1987 uh those bills would be cut off. actually what's funny is like i came. home from my. uh rookie year and i'm sitting there.

you know coming home late you know all. my friends you know they're in college. so they. they got weird hours so i'm coming home. at like three o'clock in the morning. four o'clock in the morning. mom worried about me dad over there like. this. you know how dad's on some time so he. finally comes and says hey man. i'm gonna just let you know your mom's. worried about you you can't just be. coming in at this type of night. you know either you stay out or or you. know. you'll be home at midnight right or. if you want to be the man you're going. to pay some of these bills so he gave me. a.

uh he he had me go down there and he. drafted a. a a contract that i would pay 200 a. month. i'm like and i'll be i'm arguing i ain't. paying 200. at my own house you're like then you. don't live here. you find your own place so i paid them. but you know when i knew the chain of. command i gave it to him. he gave it to mom mom gave it back to me.

i know how this works right so. once you decided that you were going to. play baseball. nothing else mattered because you said. you were you came from a football family. did you not did you not want to play. football after that point or you just. devoted all your time to baseball. i just didn't want to get hit. [Laughter]. i didn't want to get hit no i'm like hey. come on well you could have been a. defensive player you could have been a. db. yeah okay so one of like.

uh uh remember uh vinnie clark from. state and carlos yeah we we all played. literally pop warner together. vinnie and i were both safeties vinnie. always one of the blitz leave me out. there by myself. he said you got the good hands but no we. all you know we're little kids and. things like that uh. but no my brother he wanted to play. football. and uh you know i looked at him said. more power to you all my friends want to. play football i was like.

and my dad also said you know longevity. and things like that so. you know i listen to him even though you. know as a you know. it's hard you're growing up i mean if. you look back on it like you know what. he gave me some really sound advice. but at the time that he's giving you. that advice you're like man. yeah yeah i did that and. he just looked at me like i was crazy uh. but. you know uh in a couple what's funny is. like in a couple weeks. we're going on a hunting trip right and.

uh you know this is his bucket list. listing he's like dude i want to go. hunting i'm like alright so now i got to. set up everything and. it's gonna region look i i end up taking. my my gun hiking. you know what uh i'm just on like a. nature walk for like three days four. days. you know uh you know what's funny is. um he wanted you know. you know his boys he's like hey we're. going hunting i was like.

nine and he took us to a pheasant farm. and like gallup police ohio right. we shot like 1300 worth of birds. well he didn't have 1300 worth of cash. on. so so he was over there looking at like. y'all just shooting up. everything we was like you said go. hunting. you know but you know when you you know. nine and seven but you you know you want. to be out with dad and. that and uh you know he's like hey we're.

gonna teach you everything and that was. the one thing. as i tell like i said i tell my family. don't be a what if the only thing you. can't do is quit. right uh if you started then you can't. quit. you know that year no matter what if the. coach don't like you you don't like the. coach. because some people are not gonna like. you for you right some people gonna not. like you for me. right you know but you know it is what. it is and my kids you know that's the. the the the thing about it and i know. that you've gone through it.

is that our kids have to grow up faster. yeah because of what we did. than anybody else and it's sad because. you know you know and then they go well. he spoiled no. i see what happens outside these walls. and i still want him to be a kid. and so we have to balance it out because. this world is not. fair and so it's our job to try to. balance things out for them. when you look at all the father-son. combinations in all the sports. be it uh steph curry and his father dale.

you look at the booms you look at uh the. lose the. earn uh the earnhardt the uh winslow. junior senior the matthews. what is the griffey's senior and junior. rank on the all-time. iconic father-son duo the mannings. we never that's for somebody else to. decide we don't we don't. talk about those things we don't never. you know compare ourselves to. to everybody else and you know because. like for me you know i have a hard time. i know uh i see you and uh skip go at it.

all the time. about you know the goat and who this and. who that yeah yeah yeah. and uh you know so we have a you know. how many home runs would willie mays hit. if he didn't get hit knocked down. how many home runs would hank aaron hit. with the travel that we have now. so when i i can't compare eras. because i couldn't put myself in their. situation. but i can just imagine what it would be. like if they came here. right you know because at the time i. mean you look at 25 years 26 years.

them dudes was balling and they didn't. take you know winners off. i mean you know they had to barnstorm so. they played constantly. you know all year round where you know. we got four months off. if if we don't make the playoffs so i. look at it as. you know who's the greatest player in in. their era. and you know because it's so hard to do. i mean basketball. i mean the hand check the this that that. uh the three-point line the you know how. many. you know people go.

all points he's a thousand points. well he didn't have a three-pointer. right he got 36 000. right you know this guy has a. three-pointer and now he got 33 000. you. know so it's so hard to compare all that. stuff for baseball you know. uh you have the dead ball era the live. ball era you know the things like that. uh. the lowering of the pitching mound yeah. you know so is that why is that why. because. i'm listening that you talk and you said. well i didn't really i never could. my father and i we never compared.

ourselves to any other father-son duos. i really never compared myself is that. why you didn't get caught up. in what transpired in the 90s which is. known as the steroid era. because no. my dad was always saying hey you know. you're not you're not going to be the. biggest. you're not going to be the strongest. you're not going to be the fastest just. don't let nobody out work you. right and that's it you know so when it. came down to. and when all that happened i was. at the time did you know what happened.

