Flashback With Griffey, Jr.
While searching for blog topics, I started to research Craig Griffey. Doesn't sound familiar? Well, he is the younger brother of Ken Griffey, Jr.
I remember Craig Griffey's name because as a youngster, I was given a gold encrusted card set -- which featured the Griffey genes (Ken Sr., Ken Jr., and Craig). At the time, Ken Griffey, Jr. was the man -- he's the primary reason why I started wearing my hat backwards. Yet, at the time of this card set, rumor had it that Craig was actually the best athlete of the family.
In the end, this rumor obviously did not pan out -- as Craig Griffey's athletic credentials never extended beyond becoming a seldom used defensive back at Ohio State...and being selected in the 1991 amateur baseball draft (42nd round...never made it to the big's).
So, what am I getting at...you ask??
How the hell did I not know that Ken Griffey, Jr. tried to kill himself in January 1988, just 7 months after being taken #1 overall by the Mariners???? Supposedly, racial slurs hurled at him by Bellingham (a Mariners' minor league affiliate located in Washington) teenagers and disagreements with his father prompted the 18-year-old to swallow 277 aspirin (no exaggeration), landing him in an intensive care unit.
"It seemed like everyone was yelling at me in baseball, then I came home and everyone was yelling at me there," Griffey told The Seattle Times when he revealed the story in 1992. "I got depressed. I got angry. I didn't want to live."
I have so many questions surrounding this revelation...
How was this story swept under the rug? To this day, why is this incident not synonymous with Griffey's name (similar to the TO situation)? Attempted suicide is a felony, thus, is Griffey a convicted felon? If not, why isn't he? Only a year later (as a 19-year-old), how was Griffey (no matter how talented) able to convince Mariners management that he was ready to man CF for a major league organization? A candy bar was named after him, a mere 15 months after he tried taking his own life? I could continue on for hours...
I remember Craig Griffey's name because as a youngster, I was given a gold encrusted card set -- which featured the Griffey genes (Ken Sr., Ken Jr., and Craig). At the time, Ken Griffey, Jr. was the man -- he's the primary reason why I started wearing my hat backwards. Yet, at the time of this card set, rumor had it that Craig was actually the best athlete of the family.
In the end, this rumor obviously did not pan out -- as Craig Griffey's athletic credentials never extended beyond becoming a seldom used defensive back at Ohio State...and being selected in the 1991 amateur baseball draft (42nd round...never made it to the big's).
So, what am I getting at...you ask??
How the hell did I not know that Ken Griffey, Jr. tried to kill himself in January 1988, just 7 months after being taken #1 overall by the Mariners???? Supposedly, racial slurs hurled at him by Bellingham (a Mariners' minor league affiliate located in Washington) teenagers and disagreements with his father prompted the 18-year-old to swallow 277 aspirin (no exaggeration), landing him in an intensive care unit.
"It seemed like everyone was yelling at me in baseball, then I came home and everyone was yelling at me there," Griffey told The Seattle Times when he revealed the story in 1992. "I got depressed. I got angry. I didn't want to live."
I have so many questions surrounding this revelation...
How was this story swept under the rug? To this day, why is this incident not synonymous with Griffey's name (similar to the TO situation)? Attempted suicide is a felony, thus, is Griffey a convicted felon? If not, why isn't he? Only a year later (as a 19-year-old), how was Griffey (no matter how talented) able to convince Mariners management that he was ready to man CF for a major league organization? A candy bar was named after him, a mere 15 months after he tried taking his own life? I could continue on for hours...
2 comments:
This story baffles me. I am 100% an old school Griffey fan. In the era of steroids and other crap, its good to see a pure athlete still round the bases. If it weren't for injuries, he would have annihilated Hank Aaron's record long ago.
As for attempted suicide being a felony....I'm not sure on that one.
Well written article.
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