Throwback Thursday: Ken Griffey Jr. Hits 500th Career Home Run on Father's Day
On this day 15 years ago, Ken Griffey Jr. gave his dad one heck of a Father's Day present as he hit his 500th home run.
After spending a decade with the Seattle Mariners, Ken Griffey Jr. was traded to the Cincinnati Reds and signed a nine-year, $112.5M contract with his new team. His initial run with the Cincinnati Reds got off to a rocky start as Ken Griffey Jr. endured numerous injuries. However, that didn't stop "The Kid" from providing memorable moments during his tenure with the Cincinnati Reds.
On June 20 in 2004, the Cincinnati Reds were playing against the St. Louis Cardinals in Busch Stadium on Father's Day. With his father looking on from the stands, Ken Griffey Jr. blasted a Matt Morris pitch into the stands for his 500th home run. The home run also tied Ken Griffey Jr. with his father in career hits.
Ken Griffey Jr. is one of the most memorable and popular players in baseball history. He would be a 13x All-Star, earn 10 Gold Gloves, 7 Silver Slugger Awards, a MVP award in 1997 and was elected to the baseball Hall of Fame in 2016.
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