did you know it was happening. no i would you know i like everybody. else like. you see it on i was like huh when they. read the mitchell report and i was. sitting there like he. him a good stiff win and he could be out. of the ballpark he would weigh nothing. but you know it wasn't like you see. these guys. you know in the middle of a locker room. with a needle and you know. right in syringe you know they did it. behind closed doors they you know. uh uh i mean now if you see a guy come.

in and he was 175 one year. and he 225 the next year. you could say okay but what about the. guys that was hitting 15 home runs and. all of a sudden hitting 50 and 60 home. runs. uh that isn't up a red flag. no because i like for me you know. i was always taught worry about you. killed yourself. okay you know you keep yourself right. that's the only thing you can control is. when you're looking at mirror you can't.

you that's who you can control i can't. control what everybody else does. right um you know my thing is when i i. look at it. and people say you got cheated i was. like. it is what it is i let it go because i. don't want to go into a big old debate. about. but do it make you upset no. no because it used to. but now people see that okay. okay now look what he did and that's who. i want my kids to be like.

right that's what that's what i wanted. and all that's what i wanted is you know. i can go in there and i can go anywhere. i can do a lot of things but i don't. have to worry about somebody go. hmm and that was the thing there was. never. any suspicion nobody ever had any. suspicion it was never in the mitchell. report. nobody even said even someone that might. have had a grudge. that wanted to tarnish your image has. never said. anything about ken griffey being linked.

to steroids. hgh nothing no. now when i retired all my friends said. hey now you can use it for cosmetic. purposes only. i was like what i was like what you know. they were like hey. but you know but it's one of those. things like if you're 25 years old think. about this you're 25 years old. you have two kids you're up and down. triple a big leagues this. 100 vial of steroids could keep you in. the big leagues to make. a half a million dollars what do you. think people are going to do.

and when i post it to right when i pose. it to people like that they go. oh i never thought about it that way but. what happens is so many people listen to. uh um and you know the the guys from. congress. when they start jumping in on on. baseball and stuff like that. um their grandfathers are telling them. that these were the best players. baseball now those records are being. broken. and now they're in congress trying to. you know put their name out. yeah and i'm like you know hey.

i ain't part of this even though i'm. part of it right you know. uh but you know having a dad who who. who was a all-star not a superstar. it helps you know if you're a superstar. then you gotta you gotta live up to. to that right um but my dad was a you. know a homebody. uh you know become six brothers i mean. give me five brothers one sister. you know my mom is you know five sisters. two brothers and they live catty corner.

on a t street from each other so when i. got in trouble with my grandma's house i. went to. my other grandma's house which was right. across the street. but you know coming from a small town. you know it helps because. you know it's you know it's not like the. the big city you got to be larger than. life. right um you know my family came from a. steel mill so. i understood hard work and i understood. that that. you know my grandfather when uh you know. i was he was talking about his pension.

being. like six hundred dollars a month and. this is what we're gonna have to live. off of. so i understood the value of money. because i'd be like hey can i go get. this bubble gum this top bubble gum. and all i really wanted was the bubble. gum inside the the actual thing he was. like no no no we're gonna go through the. cards you don't know who they are. right and things like that but uh no the. there was no pressure on me about doing. steroids. um are you saying that some of the guys. that you were close with. resorted to that do you feel cheated.

no no i because now i you know. i don't have that issue you know uh uh. people well he used to do this he used. to be the best we thought he was better. um now they're like well he he. his numbers showed that as he got older. he wasn't as quick. right he didn't do certain things now. that's all i can ask is you know my. numbers. are based on you know my age what people. do.

on a uh in their age group right you. know when you're 22 23 you bounce back. like that. you're 37 38 you might want to take a. couple days off. so how do how should we judge this era. should the guys that put up phenomenal. numbers should they go to the. hall of fame should there be an asterisk. by any of those numbers. how should we judge this number um. because numbers are more important than. baseball than any other sport. right but we don't vote like you know a. member of the hall of fame me. being personal i don't vote do i think.

that there's guys who. who are hall of famers before all some. of the accusations were. were they yes absolutely right uh. you know but again that's not me. that's you know somebody else right you. know that's for them to decide. when you came up for the uh for. enshrinement. you received 99.3. two percent of the vote and i i remember. listening to you talk and they asked you. were you upset that you weren't.

unanimous he's like. no i'm in i'm good with that but. deep down you know you should have been. unanimous what you should have been the. first unanimous. player selected to uh cooperstown. whatever was a little bit i mean. come on come on griffin was there a. little bit uh yeah i was a little hot. okay really hot uh you know. you're telling me and people don't. really understand the voting you're. telling me. you get 10 votes and i'm not one of the.

top 10 players. of that year that's how it works what. so somebody left you completely off the. ballot yes. come on that's not working although and. he's still in that person he or she or. is still allowed to vote i don't know. about that now. okay okay yeah yeah uh but. i don't know who they are but that's how. it is you get 10 vote and it ain't like. a first second third place. you pick out 10 people that's why they. grow by percentages right.

he got 85 percent of the vote now he. needs to. there might be 50 like 25 people on the. card you pick any 10 you want. yeah and somebody left ken griffey jr. with those numbers with those accolades. completely off the ballot. yeah that's ridiculous. yeah you you you that should have been. upsetting. yeah let's talk about your swing as. many said it's the sweetest swing it's. the greatest swing it's the smoothest. swing.

in mlb history do you feel let's just. say. we went out to the batting practice and. i gave you 10 pitches how many could you. hit over the fence. right now yeah seven what. i still take batting practice. so just in case they have an old timer's. game and you know somebody could. not want to be caught slipping. no but you know but it's a lot like for. my sport you know going into the cage. showing kids how to hit.

uh uh still doing it right uh you know. it's now i mean i get seven i get six i. put that. uh but you know the the. you still have to do it you know right. for you teaching a kid you know. you know blocking technique you know you. could show them that all day. right you don't want to run up against. these boys now no. no but see i don't have to i'm on a. pitching machine it's 1970 you know. 65 72 miles an hour it's coming in.

dealt high i ain't got to worry about. that. i ain't got something but i ain't got to. worry about somebody snapping them off. on my ankles. give me um some of the toughest pictures. that you face that you like you know. what. if i'm not on my a-game today he can. embarrass me. pedro pedro martinez. he has stuff he had electric stuff well. uh you see i just remember the 99 the 99. all-star if i'm not mistaken the 99. all-star game. uh-huh yeah that's what i was like ooh.

look i went back to uh uh seattle talked. about hey can we get like five of him. maybe look at me like i was crazy i was. like just okay give me three. but to watch when you you have randy. johnson. you know uh uh you played with randy. yeah yeah randy was fun but randy was my. locker partner. so randy would be moody but not be moody. he'd only be moody if the media came up. to him right but.

everybody else come up to him i mean you. know you got guys wrestling before the. game. he and they're wrestling too then you go. out and throw seven shut. out but you know you have guys like that. that you go. man this is it's like a day off out here. right get one of you pedro wasn't that. you look at randy johnson 16 and you. look at you know roger. probably weighed 230 235 but you look at. pedro. you're like small guy and he's i mean.

he's like jumping out of his shoes. right but this sport isn't about size. it's about heart. right and i know your sport is too i. mean i. you know if you ain't got no heart it. don't matter what they say how big you. are. right yeah we say uh body by target and. swing like jane. yeah you know but but you know for us. you know this guy is. you know 5 10 145. just coming in at you you got 6. 10 you know 220 coming from the left.

side. right you know and you got guys in. between. you know you're not a number one pitcher. because you ain't challenging nobody. you're not a number one pitcher. because you ain't embarrassed nobody. right your job is to go out and. embarrass that's why. you know number one you're the first. game of the year. on every team and that's your job is to. get. that victory for that day you had some. of the great commercials. you ran for president in 1996 uh i don't.

know if the campaign is never iffy if. it's griffy. i mean the the shoe i mean. i don't think people realize i'm old. enough to remember you and i'm very. close in age i think we might be the. same age. do you look back at like man. i did that i had that i was like that. uh yeah i have to remind my youngest who. said. who's 18 he was like dad tell me how was. it playing back in the day and i was. looking at him like man do you.

understand that. i was still playing when he was born he. was like i don't remember. so uh so you know something will happen. on tv and they'll show a commercial. and he'll he'll look at me and he'll. look and when the uh i think when little. bigly came on. right he act you know and we all knew. except him. you know this movie he was shot you know. nine years before he was born so and. then you say so it was like. 2008 we were watching the movie and. uh i come walking to the plate.

and he's like six years old he looked at. the he looked the tv. and he looked at me he looked back to tv. he shook his head he was like i was like. yeah i did a movie too. he was like oh but you know so. because like i said man we very seldom. talk about accomplishment. because you know i live my dream of. being a major league baseball player. right for me it's time that i give back. and try to. get every kid you know no matter what.

color they are. a chance to live their dream because. that's all it's about. you know i tell everybody at being you. know i turn 51 next month. uh you know my time has passed. right i want to be in the barber shop. man i remember him when he was playing i. remember him when he was in lily. and people you know i said that's my. goal is to talk about kids. like if they was mine because i still. talk about mine uh. but you know i want kids to live their.

dream because i've lived mine. you you had a a signature shoe which is. a rarity for a baseball player that's. normally reserved for basketball players. do you you do you show your son like. look here look what your dad had your. dad had a signature. nah that's bad uh no what i what i did. is i. i have nike make up uh my my shoe and a. football shoe so you gotta wear it. yeah so he has the only you know uh.

football shoe with with uh. with uh the swing man logo on it right. when when you if i said okay. ken griffey jr compare i want to know. who is the ken griffey jr of football. the ken griffey jr of basketball who. would you say. football.

are we talking about ever. yeah wow. that's a good question. because i wouldn't compare myself to. anybody in football and basketball. really yeah you don't think anybody is. comparable. i mean who has a a sweet shot or. throwing motion that you like okay. that's the equivalent of my swing.

uh ray allen shooting okay. uh. and i would say tony dorsett. yeah only could be my favorite football. player. i would i would have never get so how. you doing. okay you said you grew up very close and. he i think he's from aliquippa. yeah he's in high school with my uncle.

so. were you a cowboy fan or a steeler fan. being from. that close in pa i'm a cowboy fan. oh man come on man you i'm an old-school. cowboy fan. okay so you're not you're not like these. delusional fans that think they go with. the super bowl every year huh. i'm an old school cowboy fan what's. funny at my house is my wife. she's from seattle so she's a die-hard. seahawk fan okay.

okay uh trey from us being here in. florida. all he heard was about the you it's all. about you so here. ed reed ray lewis uh uh willis maggie so. he liked the ravens okay. uh my youngest when he was a starting. quarterback he had. he didn't have a haircut until he was. nine so he had 14 inches of hair. well named me a left-handed quarterback. that had brave mike vick. so he was a mike vick fan now wherever. mike went. uh uh and i'll tell you a story about. that in a second and then my daughter is.

a carolina panther fan. how uh steve smith steve. is her favorite player okay and i did. something that i've never done i. actually called. the uh carolina called the uh um. called their player personnel and said. look man i've never done this my. daughter is a die hard fan. um actually he with the ravens at the. time right. uh and i said look i will trade him. jerseys. because i need one for my for my.

daughter that's a like i have pictures. of her when she is like. 12 with the carolina 89 jersey on. and she is now like she is in college. and when that game come on he playing. that jersey go on now my little guy. he was eight years or nine years old uh. they were playing um. in jacksonville so we i gotta sweep it's. like all right we're gonna go watch and. play.

so we get to the sweep they said hey uh. blah blah blah. mike runs on the field we there early. mike runs out on the field. for warm-ups my youngest runs on the. field with him and sits on the 20-yard. line watching him warm up. like i'm like yo uh kevin come on back. he's like. that's my vehicle i was like okay. and even security was like you can't. bother nobody and mike and he said. just let him go he indian style watch. them. and then uh at the end mike ran over and.

talked to him said uh. hi to him and at the end of the game. he said at the end of the game come down. so at the end of the game and they lost. that game. so we were like trying to get out you. know football a little different in. baseball we got another game tomorrow. right y'all got a whole week to to they. trying to get us on the bus get to the. airport and get back on the plane and. get home. yeah so it was like all right he said no. no no i got a phone call. come down there so we went there he gave. me the game jersey and. he put it on and fell asleep in the car. now we got a two-hour drive back to our.

level he dead sleep in the car. with the jersey on i'm like hey we gotta. take the jersey off. he's like you gonna frame it i like we. gonna frame it okay we go frame it. uh and to this day it is in his room and. he is a freshman in college. mama said he can't take that jersey he. could take a picture of the jersey. that jersey is in that room bubba said. he can't take that. so i don't know if you've ever done this. but if i said okay. name the five greatest baseball players.

of all time any era. pitchers included okay you know what. let's leave pictures out. i already cut all they do is bad give me. your five best bait. the five greatest baseball players hank. garron willie mays jackie robinson. ricky henderson. and one guy bob gibson as a pitcher. that's a very. i mean i can uh willie mays i understand.

hank. got you i'm surprised you said ricky. the all-time uh uh run fleeter. hey look he was different i mean i heard. a story about ricky. and it it makes me laugh because i can. just imagine had i been there. to actually witness some of the things. that i've heard. and i just i just i'm crying laughing. yeah my dad played with him for a few. years so yeah some of those stories are. true.

you got jackie robinson for what he did. uh yes number one you know rightfully so. i mean if it wasn't for him. you know uh and what's funny is. out of all the pictures in my house he's. the one that's prominently displayed in. my office. right uh because of what he did and what. he means to so many people. of color and i think people you know and. not so much. i mean what he did for us as people uh. black people.

but he allowed to let other countries. come here. and play this game and i know it's. different in bad football because. you don't see very many europeans and no. uh. right for us you know uh you know we got. guys from south africa. you know japan you know korea you know. uh a lot of people guys you got cubans. you got south korea. but without him who knows and and my.

thing is. if he didn't do it when would be the. next jackie robinson. right you know it may have been after my. dad might have played so i may have not. got the opportunity. and he you had to have the right. temperament because the things that were. said. the things that were done you had to. write everybody couldn't believe. everybody couldn't be jackie robinson. griffin no no no i say that all the time. but like i don't know if i could beat. him. you had to bite your tongue a lot right.

but i got a chance to. to sit there and talk to rachel and. sharon and you know. uh and that's why part of you know my. shoe collection. does have a jackie robinson shoe right. because of. what he did and i got one coming out. next year. i can't show it to you but i got one. coming out. well well i just i'll just wait on that. uh hopefully i'll i'll get the uh the. sneakers. yeah yeah oh no it's a sneaker version. okay well. because i don't play no more i can't be.

out. my wife ain't gonna let me go on this. towel on my spikes. talk about the history of baseball. with the black players and why have we. seen the decline. of black players playing in the majors. um. well if number one if you get drafted in. football and baseball i mean it's gonna. be football basketball. you go straight to the show correct and. in baseball you get drafted you go to. the modern league and it could be six. years. right you know before you get there and.

i think that's one of the differences. um plus the other difference is the the. actual cost you know the showcases and. this and that you know. trying to get the exposure um for these. young kids. it's it's quite expensive and and we. need to. somehow manage a. a rate where some of these kids can come. right you know. we got to figure out something you know. because if you can run hit and throw.

you know they will find you um. but you got to be that guy and. you know and also like the other. economic standards economic problem we. have is. you can go to dominican or venezuela and. you can get. five or six guys for what it would cost. an american. you know but it it's it's a two-way. street we gotta get guys who wanna play. we gotta get guys that look like us as.

coaches. um on all levels um. so i think you know when we get that i. think things will change. because i remember my dad had 19 i think. that was the all-time high and. now it's like 6.72 right. you mentioned the instant gratification. i get drafted. i'm going to the nfl if i get drafted. i'm going to the nba and you mentioned. okay you get drafted you're going down. to the miners. and it's going to be what you say a. minimum.

of what a year two years at the minimum. uh. yeah yeah and. if you're a monster it's a minimum i. mean you yes. how long did you stay in the miners um. [Laughter]. so but that's the thing though so you. talk about you. are you know number one overall draft. pick goes down for a year and a half. what about the guy that's not you and he.

stands five years. or he's a career model leaguer but he. got drafted to play in the majors. yeah you know i tell kids you know hey. the hardest part about being draft. being here is getting drafted obviously. somebody wanted you. right so you get drafted so from that. point on you know like i tell. just relax and go play. you know because and just like every. sport there's an it's a numbers game. right somebody get hurt you get called. in um.

you know so the hardest i can't just. show up off the street say hey coach uh. i'm here. i'm about third uh i'm ready right. they're gonna look at you like you crazy. so. you know most kids put a lot of pressure. after they get drafted by the the. the slot that they're in uh there's a. little bit of jealousy because you're. the new guy. you the new first pick um you know. but you go through that the learning. curve and the growing pains. uh you know i was mvp of the league. in my first year but not mvp of my team.

that's unheard of but that happened to. me yeah. yeah i know the feeling so let me ask. you a question when you look at these. outfielders now and you play center. field. mookie beth plays some center but mainly. he's a right fielder. you look at mike trout are there any. guys currently that playing that remind. you. like you like to watch to do. mookie best yeah jackie bradley uh trout. harper i'll be over there you know that. for me uh uh.

you know that dodger lineup you know is. a monster so. when they on tv then you got you know. the braves pitching staff and you know. the young pitchers. i mean anytime that you have like a. match up like that right. a good solid team and a pitching staff. that's that's young. man it's exciting and for me that's. that's what it's about. uh you know they got uh uh they got. great young players on both sides. um now you're looking at you know the. twins who've been i mean that's give be. a twin but the raids have been solid. um you know so this is you know this is.

a very interesting world series because. you know you got a team that can score a. whole bunch of runs. in a in a flash and then you got a team. that's. not gonna hit very many home runs but. they're gonna make the right plays. and so you know in baseball it's a game. it's a chess match you know. you know how many how can i keep my. opponent off balance and. you know so this is you know a pretty. good matchup but even though people. don't. look at it you know you have the the. bigger known team is the dodgers and you.

have the little known team. like who are the rays who are these guys. and people like i can't name two people. on the raise i was like. yeah but guess where they at they. playing in the big game. right and so and they're gonna be. they're gonna be a force to reckon with. over the next couple years because they. got good. solid young talent and unfortunately. they're not able to hold on to them. because they're not gonna be able to pay. them. what the big market teams can pay um. i think something's gonna happen you. think something's gonna happen. well from what i hear because i live in. florida that they've already been told.

that they're gonna move now i don't know. if that's for sure or not right. but uh you know um. it it's crazy um just to hear that you. know the. the mayor or yeah the mayor of their. city is like look we need that land. uh so y'all gonna have to find some. place to go in like five five years so. i think over the next five years. something's gonna happen. griffy did you you look at these. salaries and you see. guys getting 350. did you ever think. salary would get somebody would make.

400 million dollars i keep complaining. to my parents. 15 years old i tell them all the time. like mom what happened i've been looking. at my dad walking i shake my head. uh-huh and see you know being in. november. baby i was valentine's baby so i was. like looking at them like. really. [Laughter]. so i mean did you ever i mean look you. when you were at once i mean.

i mean you took less money to go to uh. cincinnati because you wanted to go play. for the red you want to play. the team your dad played for so you took. but you made good money. but to see these salaries 350s and the. pitchers making 327 and you're missing. an outfielder making almost a half a. billion did you ever think the center. uh no i didn't even think the salaries. get to buy. you know uh um i think my dad made a. million dollars is i think it's his high. so that's what i thought you know that's. what it's gonna be and. you know even my rookie year i was sixty.

eight thousand five hundred. that was the rookie minimum and then i. went to 180 and then 535 and then two. million but by the time i got two. minutes i was like. i feel like what what uh uh you on the. plane. look no when i got like iced tea what. did he say 19 19 got a bench 21 i. retired. right but uh but no i was just like. you know i never thought about you know. the salaries and. what could be but i you know when i. retired i did tell my parents.

if y'all just waited i could have got. you that new car that you wanted. to be like no when they go get it anyway. no when they got it anyway but you know. are you are you surprised your son chose. football over baseball. no no it's his decision. it's not my decision it's not my life. like i always said i don't want my kids. to be a whatever. yeah what if i'd have played football. what if you know when you forced me to. do this now what if.

i want them to ever come at me and. resent me. for making the decision for them grip i. said the same thing. i tell i told my kids i said i want you. to do what you want to do. because i don't want when you get to be. 30 years old you say dad i only did this. because you wanted me to. no no no no i want you to do what you. want to do because i did what i wanted. to do i wanted to go to the nfl. and take care of it you know take care. of my family so what do you want to do. whatever it is i don't care yeah now. come now let me tell you what. i'm not going to push you in any.

particular direction but once you start. walking in that direction i'm going to. push you. yeah oh no we got that yeah we got that. i mean you know. uh uh you know my thing is you got to be. the best at what you do. whatever that is and uh you know like. when my daughter. graduated from college she had a couple. knee injuries you know before she went. to college. she made it through and i told her i'd. give her a year off. well that year it became two years and. she get ready no no she can't have a job.

uh. next uh actually starts next week but. the funny thing about that. is i came down and i was like hey you. know it's it's a year she was like well. i filed an extension i was like. huh she was like it's just like taxes. yeah i just found it you know you don't. have to wait for the return you know a. reply. so i just looked at her my boys looked. at me like that wouldn't happen if. that's me i was like. yeah you're probably right i just told. you to get out. but you know you know people. you know they look at you know number.

one college athletes and think oh man. it's great they're a college athlete. i said they work harder than anybody i. know yes you know they got to go school. they got to get their lift in. and they got to get the curriculum and. play a sport. right and so when you know trey you know. uh trey going getting not getting. drafted going to. the colts uh going to miami going to the. steelers. uh you know not didn't know if he wanted. to get picked up.

and had a couple calls and he said hey i. just want to be. and i said all right you got it you got. a year you got a year to just chill. and figure out what you want to do in. life you're still young enough to to. figure it out. uh and then all of a sudden the pandemic. hit and i'm looking at him he looking at. me because you know. no two grown men sometimes can't be in. the same house. tell everybody but you know he he's. he's he's you know they're all good kids. i i have no problems with them but i. said hey man. here's here's your here's what your.

chores are you got to make sure the. garbage is out you're going to make sure. this is out blah blah blah make sure. your mom all right. and i said mainly you know it ain't. about me just make sure mom's cool. right whatever mom want just get it done. and. they they've been behind it you know you. just watched the growth of. of kids and i've had more people. compliment me on. you know the development of my kids than. me playing sports and i said that's more. important to me. yes what i did off the field i mean on. the field. when your youngest son is uh hbc he's at.

famu. what's that been uh has he talked to you. what's that been like for him. he's three hours away on a drive. okay he's been home every other weekend. what uh. mama said he can come home every other. weekend there's no. there's no football right if there was. football you know. he'd have to he'd have he'd be traveling. he'd be playing right. right now ain't no football uh you know.

he. he loves it i mean um it's been a. a blessing inside we went to and we go. to a predominantly black high school. okay you know my kids graduated from. public school okay. um was that important for you was that. important for you. to have them go to a public school yes. why why is that um because it's just. people. you you meet all kind of people right. you know it ain't that you know. just because your daddy has a little.

money there's people who got a lot more. money than your daddy. and that was the one thing that that we. we said is that hey man this is. there are different nationalities. different religions. different people and you've got to deal. with that in the real world. right so you know the first couple years. um. i think until fourth grade they went to. a school downtown then they went to a. charter school for two years. when they got from the sixth grade on. they was in public school. and uh you know you could see you know.

you come home and. you know they got a couple bumps and. bruises you know people talking about. people talking about their daddy. uh you know a couple fights here and. there. you know but you know nothing to to. really. you know write home about you know i get. the couple days. hey by the way your son choked somebody. out in school. so how protective are you. how protective are the kids of you like. my kids don't follow me on social media.

and they are very very reluctant to tell. you who their father is. because they don't want someone to treat. them any of any kind of way. either good or bad because of their dad. um. well they follow me um and i tell you. that story real quick is that you know. when i started getting on. instagram uh um. i had four followers and three of them. was at my house. and they was teasing me then i got like. all of a sudden i got ten thousand they. was like hey dad you gonna shout me out.

i was like would you be. but uh you know it's very important. uh for them they are very protective of. me. growing up um you know they still are. you know. at first they were like why is somebody. talking to him why is that because they. didn't really understand. and then all of a sudden they were like. why are you bothering them you know. exactly yeah that's my oldest my oldest. daughter the exact same way. because people would come up while we're. eating or having to you know have it.

we're out and she's like that's my daddy. you don't know how to no autographs. yeah no yeah my kids do that you know. they still do it. and they're 26 and 25. i saw the documentary i think it was a. documentary where you said. you would never play for the yankees. was that in the heat of the moment or. you really meant that because something. tells us will you tell the story.

um i was. in a tunnel and and it's a walkway that. separates. the the wives lounge which was upstairs. or the waiting lounge wife lounge. and downstairs and it was a tunnel. probably about 75 feet. and we played pickle there um. and the yankees were getting their butts. whooped. and and there's probably.

you have randolph's kids tour boards kid. you know uh. a brother and i so there's probably. about 10 to 12 of us. and he walked up to my dad and said get. your blank kids out of here. so my dad after the game brought us home. and said hey they can't come there my. mom said oh they going back tomorrow. so we went back you just ain't gonna do. that. but overhearing that and i'm 12 years. old you know i'm.

maybe i'm yeah 12 13. then. i go to the ballpark early with my dad. and it's one o'clock ain't nobody there. 12 31 o'clock ain't nobody there. uh i'm sitting in the dugout and the guy. says hey uh george don't want nobody in. the dugout. meanwhile you got craig metal son taking. ground balls at third base. and he looked at me he said he pointed. over there and he said just remember. that. and that's all it took so when you have.

a a an impressionable kid at. that age that every time. you know they play that team the only. thing you can think of. is how i'm gonna beat them every single. time i mean you look at my numbers. they're probably the best uh uh. against any other team because i just it. wasn't about. it wasn't because i got great friends. who you know jeter's a good friend of. mine you know. jorge posada mo you know uh uh bernie. you know uh you know the the.

all the old guys you know from the dave. winfield ricky you know. roy smiley uh willie randolph uh big. john mayberry. i mean right all these guys you know uh. uh. uh rick cerrone i mean all these guys. were you know guys that i looked up to. and. you know but once i saw the pinstripes. with. ny on it i was like a different person i. was like okay. here it is we gonna go at it. you're the first number one overall.

draft pick. to be selected to the hall of fame. of all the ones you're the first. maybe two of us you and chipper yep. how i mean do you do you find that do. you do you think that's odd are you like. hold on wait a minute. yeah i did when i found out yeah i. thought it was i was like. and then but you realize how many first. picks don't make it. right you know there's more fourth and.

fifth round draft choices in the big. leagues than first round. things like that you like and but. and i don't know if it's a uh uh. i know they have the talent maybe a lack. of focus sometimes. uh but i knew that. i didn't want to be in the minor leagues. right and. that was what was driving me i don't. want to be here. my daddy went here i only remember my.

dad being in my league so i know that i. didn't want to be there. did we growing up did your dad have a. fancy car. did that motivate you because when my. brother came back when my brother came. when uh my brother was. got drafted in 88 and he had a mercedes. and he got bmw and porsches. i'm like i want that no what's funny. is um. we actually my dad's 26th birthday which. i was. six years old we got him a powder blue.

10-speed bike. and that was his first bike. that was his first ever bike and it was. a father's day. he wrote it down the driveway he wrote. it back up and he said hey. you can ride it it's yours he goes but. you know the the fact that you thought. of me is great because he didn't. i remember having a green toyota celica. with louvers on the back um that my mom. had like a.

a mark five a coup has a cougar mark. five it's not my lincoln mark five. something like that. right uh that was her car um. i remember also i remember all of a. sudden my dad went to the yankees and. you know a couple years later my mom's. grabbing a uh a silver spur. with 100 pillows in the back and my dad. is driving a mercedes i was like okay. but he you know it wasn't. you know what he was always taught and i. tell my kids all this. uh yeah your dad got a little money.

y'all ain't got no money. yeah great that's what i hey that's what. i tell my kids all the time. i tell the people they're dating i tell. them about my kids i was like hey. they ain't got no money i got the money. yeah. yeah because they that. you know now you know having a girl and. having a boy is a little different. because. you know you know i'd be able to. sugarcoat it uh uh i only have one rule. at my house. you know that you can't get gas after 7. pm or before 7 pm. right i mean before 7 am so my girls.

may be bringing stuff i live 2 miles. from a gas station my girl brought home. it was one mile to empty i was over. there like that you want me to go get. you some gas and they got one mountain. empty but it's two miles to the gas. station. got my butt in that car and drove over. there got us some gas. but but that's just the. [Laughter]. so before we wrap up griff what are you. doing now.

uh well i own a couple car dealerships. okay um in south carolina and in florida. um work for major league baseball uh. both sides the commissioner's office and. the player association doing joint. ventures to help you know. uh kids get back into baseball and. play a little golf and try to stay out. of people's way. i'm all right i got your brother once. you got it oh he didn't tell me about. that. he did not tell me well i tell you a. quick story.

is uh we were at the nike event and um. here in orlando for the the. what do they call that thing the golf. the. pga show okay so. i hit my first drive and i've been. playing golf all day hit the first drive. it's 249. he looked at me and uh suzanne peterson. said that's where i hit my ball he turns. around and says uh. oh so now you just drive it as far as. the lpga player. and i just looked at him like do you. know who i am.

so i hit the next one 311. and then i gave him i said was that. better he was like yeah that's a little. better but you got there with me i said. all right. and i looked at one of my boys he's like. give it to him so i hit the next one 353. so for the next 45 minutes your brother. was in that uh. simulator trying to hit it where i was. hitting that. i said well don't pull nothing back. there you you can't go out there i said. that. all all my life i've been swinging right. so i can.

i can turn it up when i have to i said. now i ain't that you know you as. football players y'all used to pushing. people off of you. right you know i'm used to getting. getting the head out. and driving the ball why are baseball. players so good at golf you look at rick. rhoden you look at some of the baseball. players you guys are great. uh i think because we ain't got team. meetings like y'all do. you john smoltz i mean the baseball. players are not. right but they pitchers they you know. they don't care you look no. they know because see my number one.

swing. my number two swing wouldn't go mess up. my number one swing right. yeah so my baseball swing gotta be like. okay if we go out there and play golf. i and i didn't really learn how to play. really golf until after i retired. right because i'd hit a big old slice. because my baseball swing that's what. we're gonna play with. i'm gonna keep working i'm gonna groove. that thing in i'm not grooving my golf. swing in my golf swing don't pay no. bills at the house. right until now it give me a little gas. money from my boys but you know. it ain't paying the light bill let's.

talk about some of the uh. some of the great the quarterbacks that. came from a bas. a baseball background you got patrick. mahomes his father was in the major. leagues. cala murray got drafted number one. overall in football he was the number. eight pick in the mlb draft. and russell wilson was a second baseman. what is it that you think translates so. well from. major league players to being played in. the nfl. i think decision making and being a. student of the game.

i think when you're you know a middle. infielder or a pitcher you're constantly. thinking. you know trying to get people out uh you. know. you see that i always you know i get on. pad about you know i see that his. athletic ability didn't come from your. side of the family. you know it's always that fun stuff that. we do you know. you know we just say that but you know. uh you know for us when you see. the next generation of guys that you. play with. you you feel like them your your kids. right you know you like that's my boy so.

when he come on tv i'm right there. when russell's on tv i'm right there you. know so. you know we have this thing that you. know it ain't about us again. it's about the next generation and when. we see somebody that we know we played. against. we want to see how they know because and. for us in baseball we can look at the. box school. when they announce your name and you see. the batting average rbi's home runs up. there. we know how you doing right so that's. why we get the first date they be like. hey how's the family. they'll be like man you talking about. like nah we've been asking about.

everything else we never talk about. baseball. when that first bait man how the kids. how's mandy how's everybody. then all of a sudden you're still second. you gotta do it all over again right so. that's what we would. you get on third okay hey man uh yeah. what's going on hot. but that's the way we do things as a. hall of fame baseball player one of the. great. of all time how good was bo jackson. and deion sanders because they were so. exemplary in other sports. well you still got brian jordan.

had just focused on baseball if beau had. just focused on baseball. how good could they have been well. i think when you you look at it uh. those two. you can't go wrong with either one uh uh. you know beau was. i think beau was maybe a better baseball. player than dion.

but you know dion football-wise. is off the chart but they are. all all-stars in baseball you know. um they're a lot of fun to watch. i'm a when you talk about. can't miss tv that's them yeah that. error right there that was like okay uh. and you know who is it to decide that. you could play one sport.

who is it for you to decide these kids. came out said you know what i want to. play brian jordan you throw in there. yes you know uh. you know that and that's what i say man. i i didn't have to make up my mind until. my senior year. you see now that these kids are making. their mind up in in the third grade i. want to be a baseball player. you're not an understanding that you. might be a football player. right you might be a lacrosse player you. might be a basketball player. you might grow uh uh seven inches like. a.d.

did right yeah i i think. i agree with you griffy i think i think. kids are coming specialized too early. i think playing basketball playing. football running track i think playing a. lot of sports. and then once you get say you get in. high school if you want to specialize. then. but you build up a lot of eye. coordination hand-eye coordination. from playing other things well i think. you know like you know you look at uh. basketball works on your footwork you. know football works on your football. you know and uh basketball works on your. acceleration.

then you go back to you know the. toughness of football will help you in. the physicality of basketball uh i. didn't run track because. baseball and and uh track season was. together. yeah but so i just played football and. baseball my brother played football. basketball and ran a little track but. they knew that. he was just there to to run at the end. of the year. um but he didn't start there but you. know like i said man my dad was like hey. y'all gonna play everything. this is the way we gonna do it you can. figure out that stuff later.

uh but we gonna do everything and you. know when my kids started we started. with motocross. my kids rode with james stewart um. so every year big james would you know. have uh. you know kawasaki send a little bike. right. one day james came over to me i was like. hey man uh let me talk to you i was like. what he was like. you think that uh i could borrow your. daughter for about two three months. like for what she was like um i've been. timing her and she is like six seconds.

faster than. lil james at the same age which means. that she could be one of the greatest of. all time. i was like huh no my daughter's not. racing. she's out here having fun uh but i. didn't. you know she could have been she might. have could have been down to kilpatrick. yeah she do because she get a couple. speeding tickets. but she got that big old foot like a. mama. but nah it's so much you know like i. said man we we. want every kid to do everything.

experience everything. that's the thing exposure is the the key. for our generation. and our people to to to excel if we. don't get no exposure. we stuck but you know if we can have. these kids. uh get some exposure and and then. this world will be better and we'll have. no limits griffey i really appreciate it. bro i know it was last minute i. appreciate you giving me about 90. minutes of your time i know you're busy. but i really appreciate it no problem. let me get those shoes to a size 13 when.

you get them. 13 i got you okay because you're about a. 13 off so aren't you. uh i'm 11. see i'm good i got see them. big old feet see them. right there them feet right there i tell. my kids because my kids are 12 and. 12 and a half i said see mine i got. better balance. y'all got a whole lot of material that. lay on the ground. i can get up off them things bro i. appreciate it enjoy the rest of your day. have a great weekend. and i'll be in touch all right take it. easy have a go.

all my life been grinding all my life. sacrifice. hustle paid the price wanna slice got to. roll the dice that's why. all my life i. [Music]. all my life i've been grinding all my. life. you know what to do hit the subscribe. button to become an official member of. club shay shape.

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